A Celebrity Hairstylist Just Showed Me How to Create Perfect Beachy S-Waves

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I consider myself someone who is pretty low-maintenance with their hair. I don't like spending ages with a hair tool when styling my lengths, and so I'm always drawn to low-effort hairstyles that not only look effortless, but are also effortless to create, too. And if you're like me and the rest of the internet, you too have been swooning over Zendaya's The Odyssey press tour hair moments, which have been featuring some stunning Grecian-inspired waves that I've been desperate to recreate. And as we're in the height of summer, now is the perfect time to try S-waves. I spoke with a top hairstylist to break down exactly how to achieve this low-effort style for summer.

How to Do S-Waves

"S-waves are a looser, more luxe take on the classic mermaid waves and the perfect style for summer," says hairstylist and ghd ambassador Patrick Wilson. "It tells the story of an 'I just got out of the sea' glossy look that looks effortless and summery. The style is all about having luxuriously deep waves with a shaken-out finish for an uber fresh, cool look," he says. "It is all about creating a subtle, wavy texture rather than curl. This is a flatter wave that doesn't have the volume or width of a traditional curly blow-dry, making it ideal for a more modern, sleek look. It’s a great look that can be created on all hair lengths."

What You'll Need

To create your S-waves, you'll need a good heat protector, a pair of hair straighteners, a wide-toothed comb and a texturising spray or salt spray.

1. Prep Hair

You'll want to start on straight, dry hair and use a good heat protector before styling your hair to shield your lengths from heat damage.

2. The Technique

Wilson tells me that you can use a triple waver to achieve the same look; however, a hair straightener can achieve the same look, and it also gives you more control over the wave. "Personally, I like to use the GHD Chronos Hair Straightener (£299) to add bends and kinks in the hair using an S-bend motion," he says.

"Place the straightener at your eye level and move the styler down an inch and flip it in the opposite direction, creating an 'S' shape in the hair," says Wilson. "When starting the bends and waves in your hair, don’t start too high or into your parting; otherwise, this creates too much height at the root and looks more done than it needs to," he says.

3. Wave Hair

Then, repeat the motion throughout the rest of your hair. "Continue this motion back and forth, leaving the ends straight for a more undone finish," says Wilson. You can experiment with the size of each section you're waving. I find larger sections will give a softer effect, whereas smaller sections give a more piecey texture, which works well on face-framing layers.

4. Brush Out

Next, you can dishevel the waves with a wide-toothed comb to make the waves look even more effortless. "Let the hair cool and set before brushing out; otherwise, the style won't stay," says Wilson.

5. Add Product

"Finish with a spritz of hairspray and follow with Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Texture Mist for a ‘done’ yet ever so slightly dishevelled, effortless look," says Wilson.

6. The Result

And there you have your s-waves. For second-day hair, Wilson recommends misting through a salt spray, which is the perfect product to revive the waves and add grit and texture.