How to Create Perfect Beach Waves at Home
Beach waves are about texture and movement, not perfect curls—scrunch damp hair with sea salt spray and diffuse or air dry for that effortless, tousled look.
Step by step
Start with damp, not soaking hair
Towel-dry your hair until it's damp but not dripping wet. Too much water dilutes your products and makes everything take forever to dry.
Apply sea salt spray from mid-length to ends
Skip the roots—they'll get greasy. Focus on where you want the texture, which is basically everywhere except your scalp. Don't go overboard or you'll end up with crunchy hair.
Scrunch upward in sections
Cup sections of hair in your palm and squeeze upward toward your scalp. This encourages your natural wave pattern and creates that scrunched texture. Do this all over, not just in one spot.
Diffuse on low heat or air dry
If you're using a diffuser, keep it on low heat and low speed—high heat kills the waves. If air drying, don't touch your hair while it dries or you'll disrupt the wave formation.
Questions people ask
Why don't my waves last all day?
You probably need more hold—add a light mousse before the salt spray, or your hair might be too clean and slippery.
Can I do beach waves on straight hair?
Yes, but you'll need more product and possibly some braiding or twisting while damp since straight hair has less natural texture to work with.
Should I brush my hair after it's dry?
Never—brushing kills the waves and creates frizz. Use your fingers to gently separate if needed.
Ems Take: Stop trying to make every wave identical—the whole point is that messy, I-just-rolled-out-of-bed-at-the-beach vibe, so embrace the imperfection.
Variations
- Braid method: Braid damp hair with product, sleep on it, then shake out for looser waves.
- Twist and scrunch: Twist small sections while scrunching for more defined, spiraled waves.
- Plopping technique: Wrap scrunched hair in a microfiber towel for 15-20 minutes to enhance curl formation.