The Fall Beach Wave Is Not Your Same Old Summer Style: Here’s How to Get It

Celebs like Carey Mulligan, Victoria Beckham and Blake Lively all know a thing or two about how to get flawless beach waves, and by now you most likely do, too. But now that the season has changed from summer to fall, what exactly does that mean for the carefree summer style? 

Taking your beach bombshell hair into this season is all about minimizing the lift and maximizing the shine. Celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves explained that this season’s take on the fall beach wave, as seen on the runway at Gucci, is a little flatter and more sophisticated. “When you are wearing layers of clothes in fall with the mega-volume hair, it’s too much,” said the pro.

“Summer was all about that beachy, lived-in and almost dry look, but now we are going for luxe, hydrated hair,” said Ken. “The thing about fall hair is that it’s about encouraging the look, not enforcing it,” he continued.

The Success Is in the Prep: “If you are spending more than 20 minutes on hair you don’t know how to prep your hair texture,” said Ken. Before you do anything else, prep the fall beach wave with a detangling spray, like Ken Paves You Are Beautiful Thermal Detangling Protectant Spray, and a volumizing spray, like Serge Normant ‘Dream Big’ Instant Volumizing Spray, to build texture. “With a thinner hair texture, I would also use a volumizing mousse,” noted the expert. Once you spray equal parts volumizing spray at the roots and detangling spray mid-shafts to ends, blast with a blow dryer.

Where You Apply Your Prep Product Matters: A heat protectant and a volumizing spray are necessary steps for any texture of hair, the only difference will be where you apply the product, depending on your texture. If you have finer hair, apply the hydrating product further from the scalp. If you have fuller hair, apply the product closer to the roots to help weigh it down. “Getting that top portion flat and smooth is key to the fall beach wave,” answered the stylist.

Hairspray Before You Use Heat: From a distance, use a light aerosol hairspray, like Elnett Satin Hairspray, and spray mid-shaft to ends and on the underside of the hair. “This is going to give it an extra shine and that luxurious feel,” noted Ken. Before you curl, lightly brush hair through after you hairspray.

Now for the Actual Wave: “The key to curling the fall beach wave is the direction,” urged Ken. Traditionally most people curl their hair in one direction, but for the fall beach wave you are curling the hair in multiple directions. Start by curling the bottom section under, the middle layers in alternating directions, and the top layer away from the face. Also different, you are sealing the ends of the hair for a more polished look and making sure that the curl always starts right at cheekbone level.

To Get the Look:

1. Part hair horizontally at the cheekbone level and pin the top section away.

2. Using a 1 1/2-inch curling iron, curl 2-inch sections of hair toward the face for this entire bottom section. “Curling hair from the cheekbone down gives hair a subtle ’70s vibe,” said the expert.

3. As you curl, run the iron all the way through the end of hair to seal the cuticle for a polished look. “For summer I would have left the end out of the iron for a more undone feel, but for fall you want to seal the cuticle with heat,” shared Ken.

4. Once the entire bottom half of hair is curled toward the face, let the rest of the hair down in sections, depending on hair thickness.

5. For the next sections, “you want the wave to start right at the cheekbone,” clarified Ken. To accomplish, make sure that you start the curl right at the mid-shaft, not at the root.

6. Still pulling 2-inch sections, start curling hair in opposite directions. “You can grab random sections, there is no wrong or right way,” he shared.

7. Let down other sections, one at a time, and repeat curling hair in random, opposite directions at the mid-shaft to end, making sure that the bend always starts right at the cheekbone level.

8. For the final top section, curl the hair in two-inch sections away from the face. “Again, make sure that you are starting the curl at the mid-shaft of the hair so that the wave falls right at the cheekbone, that is the key,” reminded Ken.

9. Now that all of the hair is curled, finger-style the hair with shine serum, like Moroccanoil Treatment, on both the inside and outside of hair. “For summer I would have roughed it up with texturizing spray, but the look here is rich, velvety and luxe hair,” he said.