Beachy waves are a timeless summer style that never goes out of fashion. As gorgeous as they are low-maintenance, surfer-inspired beach waves hair is ideal for all occasions, from day to night, dressed up or down.
Luckily, learning how to wave hair is simple and accessible. We’ve found four different ways to achieve beach wave hair – so you probably have the tools to try it out at home.
Whether you’re heading off on holiday and ready to embrace the natural effect of sea water on your hair or craving at-home beach waves, this blog has all our tips for creating low-effort loose waves for that beachy look.
1. How to do beachy waves with straighteners
You don’t need specialised waving or curling tools to create a natural-looking wave. Simply follow our instructions and achieve flawless beach waves with your Cloud Nine hair straighteners.
To achieve beachy waves with a hair straightener, you’ll need:
- Cloud Nine Magical Potion
- The Cloud Nine Original Iron, or Cloud Nine straightener of your choice
- The Cloud Nine Luxury Dressing Brush
- A lightweight sea salt spray
How to create loose waves with a straightener:
- Begin with clean, dry, detangled hair. As always, prepare your hair for heat styling by spritzing all over with Magical Quick Dry Potion for advanced heat protection.
2. If you have very curly or coily hair, you may need to straightening t 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.
3. Set up your Cloud Nine Original Iron by selecting the right temperature for your hair using the Customisable Temperature 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.
4. For waves that last without risking damage, use Revive Mode®. Its' Pressure-Reducing technology vibrates the plates on your Cloud Nine straightener at 8,000 times per minute to minimise direct heat contact for improved shine and strength while you style. Learn more in our Revive Mode® Guide.
5. Starting at the top of 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 anticlockwise rotations for each section, until all your hair resembles loose curls.
6. Gently brush through each loose curl with the Cloud Nine Luxury Dressing Brush to create soft, beachy waves.
7. Keep your beachy waves going all day with a spritz of a lightweight, texturising sea salt spray. These are formulated to bring 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 Slim Iron
2. How to do beachy waves using curling iron
Creating waves using a curling iron is quick and simple. 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 beach wave curls, you’ll need:
- Cloud Nine Magical Potion
- The Cloud Nine Curling Wand
- The Cloud Nine Luxury Dressing Brush
- A lightweight sea salt spray
How to make beachy waves with a curler:
- Spritz a generous amount of Magical Potion over clean, dry, detangled hair to protect from heat damage.
2. Set up your Curling Wand by selecting the right temperature for your hair using the Customisable 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. Starting midway down a small section of hair, wrap it around the barrel of your Curling Wand, away from the face. Softly cup the curl upwards 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. For a visual explanation of this classic curling method, watch this video.
4. 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. 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 loose waves with the Contouring Original Iron
At Cloud Nine, we love waves so much that we created a straightener that does them too.
The Contouring Original Iron makes waving simple for those who aren’t confident using a curling iron, or curling using a straightener. Its unique curved plates are ideal for straightening, curling, and waving, and their Sericite® infusion is sure to grant your beachy waves a healthy shine.
For gorgeous beachy waves using our most innovative tool, you’ll need:
- Cloud Nine Magical Potion
- The Cloud Nine Contouring Original Iron
- The Cloud Nine Luxury Dressing Brush
- A lightweight sea salt spray
To achieve the beach waves of your dreams using the Contouring Original Iron, you can follow this video tutorial here.
- Spritz a generous spray of Magical Potion over clean, dry hair.
2. Set up your Contouring Original Iron by selecting the right temperature for your hair using the Customisable Temperature Control switch below the plates. Discover the ideal temperature to maintain happy, healthy hair with the Cloud Nine Temperature Calculator.
3. For shiny, glossy waves without the damage, use Revive Mode®. Its' Pressure-Reducing technology vibrates the plates on your Cloud Nine straightener at 8,000 times per minute to minimise direct heat contact - delivering maximum shine and protection while you wave.
4. Starting at the top of a small section of hair, close the plates of the Contouring Original Iron 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 straighteners are facing to create ridged waves. Repeat for every section.
5. Gently run your Cloud Nine Luxury Dressing Brush through your pristine new waves for a more lived-in, beachy look.
6. Apply naturally-formulated, lightweight sea salt setting spray to keep your new beachy waves looking fresh all day long, without adding weight.
Top tip: If you have longer, thicker, or coarser hair, we recommend following this process using the Contouring Wide Iron. Its wider plates are designed to handle long, thick hair with care, delivering waves efficiently, with no need for extra passes.
4. How to create beachy waves without heat
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.
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.
Create beach waves the natural way:
- Prep with moisture
While salt helps to bring out your natural wave, it’s also hydrophilic, which means it draws moisture out of your hair. This can leave your hair dry and dehydrated – not the shiny, healthy look we’re going for.
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 Magical Remedy for smooth, sleek and strong hair.
2. 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 as skin and can become dry, frizzy, and prone to breakage if overexposed.
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.
3. Cleanse and refresh
Salt 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 – not dreamy loose waves.
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.
Top Tip: If your hair is naturally prone to waving after exposure to salt water, but you’re not heading to the beach any time soon, you can try a heatless beachy waves hack. Simply spritz clean, dry hair with
texturizing salt spray, then braid it into two Dutch or French plaits. Sleep with the braids in, then gently unravel and brush out with the Luxury Dressing Brush for soft, loose waves.
Beach waves hair 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 texturize 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 Original Contouring Iron, 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 Quick Dry Potion.
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