Creating perfect beach waves is a skill that you have to learn, but it can get a lot easier if you have the appropriate tools on hand. Many people have found that they prefer to use curling wands when making any type of curl, but figuring out what size curling wand for beach waves works best can be a difficult task.
Today, we’ll talk about the best curling wand techniques and sizes that you can use to create the perfect beach waves. By the end of this article, we hope that you’ll be ready to have your gorgeous hairstyle done in no time.
Best Sized Curling Wands for Beachy Waves
There are three different sizes that we recommend more than all others for creating the perfect beachy waves, and they are:
- Tapered one-inch to 1¼-inch barrel
- Two-inch barrel
- 1.5-inch barrel
Let’s talk about each of these sizes and who the ideal user is for the particular curling wand barrel sizes mentioned above.
1. Tapered One-Inch to 1¼-inch Barrel
These are the most popular sizes of curling wand for making beachy waves. This wand is famous for more than just beachy waves, and that versatility is a huge part of why people like to find ways to make it work for beachy waves as well.
While the barrel on this tool is a bit small for those with very long hair, the width is perfect for those with short and medium-length hair to get the ideal beachy style. Additionally, the tapered design makes it easier to create different sized waves that don’t look too picture perfect. After all, the best part of a great beachy wave hair is how natural and not precise it looks!
2. Two-Inch Barrel
For those who have very long hair or want incredibly loose curls, it’s best to go with a wider barrel. As such, a two-inch barrel is an excellent choice if you fall into any of those categories.
Another benefit of using a two-inch barrel is that you can make huge, perfect curls. By not twisting the hair as you wrap it, you can create a full head of beautifully curled hair in minutes since it doesn’t take long at all to get the look right.
3. 1.5-inch Barrel
If you have medium-length or long hair and you want to be able to create either tight, spiral curls or bigger, natural waves, going with a 1.5-inch barrel might be the most appealing option when choosing what size curling wand for beach waves on your hair.
This medium-sized barrel is a great in-between choice when you know that you want something a bit looser, but you still want to have enough flexibility to try out different styles that require both tight and loose curls.
How to Create Beachy Waves With a Curling Wand
Now that you know more about your main size options to use, let’s talk about the actual technique for creating beachy waves when you are using a curling wand.
When you pick up a curling wand for the very first time, it can be confusing to know what you should do even to create a curl. In the end, most people end up awkwardly trying to wrap their hair around the barrel before ending up with an uneven curl or wave. All it takes to get past this point is some dedicated practice!
Step-by-Step Technique
Let’s walk through the specific steps of how to use your curling wand to create those loose and natural beachy waves that you dream of!
- Section your hair off so that you can start with the bottom-most ⅓ layer of your hair. Use clips to lift the other ⅔ your hair and keep them out of the way.
- Spray your hair with a heat protectant spray
- Grab a one-inch section of your hair and twist it.
- Once it is twisted, wrap it around the curling wand. Try not to wrap the ends around the curling wand, as leaving them uncurled will create a more natural finished look.
- Keep the hair on the wand for a few seconds.
Immediately after you take the hair off of the barrel, pull down on the coiled curl to loosen it up before it cools down. - Continue this around your whole head. Alternate the size of the section that you use and the direction that you wrap the hair in to give it a more natural look.
- Finish the look with a volumizing spray to help give your hair a more boosted and full look.
That’s all that it takes!
The key part that you need to remember when following these instructions is to twist your hair before you wrap it around the curling wand. By twisting the hair, you will give a more natural and loose look to the waves. Otherwise, you’ll have a curled look when you take them off of the wand’s barrel!
Video Tutorial
We know that not everyone can figure out what we mean when we explain, so this is another technique for using your curling wand. Explained in video form, this technique instruction might help you to get the right look finally:
What Size Curling Wand for Beach Waves Is Right for You?
In the end, it will be up to you to decide what size curling wand is best for your specific hair length, type, and desired style.
In our experience, using a curling wand with a barrel between One and 1¼-inch in size will lead to the best results. On the other hand, those with long hair or who want a very loose style are likely to find more success if they use a curling wand with a barrel that is two inches wide.
Regardless of what size curling wand you choose, remember that you can always use a soft bristle brush to brush out your hair and create softer waves. Many tools can give you tight spiral curls, and it is possible to turn these into loose waves with just a little bit of extra effort after you finish using the hot tool.