1. Classic Salt-Spray Waves
Salt spray is the original beach-wave secret — the sodium chloride and mineral content mimics exactly what saltwater does to hair, pulling strands into natural-looking crimps and giving fine or straight hair a gritty, tousled texture that holds all day. Applied to damp hair and scrunched as it dries, the result is waves that look like the ocean did them.
Scrunch the spray into damp hair, then let it air-dry at least halfway before breaking up the cast with your fingers. Finishing with a light oil just on the ends softens any stiffness while keeping the texture intact through the day.
2. Loose Wand Waves
A wide-barrel wand — anything from 38mm up — creates big, sweeping waves that have far more movement than the tight ringlets a smaller barrel produces. Wrapping the hair loosely and leaving the ends out of the clamp gives the waves an unfinished, natural look that is the visual opposite of a blowout or a set curl.
Alternate the direction you wrap each section — some toward the face, some away — so the waves fall open and soft rather than forming a uniform curl pattern. A light flexible mist at the end and a gentle tousle with your fingers is all the finish they need.
3. Braided Overnight Waves
The laziest route to beautiful waves: plait slightly damp hair into two or three loose braids before bed and wake up to soft, natural-looking texture that is entirely heat-free. The tightness of the braid controls the size of the wave — a single large braid gives one big, loose wave pattern while four smaller braids give tighter, more defined crimps.
Twist each braid at the root as you form it for extra root volume, and undo the braids with dry hands rather than damp fingers so the texture holds. A small amount of sea-salt spray through the finished waves sets the pattern without weighing it down.
4. Half-Up Beach Waves
Taking the top third or half of tousled beach waves and pinning it back with a claw clip or a loose hair tie is the quickest styling upgrade you can make — it keeps the waves on show while moving hair off the face and adding vertical structure. The clip sits slightly off-centre for a more undone, not overly coordinated look.
Let the waves set and cool completely before pinning so they hold their shape once released. A few face-framing pieces left loose at the front complete the effortless, summery effect.
5. Beachy Low Bun
Gathering beach-waved hair into a low, slightly messy bun at the nape is the styled version of the wave — it references the texture while keeping everything contained. The key is not to smooth it: pull the bun up slightly after securing so it puffs, and let a few wavy pieces fall loose around the face and neck.
Secure with a soft elastic or a small claw clip rather than a tight band, which would crush the wave texture. Use a firm-hold spray just on the flyaways and the front pieces to keep the deliberate mess in check.
6. Textured Side Part
A deep side part changes the entire silhouette of beach waves, sweeping the front section dramatically to one side and creating asymmetry that makes mid-length hair look fuller and longer. The waves on the heavier side of the part fall across the shoulder in a way that is both casual and very wearable.
Set the part while the hair is still slightly damp and blow-dry the root on that side with a diffuser or a round brush to build volume before adding waves. The part should exaggerate the heaviness on one side, so do not smooth it flat against the head.
7. Mermaid Waves
Mermaid waves are deep, even, S-shaped undulations that run the full length of very long hair — more structured than a salt-spray wave but looser than a traditional set curl. The pattern is achieved with a wide flat iron or a large crimping method, and it gives long hair a theatrical, flowing movement.
Work in large diagonal sections and press the flat iron in alternating directions as you move down each section. A medium-hold setting spray throughout the styling process keeps the deep S-pattern crisp once the hair cools.
8. Surfer Shag Waves
When beach waves are worn on a shag cut — layered, textured, with curtain fringe — the result is a whole aesthetic rather than just a styling choice. The layers break up the wave so it falls differently at every length, creating a full, dynamic silhouette that looks effortless but took real intention from the scissors.
Ask for point-cut layers and a disconnected fringe so the haircut itself does some of the textural work. With this cut, even a basic scrunch-and-air-dry routine gives great results because the shape is built into the length.
9. Messy Waves With Fringe
A curtain fringe parted at the centre and left slightly undone transforms beach waves into something with a distinct personality — the softly fringed front anchors the look and frames the face in a way that loose waves alone do not. Together the pair reads relaxed, very current and deeply flattering.
Blow-dry the fringe over a large round brush while the rest of the hair air-dries, so the fringe stays soft and slightly curved while the body stays textured. A little serum on the fringe on humid days prevents frizz without weighing it flat.
10. Tousled Ponytail Waves
Combining beach waves with a gathered ponytail keeps the textural interest of the waves while offering the practicality of hair pulled back. A low or mid ponytail with tousled, wavy lengths falling from it looks simultaneously styled and undone — it is the go-to for a beach day that turns into an evening out.
Add the waves before gathering the hair so the texture is set into the lengths, and secure loosely so the ponytail has body at the base. Wrap a small section around the elastic to hide it and the whole thing looks far more intentional.
11. Sun-Kissed Parted Waves
A clean centre part through beach waves gives the style a precise, symmetrical structure that frames the face evenly and makes the waves feel deliberate rather than accidental. On medium or long hair, the centre-parted wave pattern creates a beautiful V-shape fall at the back that is very photogenic.
Use the pointed end of a comb to draw a razor-sharp centre part before you start waving, then work in perfectly mirrored sections on each side. A smoothing serum on just the parting keeps it crisp against the surrounding texture.
12. Wet-Wave Look
The wet-wave look takes beach texture in a more intentional direction — hair is styled with a strong gel or wet-look cream, scrunched into waves and left to dry with a deliberately damp, almost-soaked appearance. It is bold and fashion-forward compared to the rest of the list, referencing the beach while feeling very editorial.
Apply a strong-hold gel to soaking wet hair and scrunch the wave in firmly, then do not touch it at all until it is completely dry. Break the resulting cast gently with a little oil to soften the look without dissolving the wave definition.
Which beach-wave style are you wearing this summer?
The best beach wave is the one you can actually recreate on a Wednesday morning before work. Pick the version that suits your hair and your schedule, screenshot it, and let it be your summer signature. Save this post now so you have all 12 styles in one place when the season really kicks in.
