How to Create Perfect Beach Waves with a Flat Iron

We've all been there: standing in front of the mirror with three hot tools blasting electricity, hands sticky with texture, and the scent of burning hair in the air. You are trying to recreate those amazing waves you once walked out of the salon or saw on Sophie Turner's Instagram. I mean those ethereal, beachy, enviable waves that scream "model-off-duty." I'll let you in on a secret. Those waves are made with a flat iron, and you can make them yourself. So I asked celebrity hairstylist Laura Porco (opens in new tab) how.

"A flat iron will actually give you more of a textural bend than a curl," says Porco.

"The bends that flat irons make are vertical (horizontal), whereas wands and curling irons make bends left to right (vertical). This difference allows us to achieve very different textures."

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"This style is very easy! Part your hair, iron down from the roots, and with your wrist, point the hair up, then down, then up, and finally down. Finish the section so that the ends of the hair are straight. The most important part of this is to start with the section pointing up."

She adds: "It's important to keep your wrists in check! It takes practice, but as long as you start by turning the hair up (or over), you should be headed in the right direction."

"Even as a professional stylist, I realized that you really have to use the right tools to achieve this style. You need a flat iron with beveled edges and a floating plate so that the iron glides as easily as possible. Also, make sure the iron is not too hot.

"Personally, I like to style these waves as a middle part. It adds volume at the roots and is great for carefully molding the areas that frame the face."

"The key is to spray product onto the hair with your fingertips instead of spraying directly onto the hair. This will give you the piece-like texture you are looking for."