According to Potempa and Iudina, who both prefer using a curling iron to achieve beach waves, there’s a step-by-step method that’s foolproof. Section off hair into the top and bottom, then separate strands into the left and right side. Hold the curling iron upright with the clamp facing forward, place a one to two inch section of hair into the clamp, leaving an inch or two of the ends out to create a beachy wave, then twist the iron away from your face.
The key is in the stretch method that @avamarshhair shows in her video. “Stretch the curl,” Iudina advised. “While curling a hair strand, pull it down after each twist to break the pattern.” That’ll make for the perfect beachy look. Hold each pass for three to four seconds, then open the clamp and pull the iron straight down to release. Repeat on the left and right sides, “alternating each strand in turns of curling it left or right,” says Iudina.