5 Easy Ways To Get Beach Waves With A Straightener & Flat Iron

What Are Beachy Waves?

Have you been to a beach and wondered how amazing your hair looks? It is the hydrogen and salts of the sea that get under your hair cuticles, forming microscopic textures. It creates impressive curls and adds the perfect bounce to your hair. This naturally wavy and bouncy look sparked a new kind of hairstyle – the beach waves.

Your hair appears relaxed and messy and goes perfectly well with formal and casual outfits. You can also tie your hair in a half-up or half-down fashion to create your unique style.

Contrary to belief, this hairstyling technique can be easy and fun to achieve. You need not invest in fancy hot rollers and curling irons to get those messy waves. Put your trusty flat iron to work!

How To Get Beach Waves With A Straightener

Note: Before you draw your flat irons out, prep your hair for the process. Do not skip your conditioning routine, and always use a heat protectant to prevent hair damage.

1. Soft, Live-In Waves

Drop sections of your hair into the straightener and twist them into an S-shape from the mid-lengths. You need to focus on the lower half of your hair to give it a naturally wavy look.

Note: Placing the iron into the hair creates the first arc (curve) in the wave. Sliding the hair off determines how much finished curl will be added to the hair ends.

2. Defined Curls

Place your hair section between the clamps with the straightener held at an angle. Direct the flat iron away from your face – this will create the first bend in your hair. Keep twirling the iron away from your face as you slide it down. Leave the ends relatively straight to give it a messy look. You can gently finger-comb through your curls to loosen them.

3. Bouncy Beach Waves

You need a wide flat iron or a 1.25-inch straightener for a bouncy hairstyle. Start with sections near your nape and gradually work your way up to the hairline. Insert a hair section between the clamps, and in one quick motion, twist it away from your face. This will make the hair flow over rather than under the iron.

4. Quick Trick For Subtle Curls

This hack works wonders for short hair. As you pass your straightener through the hair sections, bend your wrist back and forth. It will add soft texture and subtle waves to your hair.

5. Beach Waves With Braids

Tie your hair in a simple braid and apply a heat protectant to it. Now, slide the flat iron over your braid a couple of times to get a crimped hair look.

Quick Tip

To make beach waves from braids, try not to divide your hair into more than five to six sections and secure each braid tightly with hair ties.

To create the perfect beachy hair look, you need a quality heat styling tool. If you choose a tool that does not suit your hair type, you may end up causing more damage than any good. Here are a few factors that can ease your selection process for an ideal flat iron or hair straightener.

How To Choose The Best Flat Iron To Create Beachy Waves

Hair Type

When it comes to hair styling tools, different hair types (thick, coarse, natural, and thin) have different requirements. However, irrespective of your hair type, choose a flat iron with ionic technology. The negative ions help moisturize your hair, combat frizz, and protect your curls from heat damage. Also, find a flat iron that has softly curved edges and helps in creating a curl.

• Thick Hair

For thick hair, you need a straightener with a medium-level temperature setting. Low temperatures will be insufficient to produce waves in this hair type. Choose a flat iron with titanium, nano titanium, titanium ceramic, or titanium tourmaline plates. As thick hair requires more time and heat to hold the curls, these plate materials will prove better.

A hair straightener with infrared technology is a must for thicker locks. The infrared energy speeds up your curling process and ensures your hair gets styled quickly without any damage.

• Thin Hair

Such hair types are more sensitive to heat than thick hair, and the risk of thermal damage is also greater. Pick a tool with a temperature range between 200° F to 350° F. Look for pure ceramic, ceramic tourmaline, porcelain ceramic, or nano ceramic plates.

Emily DiDonato, a YouTuber, has tried flat iron for getting natural beach waves and shared her experience in a video. She gives a few tips, and says, “I like to kind of tug at the ends a little bit to give a little bit of a straighter end, and I just think that makes it look a little bit cooler, and by cooler I mean like not so done which is the look that I like (i).”

If plate types are not suitable for your hair type, your hair can break while twisting and bending it between the clamps to create wavy patterns.

Pro Tip

After using the flat iron, let it cool, and then, clean it with a damp cloth to clean the plates to avoid product buildup.

Hair Length

For short to medium hair, a plate of an inch or less is recommended. This will help achieve a defined look. For long hair, pick a straightener with plates wider than an inch. Otherwise, it will get time-consuming to create waves with small plate sizes.

Beach waves look sexy and grungy while being effortless and versatile at the same time. You can easily master the technique of achieving these curls using a straightener. Pay attention to your hair’s length and type before selecting a flat iron that best suits your needs. Also, spray a heat protectant on your hair before styling it with a hot tool to prevent any damage and breakage.

Infographic: 9 Golden Rules Of Heat Styling

We love heat styling for the magic it can work on our hair. However, using heating tools carelessly can lead to irreparable hair damage. Therefore, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when you apply heat to your hair.

Check out the infographic below for the golden rules of heat styling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get beach wavy hair naturally?

You can get beach wavy hair naturally, without heat, by using a sea salt spray. You can spray damp hair with sea salt spray at night, section your hair to twist and pin them up, leave overnight, and undo and finish it with a hair spray the next day. You can also use the sea salt spray on damp hair about half an hour before stepping out, use a blowdryer to dry it halfway, and then scrunch the bottoms of your hair to achieve the waves, finishing it off with a setting spray.

How do I stop my beach waves from frizzing?

If your hair is frizzy, you will need to apply a bit of moisturizing cream or oil to soften them out before you use a sea salt spray on them. This will help keep your style from turning frizzy later.

Is a curling iron or wand better for beach waves?

Both tools are great for beach waves. A curling iron will create the most classy and perfect loose curls and waves. Wands are more versatile for creating different types of waves and tight curls, but you will need more practice.

(i) Natural Beach Waves With A Flat Iron Tutorial | Emily DiDonato

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPEwcz5q4u0

Was this article helpful?

The following two tabs change content below.

• Reviewer
• Author
• Editor
• Fact-checker

Bill SchrlauHairstylist

     

Bill Schrlau is a highly skilled hairstylist with more than 30 years of experience. He has worked both as a freelance stylist and as a part of salon teams in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. His impressive line-up includes styling for fashion shows, designer events, and music videos. Bill is not only a talented stylist but also a dedicated...more

Arshiya SyedaSenior Editor

 

Arshiya Syeda is a senior editor at StyleCraze with 7 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care. She holds a bachelor's degree in literature and psychology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a post-graduate diploma in psychological...more

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy. She has taken it upon herself to show...more

Monomita ChakrabortyBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Monomita has a graduate degree in mass communication and video production from St. Anthony's College, Shillong, and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the Royal Global University, Guwahati. She is also a certified skincare coach with a keen interest in skin, hair, tattoos, nail art, and lifestyle trends. Her passion for and understanding of all things related...more