How To Get Beach Waves Without Frizz

By: | Last Updated: March 28, 2021

I used to live in a city where the climate was dry. It was that beautiful kind of heat where you could sit in your garden at night with a candle flame not moving. The air, perfectly still, and my hair, frizz-free.

Then we moved.

The current climate I live in has much more moisture in the air. Great for my skin. Really not so great for my hair. I noticed it when I went out for a girl-get-together-breakfast.

When I looked in the mirror, frizz was all around my head. Like a halo. But not in a good way. I realized I had to change my hair routine. Sigh.

Today we are going to seek out paths to turn frizzy curly hair into beach waves, leaving the frizz far behind us. Learn how to get beach waves without frizz.

Why oh why?

I am a firm believer that you can use many of the different systems out there to get that beachy waves you crave. But the chances of success increase dramatically if the hair itself is in a good condition.  

Let’s look at what causes frizzy hair.

frizzy hair – Curling Diva

Imagine your hair shaft is a sponge. And the sponge is dry. Because the sponge is dry, it is also rough. But this sponge doesn’t like to be dry. So if it comes into contact with moisture/humid weather, it slurps up all the moisture it can find. This causes the sponge or hair shaft to swell and frizz.

The cuticle of the hair is made up of material that looks like scales that overlap one another. Ideally, these layers should lie flat. But they open up when the shaft is dry, damaged. And, you guessed it, slurps up the moisture to cause the frizz. The solution for anti-frizz is to get those layers to lie flat. But it’s in the ‘how’ where it gets interesting.

Here are some things you need to stop doing to fight the frizz:

  • Don’t wash your hair in super hot water.
  • Don’t use products with sulfates or alcohol ingredients.
  • Don’t touch or brush your hair too much.
  • Don’t use hot tools every day.
  • Don’t towel dry your hair.

Okay after that long list of don’ts, here is a do list:

  • Sleep on silk pillowcase as it decreases friction that can cause frizz. A silk scarf will also work.
  • Identify your hair type so you know which products to use.
  • Use a microfiber towel to towel dry your hair or go to the kitchen and get some paper towels. Seriously, it works to stop frizz.
  • Always use a heat protector to protect the hair shafts when you use heat tools.
  • Add styling products to soaking wet hair before you towel dry it as it adds a protective layer.
  • Use a leave-in conditioner or hair mask to kick frizz out. Argan oil works really well because the molecules are small enough to enter and penetrate the hair cuticle.  
  • Bless yourself with a blow dryer with ionic technology as it produces ions that smooth the hair cuticle.

How to turn frizzy curly hair into beach waves without heat

Now let’s look at how we can get the frizz-curl out and let the beach wave in. We are going to use heatless methods seeing that heat causes frizz in the first place.

Wash and, if possible, air-dry your hair to the damp phase. Comb out your hair with a very wide-tooth comb. Just get the knots out.

Liberally apply your favorite anti-frizz mousse/creme/oil/spray to your hair. Side note, if your hair gets frizzy fast, leave your hair damper than you normally would. Not dripping wet, but nearly dripping wet.

Vertically part your hair as you normally would. Section it again horizontally from your ear to your other ear. Fasten the top section so as not to intrude on the lower section.

Take two sections of hair and twist each one around itself. Now twist them around each other to the end of the hair. The hair should stay twisted because of the liberal use of the product and because it is very damp. But if it doesn’t stay in place, use a double prong hair clip. Repeat this process with all the hair.

Again, the golden rule for wave size. Bigger sections, bigger natural beach waves. Smaller sections, smaller crimped beachy waves.

Allow the hair to dry completely. Once dry, and I mean really dry, simply un-twist the hair.

Or if you used clips, unfasten the clips and unwind the hair. If your hair is not completely dry, it will become frizzy fast once you’ve unwound the hair. So rather leave it for longer.

Run your fingers gently through your hair and there you have beach wavy hair without any heat.

How do you get beach waves without frizzy hair?

How to get beach waves with a flat iron – Curling Diva

Another heatless and surprisingly easy way to get waves without frizz is by making buns in your hair.

As stated before, wash and, if possible, air-dry your hair to the not-so-damp phase. Get the knots out by using a wide-tooth comb. Apply your anti-frizz mousse/creme/oil/spray generously to your hair.

Section your hair horizontally from under your ear to the other ear. Fasten the top hair so you can work with the bottom hair without interference. Using the loose lower section, twist your hair gently into a loose bun. Clip the end with a bobby pin or a small hair clip in place. Don’t make the bun too tight or too perfect. Think loose flowing waves.

With the top section, part it again horizontally from above the ear to the other ear. Fasten the top section so you can work with the section underneath. Bring the loose section up as high as you can and make another loose, natural bun and fasten it. Do the same with the top section of hair. When it’s finished it will look like a Mohawk created with three buns.  

Note: if you have thick hair, you’ll need more sections.

Once the hair is dry, unfasten the buns and gently shake the curls out. Amazing, frizz-free beach waves with very little effort. This is also great to create volume because the hair was over directed to the top which creates mega volume. Add some hair spray or sea salt spray and you’re good to go.


These methods should help you whether you live in a dry or humid environment.

Experiment. See what works for you.

Always remember the curls can easily be washed out. And who knows, maybe one of them will be your go-to favorite method.

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