There are many ways to create beautiful beach waves. You can use the same flat iron you straighten your hair with, although this requires some deft hand skills. A better tool is a dedicated hair curler. But most curlers tend to create tighter ringlets rather than the gentle casual waves you are looking for.
Hot rollers are great for creating wavy hair. But many people find them slow and tedious to use. They also don’t work really well for long and thick hair.
The best tool to use is a hair waver.
A waver is a hair styling tool designed specifically for creating gentle waves. Like most hair styling tools, it uses heat to temporarily change the physical structure of hair.
A waver actually works pretty much like a curling iron or a hair straightener. The only difference is that it is much more effective when you are creating waves. Compared to a curling iron or a flat iron, a waver is easy to use and works through your hair in no time.
Most wavers consist of 2 or 3 barrels that press your hair into sunken groves to form waves. In most cases, you don’t even need to section your hair using clips or pins. Just take hold of a bunch of strands, put them through the waver and move on to the next one.
Here’s is a video explaining how to use a barrel waver.
If you want to start enjoying beach waves or you have been having trouble styling your hair into waves using a flat iron or curling wand, try a hair waver. We have collected the best hair wavers you can buy today.
Our recommendations include wavers for every budget and hair type. Many of them come with temperature control so that you can choose the perfect heat level for your hair.
1. Babyliss Pro Black Porcelain Triple Barrel Waver
This is a pro waver designed for salons. But you can just as easily use it at home. 25 temperature settings make it easy to choose the right heat level for your hair. The temperature ranges between 100C and 210C.
The ceramic barrels heat up quickly, allowing you to start styling almost immediately after you switch it on.
As you style, the extra-long cord allows you to stay in whatever position you want. Additionally, the cord has a swivel design to prevent it from tangling as you move the waver around.
Customer feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Many users say it’s exactly what they were looking for. It creates beautiful waves perfect for a beach getaway, a lazy weekend or a shopping outing with friends.
The best part is that it works for all hair types. Users with fine hair, straight hair, curly hair, thick hair and all other types of hair say the waver works great.
What we like about it:
- Easy to use.
- Ceramic triple barrels for easy and fast styling.
- Variable heat settings.
- Produces fabulous beach waves.
2. Toni & Guy Deep Barrel Hair Waver
If you are looking for extra deep waves, try this hair waver. It has two barrels and 32mm plates that produce more accentuated waves.
I recommend it if you have thick and long hair that is a tougher to handle. It’s also ideal if you want a more bohemian or beach chic look.
This waver comes with 25 heat settings, easily changeable using a dial on the handle. The maximum temperature is 200C.
When styling, the extra-long 3M cord comes in handy. You don’t have to sit or stand in an awkward position to use the waver. If you are using it on colour-treated hair, it will not cause it to fade thanks to the built-in tourmaline colour protection.
When you are done, a hinge lock allows you to store it without causing any accidents or damage to your surfaces.
What we like about it:
- Variable heat settings.
- Extra deep plates.
- Comes with colour protection technology.
- Long and easy-to-use cord.
3. BaByliss Wave Envy Waver
The BaByliss Wave Envy is a double barrel waver with just three heat settings. These are significantly fewer than the 25 settings in the previous two wavers but still good enough for styling different hair types. The heat settings range from 160C to 200C.
When you are ready to go, the barrels heat up really quickly. You don’t have to wait long to start working on your hair. The waver is easy to use. Just clamp it on different sections of your hair until you get the look you are going for.
The only challenge is when you are styling extra short hair. Because of the wide barrels, it can be a bit hard to properly grasp sections of your hair.
When you are done styling, use the heat protection mat provided along with the waver to protect your surfaces from damage.
What we like about it:
- Fast heat up.
- Easy to use.
- Provides ionic conditioning for frizz-free hair and a glossy finish.
- Variable heat settings.
4. Lee Stafford CoCo LoCo Wonderball Ceramic Hair Waver Wand
This is the only waver among our recommendations that is not a barrel waver. Instead, it’s a wand and works the same way as other curling wands. But you can create a wider variety of styles than with a traditional curling wand thanks to the series of smaller barrels along its length.
For instance, you can style your hair into beach waves by wrapping it on top of the barrels or create spherical bohemian curls by wrapping your hair between the barrels. You can play around with different methods to produce a variety of unique styles.
The barrel is tourmaline-ceramic which ensures fast and even heating. It is infused with coconut oil to give your hair a smooth and silky soft finish.
It’s not much but I love the stylish pink handle. It’s long enough to comfortably hold in your hand and is attached to a swivel cord that does not get all tangled up when you are working on your hair.
What we like about it:
- Provides style versatility.
- Coconut oil-infused barrel leaves hair soft and smooth.
- Easy to use.
- Fast heat up to 200C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to use a hair waver?
Prepare your hair by washing it the night before you want to wave it, and letting it air dry to minimise the amount of heat your hair is exposed to. Ensure your hair is completely dry, then add some heat protecting spray, cream or serum. You can also use a curl-enhancing serum, to maximise the curls in your final style.
- Section off your hair by gathering the top part into a clip or hair band.
- Take a 1 inch section of hair, moving the rest out of the way.
- Ensuring that the hot part of the waver barrel is on the bottom, clamp the top of the section of hair you are working on. Hold it down for 4-5 seconds – don’t leave it much longer, to avoid damaging your hair.
- Continue down the section of hair until it is all waved (as a tip, try to line up the first barrel with the last wave you made, for a continuous wave down the hair shaft).
- Move around your head from one side to the other, waving 1 inch sections of hair at a time.
- Don’t tie up the waved section in a clip or hair band, as this will leave unwanted indentations in your waves.
- Repeat with the clipped up section of hair once the bottom layer is finished.
If you are looking for vintage, retro waves then place the waver as close to your roots as you can; for looser, more relaxed waves then start a little lower down.
Once you have waved your whole head, you can either leave the waves as they are for the retro look, or scrunch the waves between your fingers for a looser style.
Add a spritz of hairspray to keep your look in place, or spray with a sea salt spray to add a little texture.
Q: How to use a waver iron on short hair?
It’s more difficult to use a waver iron on short hair, because they are generally pretty bulky and bigger than most curling irons – but you can get smaller versions of these clever curlers which can make your short hair curlier more easily.
The principle of curling your short hair is the same as if it was long – section off the hair, hold the waver down on a section for 5-10 seconds then repeat around your whole head.
You will need to be a bit more careful with how you place your hair inside the barrel though, as it can be easier to burn your hands when working with shorter lengths.
Q: Where to buy a hair waver?
These little devices are becoming more and more popular, so it is becoming easier and easier to find stockists. Your local stylist or hairdresser should be able to give you recommendations, of you could just try searching for them online and see what results come up. Most large stores and stockists will happily sell you a hair waver!
