Nothing like ushering in fall with a blog post dedicated to achieving carefree summer waves, but it’s actually a style I wear regardless of the season.

Before I dive into the details of this overly-pinned and pined after hairstyle, I want to stress that practice is key.  I’ve tried products, wrist flicks, irons, wands and switching directions all before stumbling upon what works best for my tresses.  If at first, you don’t succeed…try again.

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The Tools

1″ Curling Iron
1.25″ Curling Iron
1″ Straightener
Kristin Ess Beach Wave Spray
Volumizing Hairspray [I use the Equate version of Big Sexy Hair]
Teasing Comb
Bristle Teasing Brush
Hair Clips

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Part 1: Ride the Wave

First, section off hair, beginning with the longest layers.  Divide that layer and work left side and then right.

Using the 1.25″  barrel curling iron, grip approximately 2″ of hair, working from the back of hair forward.

Clamp the iron at the root, straighten down [feel free to use a straightener here if needed] and then curl [twisting hand + iron to the right/away from face] roughly half to three-quarters of the way down the hair shaft, leaving about a half an inch of hair hanging freely from the clamp.

Hold the curl for 15 to 20 seconds.  Unwind the curl and pull straight down through the ends.

Taking another 2″ section of hair from your longest layer, repeat the process but this time, curl in the opposite direction. 
Repeat this process, alternating directions until the layer is completed.

Let down another layer of hair and wrap the uncurled hair on top of your head with a clip. 

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Working from the back of my hair and using the 1″ curling iron, take 1-1.5″ of hair and curl toward your face [should be the opposite direction of the curl directly below].   Doing this prevents the waves from settling into one another and allows for the signature, casual look beach waves are known for.

Repeat and complete both sides of this layer all while alternating the direction in which you twist the barrel.

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Half Way There…

Another layer down and two more to go.  As you work the way up, wrap the barrel closer to the shaft to bring the waves up closer to my root.  This is a personal preference and as you practice this style, you’ll find what works best for you.

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Take the 1.5″ barrel and roughly 1.5-2″ of hair and wrap it away from the face.  The next 1.5″-2″, I wrap towards the face.  As I get closer to the hairline, keep all the curls facing away.  Repeat this process on the right side.

We made it to the top layer!  Starting at the back/crown and grab 1″ pieces, curl away from the face with the larger barrel iron.  The next 1″ section, curl away from the face using the smaller barrel iron.  The next 1″ section, curl away using the larger iron.  Depending on how much hair you have left before reaching your face, alternate this process.  I like to use the larger barrel iron on the pieces closest to my face for a looser curl.

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Repeat on opposite side and the curling process is complete.  Once your hair is completely cooled, work your fingers through the waves.  Do.  Not.  Brush.  If you find any ends that are curled, clamp down on them with your straightener as needed.

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Part 2: Such A Tease

This summer, I shared on Instagram how I tease my crown.  You can view it on my saved highlights here, or at the end of the video tutorial here.

Basically, starting roughly 3/4 of the way back from my forehead, at the tippity top of my crown, I lift a 1″ wide section of hair. 

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I spray with my hairspray on the front and back for grip. With this tried and true teasing comb, begin raking hair backward.

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Lay it the opposite way [flipping toward your face] and lift another 1-1.25″ wide section and repeat the process. 

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Lay it on top of the first piece.  Repeat this process on either side of the crown and then lay it all on top while the spray dries.

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Gently arrange hair back to the natural position.  Make sure not to pull the tease while also separating it. 

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Using a bristle teasing comb, lightly brush any strays and then finish with a generous helping of hairspray.  If any pieces appear less than teased, grab the teasing comb and give it a little more oomph.

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Part 3: Hooray for Spray

I finish the entire look with my Kristin Ess Beachy Wave Spray.  Not only is this product affordable and smells amazing, but it also helps to create a perfectly tousled wave effect.  My second-day waves come back to life with minimal effort and heat thanks to this finishing spray.

A little bit goes a long way. Spray the bottom half of hair and the ends then work product through hair with fingers.

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Give it a good last dose of hairspray and then leave it alone.  Get dressed, or whatever is next in your process.  If tweaks need to be made, wait until after everything else is said and done.  Give the waves a chance to fall into place.

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Shop the Look

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Visual Learners Report Here

I don’t know about you, but I find it pretty hard to learn something like this by reading.   While I hope the photos are helpful, I also filmed a comprehensive tutorial of this process for all my visual learners out there.  Watch it on the Ooh La Laura channel via YouTube or IGTV.

Someone once told me “you aren’t really a blogger until you have a hair tutorial” so looks like I’m finally legit.  Just teasing, pun intended.  Feel free to comment with questions or send an email my way if you need more help with your waves.

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