EFFORTLESS BEACH WAVES: CREATING A SUMMER HAIRSTYLE
The unpredictable British summer is the perfect time to embrace a more relaxed and carefree look. One of our favourites here at Paul Edmonds is the effortless beach wave – a quintessential summer hairstyle that works for every occasion.
The versatile nature of the look combined with the tousled, undone aesthetic will complement all your favourite summer looks – from soft linen dresses and minimal make-up, to sharp tailoring or even just your best jeans and t-shirt.
Whether you’re getting dressed up for a special occasion, heading away on holiday, or relaxing with friends in a pub garden, beachy waves are the perfect finishing touch to every off-duty look.
WHAT ARE BEACH WAVES?
A go-to hairstyle for so many of our clients, the beach wave was first made popular by surfers and celebrities, providing the perfect blend of effortless and cool.
The hairstyle features relaxed, textured curls with a natural tousled effect. Using the right products and styling techniques, you can mimic the result of the salty sea air and look like you just stepped off the beach – even if you couldn’t be further from the coast.
BEACH WAVES STYLING TECHNIQUES: STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Achieving the perfect beach waves hairstyle couldn’t be easier with advice from the Paul Edmonds styling experts. Whether you’ve got long, flowing locks or a shorter style, we can help you embrace that breezy summer vibe at home in just a few simple steps.
Step one – prep
The key to long-lasting beach waves is prepping your hair properly. For weakened or coloured locks, you can protect your colour from thermal damage with Kérastase Chroma Absolu Leave in Serum. If you’re going to be in the sun, the Kérastase Soleil range is perfect for sun and heat protection.
Step two – style
Whether you’re going for loose, tousled curls or a tighter, mermaid style – the idea is to end up with a soft and slightly uneven wave pattern. Use your preferred curling tong for your hair type, but never use heat above 230 degrees on your hair. In fact, Paul recommends using no more than 180 for this look.
Remember this isn’t a structured style, so you can take larger sections of the hair, alternate the wave direction, and always pull out the curls once released from the tong. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect – that’s the whole idea!
Step three – distress
At this stage, your hair will have some texture and shape, but it will look a little too “done”. Once it’s cooled slightly, you can add some movement and gently distress your waves by shaking them out with your hands, running your fingers through the hair or using a wide-toothed comb to loosen them up.
Step four – finish
For the final step, you’ll want to add some soft hold to your waves so they don’t drop throughout the day. To smooth any frizz while adding structure and definition to the hair, Davines Non Oil is the perfect finishing touch to your beach waves.
RELAXED GLAMOUR: STYLING TIPS FOR SHORT HAIR
You might think beach waves are reserved for those with long, flowing locks. But that’s not the case! You can achieve the relaxed glamour of effortless waves on cropped locks with the right technique.
Prepping the hair with Sam McKnight Cool Girl Mist is great for adding lightweight texture for that sexy, deconstructed look. For looser waves, you’ll need to use a curling tong with a wide barrel, and we recommend adding some volume to the roots with Oway Volume & Texture Puff.
TOUSLED CURLS: STYLING TIPS FOR MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR
For medium-length hair, you need a larger curling tong to give you those big, beachy waves. Start curling from the mid-lengths of your hair, and leave an inch or so at the ends for a tousled wave that’s not too curly.
For a soft and natural texture, our stylists recommend spritzing the hair with Davines More Inside Dry Shampoo before styling, and finishing with a medium-hold hairspray.
MERMAID WAVES: STYLING TIPS FOR LONG HAIR
Long hair and beach waves are the perfect match. You can opt for big, bouncy waves or use a smaller curling tong for tighter, longer-lasting curls. You could even use a waving tool for the ultimate mermaid look.
To give your long locks an instant full-bodied and tousled look without weighing the waves down, finish the look with Davines Dry Texturizer. For the authentic surfer style, scrunch your waves with some Davines Sea Salt Spray.
GET THE LOOK WITHOUT THE HEAT
Too hot for heated tools? You can get the look while minimising damage to your hair with Paul’s fail-safe heatless curling method. Using just a scarf and a simple twisting technique, you can get beautiful rippled waves overnight.
Take a look at Paul’s beach wave tutorial.
THE LUXURY HAIR SALON BEACH WAVE EXPERIENCE
Our stylists at Paul Edmonds London are experts at creating beach waves. If you want to put your hair in the hands of the pros, book an appointment with our styling heroes for the complete luxury experience.
Our salon has everything you need to get you ready for summer. Fancy some golden highlights to go with those effortless waves? No problem. And how about a manicure before your next trip? Absolutely.
You’ll be treated to the famous Paul Edmonds London holistic approach – a 360 method that focuses on caring for your specific hair type, listening to your vision, and expertly tailoring all treatments to you and your needs.
Now you have everything you need to enjoy perfectly imperfect beach waves this summer. Ready to give it a go? Follow our step-by-step guide and shop our beach wave products from our online store, or visit the salon for the professional experience with our expert stylists.