DIY: Beach Waves Tutorial with Clip-In Extensions

Beach waves are a sure-fire way to instantly make you feel glamorous and confident. The salon-inspired waves are easier than you think to achieve, and the great news is you can wear this stunning style along with your beloved extensions for added length and volume. Read our advice in terms of the best extension type for this style, and the prep needed, as well as recommended tools and an easy-to-follow tutorial. 

• Choosing the Right Hair Extensions
• Preparing your hair for beach waves
• Washing and conditioning your hair before styling
• Sectioning your hair for beach waves
• How to Create Beach Waves with Human Hair Extensions
• How to Create Beach Waves with a Synthetic One Piece

Beach waves are a soft and stylish hairstyle that can be worn at any time of year, they look great on many different hair lengths, from short to long hair and thick and thin hair, almost everybody can pull off this on-trend look. But what if you want to showcase your beach waves with your hair extensions? You'll be happy to know this is possible and there are different ways you can achieve it!

Choosing the Right Hair Extensions

You can create a beach wave with human hair extensions or with synthetic hair extensions. Which material you opt for will depend on a few different factors. Human Hair extensions are more expensive but they can be styled with heated tools meaning you can achieve a variety of different curls and waves, including the popular beach wave.

Human Hair Extensions are more suitable for women with sensitive scalps or very fine hair. Human hair extensions are usually purchased as a multi-piece set, which helps evenly distribute the weight of the extensions around your scalp, this avoids excessive tension on fine/sensitive hair. Human hair extensions are an investment product, so if you have the budget and are planning on wearing your hair extensions again and again you will be better suited to using human hair extensions with your beach wave.

However, a beach wave can also be easily achieved with synthetic hair extensions. Synthetic extensions are cheaper so they are a great affordable option, but this does not mean they will not look as good. High-quality fibre hair extensions are a very popular alternative to human hair extensions, the quality of fibre hair extensions has improved greatly in recent years, and many fibres are now indistinguishable from human hair. (Plastic-looking options are still available so do your supplier research!) Synthetic extensions can be found in pre-styled varieties, which means they quickly transform your hair without the need to style the extensions.

Both materials are available in several lengths and shades, you are sure to find a suitable hair extension in either fibre to add to your beach wave look. If you need assistance in finding your perfect colour match you can get professional free advice from your chosen supplier. You can also order colour samples to match your hair colour at home, this allows you to purchase with confidence that the extensions will match. This is particularly helpful if do not have time to order and return your extensions while on the hunt for your perfect shade.

Preparing your hair for beach waves

If you have chosen to use human hair extensions, we recommend styling your extensions and your hair together, this will ensure the waves flow in the same direction. This will help to create a seamless hairstyle where the extensions perfectly blend with your hair. Therefore you will need to clip in your human hair extensions before styling.

If opting for pre-styled synthetic hair extensions, you will need to style your hair first (not always necessary!) and then clip in your extension.

You may be wondering why wouldn't I need to style my natural hair. This is because if you have fine shoulder-length hair, which is not bluntly cut the extensions will provide all of the style, and you do not need to style your hair. Your hair will just sit on top of the pre-styled extensions.

Washing and conditioning your hair before styling

You may think super clean hair is the best way to style your hair into beach waves with hair extensions, however, this is not what we recommend. When your hair is 1-2 days past 'wash day' this will give you the best result when attempting your beach wave and extensions combo. (Providing your hair is not overly oily)

Super clean hair will be softer, which means extensions can slip and slide from the intended position. Very soft hair will also struggle to hold the beach wave style for long periods. Hair which is 1-2 days past wash day will provide more texture for the hair extensions to hold and keep the style looking great all day long.

Sectioning your hair for beach waves

You must section your hair when styling the beach waves, this rule applies if you are styling with the extensions in or not. Proper sectioning will ensure each section is properly styled. It will also help you determine an even amount of hair for each section, too much or too little hair can result in an uneven style. Proper sectioning will also help towards the style lasting. If too much hair is curled at one time, the heat will not embed the style properly, meaning the style will drop much sooner than expected.

Top Tip: If you are curling your hair with your human hair extensions clipped in, ensure you have evenly distributed the wefts, bunching them together too closely will make it more difficult to section the hair.

How to Create Beach Waves with Human Hair Extensions

The first tutorial will be with 20" Lace Clip-In Human Hair Extensions

Step 1:

Evenly distribute the wefts and firmly clip in each extension at the root. Use a tail comb to create a neat section.

Step 2:

Work around the scalp, from one side to the other curling in sections. Allow the curler to embed the style for 10 seconds.

Step 3:

Once the hair is curled, allow the curl to cool in your hand (use a heat protection glove if necessary) This will help the curl stay in.

Step 4:

Once all the hair is curled, use a wide-tooth comb to relax the curls. This will create a soft beach wave style.

How to Create Beach Waves with a Synthetic One Piece

The second tutorial will be with a 20" Wand Wave One Piece

Step 1:

Work around the scalp, from one side to the other, curling in sections. Allow the curler to embed the style for 10 seconds.

Step 2:

Once the hair is curled, allow the curl to cool in your hand (use a heat protection glove if necessary) This will help the curl stay in.

Step 3:

Section your hair at ear level and clip in a Wand Wave One Piece, gently blend the extensions and your hair together with a wide toothcomb, until you are happy with the beach wave style.

Step 4:

Spritz with hairspray for a long-lasting hold.