4 Ways To Create Beachy Waves

Beachy waves are a timeless summer style that never goes out of fashion. As gorgeous as they are low-maintenance, surfer-girl-inspired beach waves are ideal for all occasions, from day to night, dressed up or down.

Whether you’re heading off on holiday and ready to embrace the natural effect of sea water on your hair or you’re craving an at-home beachy style, this blog has all our tips for creating low-effort beach waves for a laid-back look.

Grab the hair styling tools you have to hand, and let’s get stuck into all the ways you can achieve flawless beachy waves.

1. HOW TO GET BEACHY WAVES WITH A STRAIGHTENER

If you’re packing for a trip and have limited luggage space but want to keep your styling options open and embrace the beachy wave trend, stick with your straightener. You don’t need specialised waving or curling tools to create the perfect natural-looking wave. Simply follow our instructions and achieve flawless beach waves any mermaid would be proud of with your CLOUD NINE straighteners.

To achieve beachy waves with a hair straightener, you’ll need:

• CLOUD NINE Magical Potion
• The CLOUD NINE Original Iron
• The CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush
• A lightweight sea salt spray

Let’s make waves:

1. Prep and protect – Begin with clean, dry, detangled hair. As always, prepare your hair for heat styling by spritzing all over with Magical Potion for advanced heat protection. 
2. Choose your heat – Set up your CLOUD NINE Original Iron by selecting the right temperature for your hair using the Variable Temperature Control switch below the plates. Not sure of the perfect temperature to maintain your hair’s health? Use the CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator to find out before styling. 
3. Switch on Revive Mode™ – For waves that last, without damage, turn on Revive Mode™. Its Axial Vibration™ technology vibrates the plates on your CLOUD NINE straightener at 8,000 times per minute. This minimises friction, drag, and exposure to direct heat while the plates glide through your hair – delivering maximum shine and protection.
4. Get ready to wave – If you have very curly or coily hair, you may need to get it straight before you can begin waving. We recommend either blow-drying straight with the CLOUD NINE Airshot Pro or if already dry, straighten with the Original Iron on low heat beforehand.
5. Start waving – Starting with a small section of hair, close the plates and rotate the straightener clockwise away from the face as you glide the hair through. For the next section, repeat but rotate the other way. Alternate between clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations for each section, until all of your hair resembles loose curls.
6. Brush out – Grab your CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush, and gently brush through each of your loose curls to create soft, beachy waves.
7. Spritz to set – Keep your beachy waves going all day with a spritz of a lightweight, texturizing sea salt spray. These are formulated with natural sea salt, which brings out your hair’s natural wave.

Top Tip: When creating beachy waves with straighteners, do not pull outwards, as this will result in more defined curls, rather than the loose waves we are aiming for.

Check out this video tutorial showing how to create the perfect mermaid-inspired beachy waves with the Original Iron.

2. HOW TO DO BEACHY WAVES WITH A CURLING IRON

While some people are blessed with naturally wavy hair thanks to the texture of their strands and the shape of their follicles, for those of us with straight hair, curlers come in handy to create natural-looking waves.

Curling irons aren’t just for curling. The CLOUD NINE Curling Wand has a versatile 25mm barrel infused with sericite for healthy styling of curls and waves of any style and shape.

To achieve beachy waves with a curling iron, you’ll need:

• CLOUD NINE Magical Potion
• The CLOUD NINE Curling Wand
• The CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush
• A lightweight sea salt spray

Beachy bliss is just a few steps away:

1. Protect your hair – Spritz a generous amount of Magical Potion over clean, dry, detangled hair to protect from heat damage.
2. Select your temperature – Set up your Curling Wand by selecting the right temperature for your hair using the Variable Temperature Control switch on the handle. If you’re unsure of the perfect heat for your hair health, consult our CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator.
3. Start curling - Starting with a small section of hair, wrap it around the barrel of your Curling Iron, away from the face. Hold the curl while it cools for extra bounce. Repeat this process for every section of hair. The Curling Wand’s unique 360° swivel cord comes in handy for reaching every single strand of your hair. For a visual explanation of this classic curling method, watch this video.
4. Brush out – Now you’ve achieved classic curls, it’s time to craft them into casual beachy waves. Using your CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush, gently brush through each curl to soften.
5. Spritz to set – Apply a light spritz of a texturizing salt spray to keep your beachy waves going all day, without weighing it down.

Top Tip: The curling wand method is the best way to achieve stunning beachy waves on longer hair, as it’s less time-consuming than using straighteners.

3. HOW TO CREATE BEACHY WAVES WITH THE 2-IN-1 CONTOURING IRON PRO

At CLOUD NINE, we love waves so much that we created a straightener that does them too. The 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro’s unique curved plates are ideal for straightening, curling, and waving, and their sericite infusion is sure to grant your beachy waves a healthy shine.

The 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro makes waving simple for those who aren’t confident using a curling iron, or curling using a straightener.

