When it’s summertime, you spend your afternoons basking in warmth, enjoying sun-kissed skin and loose wavy hair. During those months of bright sun and cool waves, your summer locks transform from a pin-straight style to voluminous, texturized and fun waves!
Unfortunately, as the seasons change and the weather gets colder, you spend less time at the beach. Your beach waves then become a thing of the past, unless you’re willing to put your hair through the damage that comes with heat styling products. As the Natural Hair Rules website explains, “Hair burns or begins to denature at 450 °F. The temperature is less for fine hair or hair that is weak and damaged.”
If you curl your hair enough, then your to-die-for waves may be the talk of the town for the wrong reasons. So to avoid dry, frizzy and brittle hair, ENTITY has put together these four best ways any woman can achieve wavy tresses all year round.
Make a trip to your nearest Ulta Beauty store to grab the Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray by Not Your Mother’s. This product promises to add “sexy, tousled waves and a light mate finish to any hair type” and has a 3.9 out of five rating on the Ulta website.
Cheryl Wischhover says on Fashionista that if you’re looking to attain the perfect beach waves without the mess and damage, dry texturizing sprays should be your hair’s best friend. Unlike dry shampoo, texturizing products like the Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray leave no residue and sprays in a fine, dry mist. Not only that, but Shu Artist Stephanie Belly from Metropolis Spa & Salon tells Wischhover, “Texturizing sprays work for any hair type. You are able to achieve any looks you want without weighing down your hair.”
In order to use this, simply spray the texturizing mist all over your hair. Then, braid or twist your hair into sections. Leave your hair in this style for a couple of hours before undoing the braids. If you need to go somewhere in the morning, you could also do this process overnight for instant, texturized wave when you wake up!
If you’ve already got curly hair and simply need a product to help tame your locks, then curling cream is the answer to your prayers. As Lexi Novak of Allure says, “The best curl creams squash frizz without flattening texture and define spirals without making them crunchy.”
If you want to try this method, start by towel drying your freshly washed hair. Wait until your hair is no longer dripping. Once done, grab some curling cream and apply it to your hair – focus on your ends! Twists sections of your hair together, about two inches thick (smaller if you’d like), then pin each section to the top of your head. Once your hair is dry take out the pins and voila!
Some curl creams include Beyond the Zone Noodle Head Curling Creme for $5.99, John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Crème for $6.99 and Sally Hershberger Curvaceous Elasto-Curl Daily Treatment for $12.99.
If you’re not a fan of hair products (or just don’t want to spend extra money), then you could also try your hand at French braiding. But just because you’re not using any products, don’t think you’re selling yourself short. French braiding produces the perfect beach style with very little effort.
You can braid dry hair overnight or when it’s damp. Although either option works well, allowing your hair to dry while braided will produce more defined waves. Be careful, however, not to braid your hair when it’s wet. Stylist Kayley Pak of the John Barrett Salon tells Women’s Health, “Don’t braid your hair wet because it will be too heavy. When your hair is wet, it extends at least 15 times more than when it is dry. You don’t want to weaken or break your hair.”
So make sure to time your braid perfectly in order to prevent damage. Once your hair is not longer dripping wet, simply twist your hair in a fishtail braid or the simple three-strand braid. If you need tutorials or inspiration, visit YouTube vlogger and braid extraordinaire Kayley Melissa’s channel.
Although top knot buns are all the rage right now, low knot buns are the way to go if you’re aspiring for the perfect waves. Using buns to attain beach waves is similar to the braiding technique. You can sleep in this hairstyle overnight, but make sure your hair is either damp or completely dry before forming the buns.
Creating two low knots with damp hair the night before will result in beach waves with a fuller look. Be careful, however, not to tie the hair band too tightly – you don’t want to leave a crease.
For waves that will last longer, you can use leave-in products like Garnier’s De-Constructed Texture Tease. For Garnier’s tips on creating the perfect low knot style, visit their website for a tutorial.
So there you have it – four perfect ways to achieve every day beach waves without the heat, the damage or the sun!
