3 Ways to Wear Beach Waves, According to Top Hairstylists

No hairstyle captures the essence of summer quite like the beach wave. As someone with fine, straight hair, I've been chasing that perfectly effortless, tousled texture for as long as I’ve been able to use a curling iron. Blame Gisele Bündchen's iconic hair or the laid-back, naturally windswept vibes that have quietly graced the runways season after season, but one thing is clear: the beach wave will never go out of style. 

"Beach waves work because they're sexy, casual, and not too perfect, but can still feel polished with movement and ease," says celebrity hairstylist and founder of Hindsgaul Hair, Sarah Hindsgaul. "They pair well with almost anyone's style or look, whether you’re wearing a slip dress or jeans."

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No two heads of hair create the exact same wave or texture. And that’s what I’ve always loved about a wave style: it's totally unique and bespoke to you. —Mara Roszak, celebrity stylist

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Part of their allure is their versatility. "No two heads of hair create the exact same wave or texture," says celebrity hairstylist Mara Roszak. "And that’s what I’ve always loved about a wave style: it's totally unique and bespoke to you." 

There are many styles and techniques for creating waves, too. But the biggest secret? "Don't overthink it," says Hindsgaul. "Don't make it too perfect. A little imperfection makes the hair feel human and interesting. Let it be random enough that it feels fun. That’s what makes beach waves feel truly effortless."

Whether you prefer polished and defined or mussed-up and texturized, Roszak and Hindsgaul delve into their pro tricks for styling and wearing beach waves.

The Prep

The Best Beach Waves Start in the Shower

Prep is the most important part of almost any hairstyle. "For any style of waves, you want to make sure there is no residue or buildup on the scalp or through the lengths," says Hindsgaul. "A very clean scalp and hair is what helps the wave last longer and hold its shape much better." 

The Emmy-nominated hair designer of Stranger Things goes for a scalp scrub or a clarifying cleanse for a squeaky clean, light finish. "Some shampoos and conditioners can leave too much softness or slip in the hair, which can add heaviness that weighs down waves," she says.

Of course, the hair still has to feel nourished. "If your hair gets very tangled or dry, use what you need, whether that’s a mask or a little conditioning treatment," adds Hindsgaul.

Build in Mousse—and Nothing Else

If you're used to layering on leave-ins, finishing oils, and more, it's best to skip them for this particular style. "Keep products after the shower very minimal if you want the style to last," says Hindsgaul. "Heavy products can make the waves separate too much or fall apart faster." 

Hindsgaul's number one non-negotiable styling product? Mousse. "I always put mousse into wet hair before styling because it gives the hair memory and hold without making it feel stiff," she says. "Choose one that's lightweight—you want the hair to feel clean, shiny, fluffy, and almost cloud-like, not greasy or heavy."

Roszak agrees on the importance of a mousse—and in fact, she recently created her own super-hydrating mousse that delivers volume, hydration, and a featherlight grip and memory without a stiff, sticky finish. "It has a soft strength and hold with none of the weight or heaviness," she says. "It allows your hair to move with you."

The Styling

1Soft Mermaid Waves

A mermaid wave is more of a soft, continuous S-shape that's polished and defined. "It's smoother, shinier, and more rhythmic than other styles of waves," says Hindsgaul. "It usually has less lift at the root, and the wave feels more fluid and almost water-like." 

There are two different ways Hindsgaul uses to create mermaid waves—and it all depends on the finish you want and how much time you have. "A curling iron takes a little longer because you are building the shape piece by piece, but it can give you a more glamorous, dimensional S-wave," says Hindsgaul. A medium-sized iron works best for this style. "If the iron is too small, it can start to look more like a 90's tight wedding coil than a modern mermaid wave," she adds. If you're in a rush, a large crimper or waving iron is a great way to create the look quickly. Either way, it should feel dimensional and sculpted. "A modern mermaid wave has more height, definition, and glamour than a traditional crimped wave," she says.

To finish, Hindsgaul recommends a touch of styling cream to smooth away flyaways and soften the ends, but don't overdo it. "Mermaid waves look most beautiful when they still feel natural, soft, and touchable," she says. "I also love the way this kind of wave looks when it has been brushed through—as the wave softens, it becomes more effortless and beautiful."

