How To: Easy Beachy Waves Hair Tutorial

I've gotten a lot of requests to do an updated video on how I've been curling my hair in my most recent videos- watch the video above to see the technique I'm using! This tutorial will teach you how to create loose, beachy waves [or 'bed head waves'] with a curling iron. 


You can use any clipless iron to achieve the loose wave hairstyle. I'm using the Sarah Potempa Beachwaver [it's available online here]. This curling iron was actually a life saver for me back in february- I went to New York for fashion week and completely forgot to pack a curling iron! This iron came in a gift bag I received for walking in Polyvore Live- I opened the bag && thought '...how did they know I forgot this?!?'. I've been using it ever since! The results mirror the relaxed curl of a clipless iron, but the baby clamp and rotating barrel remove the need to place your hands near the heat [a wonderful invention for careless girls like me. Can't tell you how many times I've burned myself to the point of missing fingerprints]. This technique will work with any clipless iron you currently have- it will give you similar effects as long as you are using a larger barrel size!


Some of my biggest tips when using a clipless iron:


1. Brush out your hair before curling. Whatever knots or tangles are present will show in the curl, so make sure it's smooth!


2. Smooth the hair for a more ribbon like texture/looser wave. The flatter the hair, the wider the wave


3. Curl closer to the scalp for volume. I always curl as close as possible around the top of the crown and upper back layers to create a more voluminous lift. 


4. Curl further from the scalp for a more bohemian wave. The further down you start, the less extreme the wave. Do this technique around your face to have the waves open off from your cheek bones as opposed to having tight George Washington-esque curls


5. Hold the iron straight up/down for easier control. If using a regular clipless iron, hold the iron straight down near the back of your head for easy access 


6. Leave your ends out for a true beach wave. You want to leave at least an inch out of the barrel, but 2-3 will give you the truest natural feel. No hair dries in perfect curls at the end, so leave yours out to create a natural, air-dried effect.


7. Brush out your curl! You can leave the style as is if you like the tighter, curled look- but they need to be brushed in order to truly create beachy waves. This will make your style softer, bouncier and fuller! 


Let me know if you try out this style! Make sure to tweet me any pictures if you recreate the look!