Two Ways to Create Beachy Waves with a Flat Iron

Sexy beachy waves were seen on celebrity heads this summer. Aside from allowing the water and cool ocean breeze to work its magic on your tresses, these waves usually required rollers or a curling iron to create the look. However, these sexy waves can be achieved with use of your trusty flat iron. Learn how to create two different styles of beachy waves with a flat iron.

The Sexy Tousled Wave (Best for Long Hair)

Those loose, tousled waves you see on such celebrities as Blake Lively, Beyonce and Gisele Bundchen are sexy and full of body. These waves resemble a loosened spiral curl that is slightly disheveled. This look is typically created using rollers, a spiral curling iron or a regular curling iron. Here is a way to achieve those same sexy, tousled waves using a flat iron:

1. Spray hair with a heat protectant spray.
2. Part hair down the center.
3. Start on one side of the hair (doesn't matter if it is left or right) and section it into thirds horizontally. Hold the top two sections to the head using a claw clip.
4. Split lower section in half.
5. Take the back section and comb through to remove tangles.
6. Take your flat iron and smooth it half way down the length of the section.
7. Now begin to turn the iron away from the face or front and gently glide it down the section.
8. Take front section and comb through to remove tangles.
9. Repeat steps six and seven for this section.
10. Repeat steps four through seven for the side of your head you are working on.
11. Repeat steps three through eight for the other side of your head.
12. Lightly mist hair with hairspray as you work your fingers through your hair to create a lightly tousled look.

Defined Crimped Beach Wave

Stars like Rihanna and Sheryl Crow often sport waves that have a crimped look with more definition that the tousled beachy wave has. Traditionally, this look is easily achieved with a three barrel curling iron, hair crimper or with a braid wet set. You will need a narrow flat iron, preferably a one-inch iron, to achieve this look:

1. Spray a heat protectant on hair.
2. Part hair in the same manner you do for the tousled wave look in steps two and three.
3. You can start from the front or back for this one. Take a one inch section of hair and comb out any tangles.
4. Starting a half inch away from the root turn the flat iron under towards the scalp and hold for 10 seconds.
5. Slide the iron down an inch and turn it away from your scalp in an upward motion.
6. Alternate the direction you turn the iron all the way to ends.
7. Repeat the waving process until you have crimped all of your hair.
8. Spray hair with hairspray and finger comb the crimps to loosen them.

Both of these methods for creating waves using a flat iron will give you sexy beachy waves. It may take a little practice for you to get the results you desire. This is especially true for shorter hair as you might not have much of a wave in each section. If you have thick hair, you may want to hold the waves in place with a clip or bobby pin after you finish each section to help maintain the wave. Give these methods a try and let me know how they worked out for you.