2Desert Canyon Waves

More voluminous, piecey, and texturized, “canyon waves” are Roszak's signature style. Inspired by the very California cool vibe of natural, effortless, perfectly imperfect hair, it emphasizes your natural bends, curves, and kinks. "‘Canyon waves’ are softer, more organic, and less uniform than other traditional beach wave styles," explains Roszak. "I'm drawn to hair that has movement, softness, and ease, so my preferred wave doesn’t feel overly styled. It’s about refining what naturally exists and creating a more lived-in feel and look." Roszak recently launched her non-drying salt-spray texturizing mist, which has quickly become the linchpin of the style.

The mist, she says, works in tandem with her other texturizers, as a system to create volume at the root, body through the lengths, and touchable texture throughout. "Spray Root Lift at the roots on damp hair for lift and airy volume and then apply Air Dry Thickening Spray through the mid-lengths and ends to build body, fullness, and texture as the hair dries," says Roszak. "Once the hair is fully dry, finish with Wave Texturizing Mist through the mid-lengths and ends to create the separation, movement, and effortless 'canyon wave' finish." 

For straight hair, Roszak likes to first build in texture by spritzing the Wave Texturizing Mist into the hair from mid-lengths to ends when it's damp and rough-dry. Once the hair is dry, grab a large barrel curling iron or flat iron to create a loose bend. "Angle the barrel down and do (about) two twists at the root of the hair away from the face," says Roszak. Then, on the same section of hair, do two twists towards the face (keep in mind, the number of twists depends on your hair length). "This creates a relaxed, loose, more natural-looking wave all around the hair," explains Roszak. Then use the Wave Texturizing Mist again, spritzing through the lengths to break everything up. "It creates a ‘lived-in’ separation on dry hair that gives you that effortless, second-day hair finish on day one hair."

For naturally wavy, curly, or coily textures, you can skip the curling iron. Roszak says to focus on hydration first, applying a leave-in like RŌZ Milk Serum to damp hair before air drying or diffusing with a blow dryer. Once dry, finish with three to five sprays of the Roz Wave Texturizing Mist and scrunch it into hair, building from there. "It creates the best softness, separation, and a more undone, wearable finish," she says. "The formula is intentionally lightweight and layerable, so you can customize it depending on your hair density and how much texture you're looking for."

3Bombshell Bedhead Waves

A sleeker and more voluminous version of an air-dry, this style of beach wave leans into a bouncy, natural texture that feels undone without being overly messy. The key to this style is not to shy away from a little frizz or fuzz. "Bombshell, bedhead waves are bigger, looser, and more irregular," says Hindsgaul. "They're about air, root volume, texture, and movement—more wild, sexy, and full." After your mousse, blow-dry your hair completely, but don't over-smooth it. "Flip your head upside down while drying and use your hands instead of brushing everything perfectly into place," she says. "You want root lift, air, and some of your own natural texture left in the hair."

Once hair is fully dry, Hindsgaul recommends grabbing two different sizes of curling irons. 

"Go back and forth between the two sizes, wrapping your hair around the barrels and alternating direction, to give hair more surprise and keep it from looking too perfect or uniform," she says. "You want some pieces to fall forward, some to fall back, and you want the movement to feel a little accidental." 

Note: If you, like me, have hair that holds curls in almost Shirley Temple territory, I've found that lightly tapping the iron (in a sort of single-wrap quasi-curl), rather than wrapping the entire section around the barrel helps create a more manageable tousled texture. Work downward, alternating the iron for subtle bends, flips, and flicks for extra oomph.

After curling each section haphazardly, clip the curls up with small clips and let them cool. "That helps set the shape and gives the wave more longevity," says Hindsgaul. Once the hair has cooled, take the clips out and shake everything out with your hands. You can also add a little dry shampoo at the roots. "It absorbs oil, gives hold, and helps keep the movement and lift," she says. "Bombshell hair looks best when it has volume and definition, but still feels touchable." If you want to go big for a party or event, Hindsgaul says texturizing spray is a fun way to finish the style. "It instantly gives you volume, coolness, and that slightly wild feeling," she says. "But I would only use it if you are okay with shampooing the next morning because it gives you a lot of grip and product in the hair."

Hindsgaul's tip: "Don't use a hairbrush with bombshell waves. To finish, flip your hair upside down and break up the curl with your fingers so it still has volume, pieceiness, and a little wildness."