Hairstyle How To: Get Casual Beachy Waves

What’s the hottest go-to hairstyle in Hollywood today? Simple: long locks with big, loose curls. But for everyday, this hairstyle can look a little too polished. A slightly unkempt hairstyle with big, beachy waves is more wearable around town and still cute enough for an impromptu date with the Starbucks guy. Here’s how to style it yourself:

Wash hair and towel dry just until damp. Rub in some mousse to give your hair a little volume – if your hair’s too flat on top, this hairstyle will make you look less beachy and more like you got rained on.

Blow-dry upside down without combing through; instead, just run your fingers loosely through it. Remember, we’re going for slightly unfinished here. Effortlessly beautiful and all that jazz. Brush your part to one side and grab your curling iron.

Use a curling iron with a pretty sizable barrel, like 1 1/4 inch. (I know these curls are smaller. Just listen to me, dammit.) Spiral one-inch sections of hair around the iron, hold for 20 seconds or so, then release the iron by pulling it out downward. This will keep the ends from getting too curly and will narrow the spiral just right. Make sure you’re twisting the iron towards the back of your head when curling the big chunk of hair on the one side.

Spritz a little hairspray at your hairline underneath the big chunk of hair we just talked about. Run your fingers through the curls in that section angling toward the back of your head. As soon as the bit you’re working with looks cute, hairspray that section and leave it alone!

Now run your fingers through the rest of the curls downward, spritzing them with hairspray as soon as they look right. Don’t start your fingers too high in your hair, or all of the volume and curl at the top will disappear; instead, start at about 3 inches down from the top of your head. Finish with a little shine serum spray, and bada-bing, you’re beachy keen!