Beach Waves with a Straightener: DIY Guide

Beautiful beach waves without much effort? Yes, that’s something I always dreamed of too—and for a long time, I never found the right technique. In this blog post, we’ll show you step by step just how easy it is to create beach waves with the right moves and a good straightener.

I tried creating beach waves using every technique imaginable and never achieved the desired result. Sometimes the waves were too curly, making me look like I’d stepped out of the Baroque era, or they fell flat within a few hours because they had no staying power. My hair just hung limp—neither straight nor curly, neither one thing nor the other. I tried salt sprays, the twisting technique, and a curling iron. But only with a straightener did I finally achieve the result I was looking for.

Beach Waves with a Straightener: DIY Guide

So I decided to have my hairdresser show me exactly how to create beach waves with a straightener.

How Do I Create Beach Waves with a Straightener?

The most important points at a glance:

• Apply heat protection
• Divide the hair into evenly sized sections (starting at the nape of the neck)
• Hold the straightener upside down and clamp a strand about 10 cm wide, approximately 2 cm away from the scalp
• Rotate the straightener 360° around itself, then slowly and evenly pull it down the strand. Important: leave the ends out.
• Gently comb through with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb and set with a flexible hairspray

Creating Beach Waves with a Straightener: What’s Important?

Whenever you use heat tools, you should always apply heat protection. There’s a suitable option for everyone, depending on the texture you prefer. What really matters is preparing the hair properly for styling. It needs to be made flexible and protected from heat. That’s why I recommend, for example, the KMS Thermashape Hot Flex Spray. This spray increases the hair’s flexibility, making it easier to reshape. It also contains built-in heat protection and leaves the hair smooth and supple.

Which Straightener Is Best for Beach Waves?

Not all hair straighteners are the same! If you compromise on quality, you risk damaging your hair—straighteners with excessively high styling temperatures or low-quality heating plates can, over time, destroy the hair structure, leading to split ends and breakage.

OUR TIP: A straightener from Babyliss PRO or Remington. Remington straighteners impress us with their uniqueness, as each model is designed for a specific need. Innovative technology and high-quality ceramic coatings allow for particularly gentle styling. We’ve summarized which Remington straightener is the best in our blog post Remington Straightener Test.

Babyliss PRO also offers many straighteners that are ideal for creating beach waves. High-quality ceramic and titanium coatings with ultrasonic technology not only ensure smoother hair, but also maximum hair protection. You can find all straighteners at BellAffair here.

The Right Technique for the Perfect Wave: Master the Twist!

Divide the hair into sections

Divide the hair into sections about 10 centimeters high. Start at the nape of the neck and work your way upward row by row, vertically, until you reach the upper back of the head. Style the sides last. Beginning at the nape, use a tail comb to section the hair into rows about 10 centimeters high.

Using the straightener correctly

The right twist

• Take a strand about 5 cm wide (the width varies depending on hair thickness) and clamp it with the straightener.
• Hold the straightener upside down and pick up the section about 2 cm away from the hairline.
• Rotate the hair 360° and then slowly—and most importantly evenly—pull the straightener down through the strand.
• Leave out the ends and always keep the straightener under tension, pulling downward (toward the floor). This should be one continuous motion. This way, the hair length is preserved and beautiful movement is created.
• Work your way, for example, from right to left until the entire section is waved. Then part a new row about 10 centimeters high and repeat the process until you reach the fringe and side sections.

Waving the front and sides correctly

• For the sections around the face, it’s best to start the waves at about ear level. This creates a very natural look.
• For the front sections, you have free choice: you can twist the strands away from the face or let them fall toward the face. If you want the beach waves to be waved outward, hold the straightener upside down again, take a slightly thinner strand (about 3 cm) at ear level, and perform the 360° twisting motion toward the back of the head (not downward).
• If you prefer the waves to fall toward the face, pull the straightener forward—toward the mirror—through the hair.

Setting the beach waves

To keep beach waves looking natural all day long, set them with a flexible hairspray. If the hold is too strong, the waves lose their movement and can look stiff or “cement-like.” I recommend the Wella Performance Hairspray here. It provides long-lasting, flexible hold and supports the hair’s natural movement. With this guide, you can quickly, effectively, and gently transform your hair into sensual beach waves—and extend that vacation feeling a little longer.

Creating Beach Waves with a Straightener: Easy with the Right Twist

With this technique, you can create beach waves on both medium-length and long hair—the hair length doesn’t matter at all with this method! If you want to add even more shine to your beach waves, Wella Eimi Glam Mist is ideal. This classic shine spray provides moisture, delivers a glamorous glossy finish, and even includes built-in UV protection.