Effortless beachy waves are classic but cool – and a sure sign that summer has arrived. They look great on long hair, add shape to bobs and create a fresh, youthful vibe no matter what your age. But not all beachy waves are created equal. And in fact, the way you prep, dry and finish your waves means you can switch up your look from soft and tousled to something a little more polished.

If you’re time-short and tongs aren’t your thing, this simple Dry Bun method requires prepping the hair with anti-frizz Almost Everything Cream, twisting it up in sections, diffusing and shaking it loose before adding some root lift with Zhoosh Foam. It’s a great technique for busy mornings – or when you want to enhance your hair’s natural texture and achieve a super organic feel.

As one of our signature moves, the Pinch is what creates a beautiful face-framing shape at the front to achieve that classic tousled look (it’s also a great way to add shape to Curtain Bangs). Prepping your hair with Zhoosh Foam before using one of these round brushes to blow dry your hair forwards over your face builds the foundation for lasting shape. Once dry, part your hair in the centre and rub the two sides together in a pinching motion to encourage a curtain-like sweep of hair over your forehead to your ears. It’s a great way to emphasise your eyes and bring out your cheekbones too.

The problem with traditional salt sprays is that they leave your hair sticky, crunchy and frizzy. You can live with it for a bit, but it soon feels like your hair is just a little dirty. First, prevent frizz by applying Almost Everything Cream to wet hair. Then layer over Zhoosh Foam for extra oomph and movement before blow drying/tonging and finishing with some taming AEC. The result is smooth, shiny, healthy-looking waves without all that stickiness. This is our classic Zhoosh Sandwich technique, which is best served with our Great Hair Kit containing both hero products in one essential set.

The mistake many people make is thinking that they have to tong every inch of their hair. The result looks artificial and OTT – not effortless and natural. We like to take random sections of hair, mixing up the size of the section as we go. Start at the front and work your way around the head on the top layers of hair. Then smatter a few waves into the underneath sections, flip your head upside down and back again, then rake your fingers through your hair to break the movement up, so it feels like your natural tousle.

We want easy beachy waves – not prom curls. So, rule of thumb when tonging: leave the ends of your hair free (a couple of inches or more) and count to three (no longer!) as you wrap each section around the barrel to keep the movement loose and natural.

A common complaint among beachy hair lovers is that their waves drop out in a matter of hours. Prepping pre-blow dry with Zhoosh Foam will help set your movement in place – but remember, you can always scrunch some more into mid-lengths and ends once it’s dry later in the day to add oomph to that texture. A smidgen of Almost Everything Cream applied on-the-go will also hydrate dry ends and tame any strays,