For gorgeous beachy waves using our most innovative tool, you’ll need:

• CLOUD NINE Magical Potion
• The CLOUD NINE 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro
• The CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush
• A lightweight sea salt spray

To achieve the beach waves of your dreams using the 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro, either follow exactly the same process as the Original Iron method - which you can watch in this video - or try a different approach:

1. Prepare to contour – As with every heated method to achieve healthy, shiny beachy waves, it starts with heat protection. Spritz a generous spray of Magical Potion over clean, dry hair. 
2. Select your temperature – Set up your 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro by selecting the right temperature for your hair using the Variable Temperature Control switch below the plates. Confused about your ideal heat? Discover the ideal temperature to maintain happy, healthy hair with the CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator.
3. Turn on Revive Mode™ - For shiny, glossy waves without the damage, switch on Revive Mode™. Its Axial Vibration™ technology vibrates the plates on your CLOUD NINE straightener at 8,000 times per minute to minimise friction, drag, and direct heat exposure – delivering maximum shine and protection while you wave.
4. Start waving – Startin at the top of a small section of hair, close the plates of the 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro over the hair briefly, then release. Turn the iron the opposite way and move further down the hair. Close the plates briefly and release. As you move down the section of hair, alternate which way the iron is facing to create ridged waves. Repeat for every section.
5. Make it look natural – Just like every other method, this one’s all in the brushing out/ Gently run your CLOUD NINE Luxury Dressing Brush through your pristine new waves for a more lived-in look.
6. Spritz to set – Apply naturally-formulated, lightweight sea salt setting spray to keep your new beachy waves looking fresh all day long, without adding weight.

4. HOW GET NATURAL BEACHY WAVES

You may notice that your hair gets a natural wave to it after you’ve spent time in the sea. This is a result of exposure to saltwater, which can create ‘cross-links’, or extra bonds between the proteins of your hair, drawing the strand together and creating and wavy texture. The crystals of salt that form on the outside of each strand can also lend your hair some extra body.

Some hair types are more prone to going wavy with contact with salt water than others – it all depends on your natural texture.

If you’re lucky enough to be headed on a trip to the beach soon, you may be able to achieve beachy waves naturally from a day of splashing around in the sea.

Take our top tips for nurturing your natural beachy waves into a casual, lived-in look that will take you from the sun lounger to the cocktail bar:

1. Prep with moisture

While salt helps to bring our your hair’s natural wave, it’s also hydrophilic, which means it attracts moisture, drawing it out of your hair. This can leave your hair a little thirsty. 

To prep for seawater exposure and ensure your waves are healthy and hydrated, indulge in a moisturising mask the night before your beach trip. We recommend CLOUD NINE’s Magical Remedy for smooth, sleek and strong hair.

1. Wear sun protection

You’ll be rubbing suncream into your face and body while on holiday, but what about your hair? Hair is just as vulnerable to sun damage and skin and can become dry, frizzy, and prone to breakage if overexposed – not the mermaid-worthy waves we’re hoping to achieve.

To protect your hair from damaging UV rays, wear a stylish hat and spritz on a specially formulated hair sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.

1. Cleanse and refresh

All that lovely salt is what lends your hair a beachy, surfer-style wave, but it can’t stay forever. If you let salt remain in your hair, it can weigh down your strands and build up on your scalp. The result is dirty, lank-looking hair and scalp irritation.

Aftercare is essential. We recommend following up your beach day by cleansing your hair and scalp with a clarifying shampoo to remove any salt, sand and other impurities and keep your hair and scalp happy and healthy. Follow up with a nourishing conditioner to moisturise and restore shine.

You can always pop back to the beach tomorrow to revive your waves or try one of the heated tool methods in this blog. 

BEACHY WAVES FAQS

How can I get beachy waves on short hair?

To achieve beachy waves on short hair, we recommend using hair straighteners. The CLOUD NINE Original Iron is ideal for shorter and mid-length hair, as you can get closer to the root than you can with a curling iron, making it easy to add volume.

What brush should I use to create beachy waves?

The CLOUD NINE Dressing Brush is best for brushing our freshly curled or waved hair to create a natural, lived-in beachy look. Its nylon bristles reduce frizz and work your natural oils evenly throughout your hair for an all-over shine.

How do I get my hair to hold beach waves?

As beach waves are a casual, natural-looking style, the key to achieving long-term hold is to avoid overloading the hair with products. Heavy creams, gels, and mousses can weigh down your strands, pulling a subtle wave straight and ruining your beachy look. Instead, stick with lightweight salt sprays, which are specifically formulated to enhance and hold beach waves in place.

What products do I need to create beachy waves?

As discussed in this blog, there are many different ways to create beachy waves, using a range of different products. The three tools we recommend are the CLOUD NINE 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro, the CLOUD NINE Original Iron, and the CLOUD NINE Curling Wand.

Regardless of the heated styling tool you choose, always ensure heat protection with CLOUD NINE’s Magical Remedy.