Ess’s first hack for curly and coily hair types is to focus on hydration. “I like to play up texture, but focus on keeping the hair moisturized,” she says. “Most ‘beach wave’ products are going to intentionally dry out the hair to create gritty, oceanic texture which is almost never a good idea for curly hair. Instead, I like to focus on creating a summer feel using hydration. Something I’m super into right now for adding moisture to curly hair is Bread Beauty Supply’s Hair Oil Every Day Gloss ($24).”
If you have curly or coily hair, you can give your strands that relaxed, effortless texture by air drying or heat styling. Ess also has a little air drying hack that won’t require you to dry delicate curls out. “You can create your beach waves by air drying if you lean heavily on my little Kristin Ess Hair Setting Clips ($10). They help create a perfect face frame whether you’re air drying or heat styling! Plus, they’re [even] cute enough to wear out of the house.” For curly and coily hair types, Ess usually likes using a 1-inch curling iron but will mix it up and use a flat iron occasionally to create beach waves, too. To finish off the look, she uses her Kristin Ess Hair Beach Wave Spray ($15) to give it the right texture.
Ess also says it’s all about definition. “As we know, curly and coily hair types already thrive when it comes to texture. So to me, it’s all about focusing on definition and creating more ropey, defined sections. This leads us to our next hack: Using another low-key method to create the perfect beach waves on curls. “I love using the L.O.C. method which is using a leave-in, followed by an oil, and finishing with a cream. I’d layer the Kristin Ess Hair Ultra Hydrating Curl Leave-In Cream ($11), then add some drops of the Bread Hair Oil, and finish with the Kristin Ess Hair Curl Defining Cream ($15). For the last step, I like to brush-twist or comb-twist each section one by one and then air dry or diffuse depending on the curl type. Doing a twist out using a brush or comb creates these big, gorgeous chunky coils that are just *chef’s kiss.*”
