This post is sponsored by Hair Food. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Although I do sometimes get the urge to “try something new” with my hair, I have to admit that I usually regret it: I’ve finally accepted the fact that for my fine strands, pumping up the volume with natural, beachy waves is the most flattering look for my face shape and makes me feel the most “me.” Over the years, I’ve tried countless tweaks to my method and used every styling tool out there, from hot rollers to all types of curling irons to good old-fashioned french braids. The final verdict? Nothing beats my tried-and-true method of blow-drying with my head flipped over, then flat ironing ends and adding bend and wave with a 1-inch curling iron. The good news is that I’ve mastered the technique so that it takes exactly 7 minutes on my long hair, so I can get my everyday waves even on mornings when I don’t have much time. Since “how do you get your beachy waves?” is probably my most frequently asked question on Instagram, we teamed up with our partner Hair Food to show you guys exactly how I do it. It starts with their Coconut & Argan Oil Heat Protectant Blend that protects my hair from heat damage and gives it a healthy shine. So, wondering exactly how to get beachy waves, even if your hair is super fine like mine? Watch the video, then scroll on for my step-by-step instructions and exactly which products I use to get the look (and make it last!)
First, grab your tools.
This particular Hot Tools curling iron has an extra-long barrel which is clutch for styling long hair. It’s one of my favorite beauty tools in my arsenal.
Coconut & Argan Oil Heat Protectant Blend. A good heat shield is a must for keeping your hair healthy over time, and I love that this one contains no sulfates, no Parabens, and no dyes. Plus, it smells amaze!
CHI 1-inch Straightening Iron. It’s a classic for a reason. It feels counterintuitive, but the fact that it gets really hot actually makes it less damaging for my hair. As you’ll see in the video, a single quick pass over strands is all it takes to get the bend out of my ends.
Wet-n-Dry Hair Brush. Sure, you could spend over $100 on a good hairbrush, but why would you when these drugstore brushes get the job done so well? I use the classic Wet-n-Dry brush to brush through my hair while I hit it with the blow dryer.
Next, protect with Coconut & Argan Oil Heat Protectant Blend.
I let my hair air dry almost completely—usually overnight—to make quick work of it when it’s time to style. (You could totally dry it from soaking wet—I’m just way too lazy and would prefer to hold my arm in a blow dryer position for as short a time as possible.) Before hitting it with heat styling, I spray with this volumizing heat shield treatment to seal and protect my hair from heat damage up to 450 degrees. It makes it shiny without adding any weight, which is key for pumping up fine strands.
Time to dry!
If you share my goal of giving fine hair as much volume as possible, try my technique: I flip my head over and blow-dry starting from the roots, brushing through from roots to ends throughout the entire drying time. Then dry the roots at the middle of your head before flipping hair back over and drying roots around the face. I use my brush to move and part hair in opposite directions while I style, which both gives volume and helps to eliminate cowlicks.
Grab the flat iron.
This step should take less than a minute. Run your flat iron over the bottom two inches of hair to straighten only your ends. This is what puts the “beach” in “beachy waves,” since other more polished/glam styles often feature curled ends. It gives a totally different vibe. While I’m at it, I use my flat iron to lightly press the roots of my hair around my face to “press-out” my cowlicks. Be super careful, since you don’t want to burn these delicate hairs—I hold the iron for one second or less.
Use your curling iron to add waves.
This step is where the video above really comes in handy—it’s an easy process, but hard to describe in words!
- Section off a small piece (about two inches) of hair.
- Clamp your 1-inch curling iron in the middle of the hair shaft, and wind the iron away from the face all the way to the scalp.
- Hold for five seconds. Let up on the grip just enough to wind a few more inches of hair into the iron (but leave the ends free!)
- Hold for a few seconds, then release and gently unwind.
- Repeat around the entire head.
- Then, pick up tiny (1-inch or less) pieces of hair from the top layer only, and move around the head adding more waves to just the top layer of hair. This will add wispy volume that’ll lock in the style.
- Spray with hairspray to hold the curl.
Let cool, then brush it out.
I know it’s scary to brush through your just curled hair, but you must! This look is not about precision or super piece-y curls, it’s more about rough waves that can get a little mussed and be better for wear. You’ve curled, you’ve sprayed, you’ve let it cool down for two minutes—now give it a good brush. To add more volume, flip the head over and spray one more time at the roots with hairspray.
One more pro-tip for perfectly, beachy waves all summer?
Start with a healthy foundation by using clean products to wash and condition hair before drying. This summer, I’ve been loving Hair Food’s Coconut Milk & Chai Spice Sulfate-Free Nourishing Shampoo that makes my whole shower smell incredible and gives my hair tons of volume. Both it and the sulfate-free conditioner, are cruelty-free hair products that leave my hair feeling so nourished.
You can shop all of these amazing Hair Food products here!
