Hair Style + Products: Creating Beach Look

Lydia walked me through how to create a beachy look with my new haircut last Wednesday. I've tried it a couple of time since then and I really like this look!

THE PRODUCTS

In the shower, I use Bumble and Bumble Hair Dresser's Oil shampoo and conditioner. Since getting my haircut, I have vowed to cut back on how often I wash my hair. I want the color to last and avoid heat damage by minimizing the use of irons. We will see how long today's blowout will last. 

The Ouai hair oil is one of my most recent purchases from Sephora. I've used everything from Moroccan Oil to Kerastase. Both of those work fine with one exception. A little goes a long way or else your hair could be weighed down and greasy. I read a ton of reviews on Ouai before I bought it, and I tend to agree with the majority - it is effective, lightweight and smells awesome. It smells like gardenias - the same scent as Kai Body Butter. I definitely recommend Ouai! 

THE PROCESS

Once out of the shower, I pump Ouai twice into the palm of my hand and rub my hands together. The bulk of the product gets rubbed into the ends of my hair. I rub the residual on the roots and brush it throughout. Speaking of brushes...

I bit the bullet a few weeks before Eila was born and bought a Mason Pearson. Do you know how long I have been reading reviews and researching these brushes? I just could not bring myself to spend that kind of money on a hair brush. Oh well, call it overly ripe pregnancy hormones if you will but I bought it. AND...I have no regrets. I don't often use it to style, but I use it a lot before and after blowouts as well as on days when I am not washing because it redistributes your hair's oils really well. 

I digress, back to the process...

Insert your favorite blow-dry technique here. Because I am not striving for a sleek or polished look, I simply use my fingers during the blowout. 

My hair may be shorter, folks, but it is still thick. So, I put the top half of my hair up in a clip and straighten the bottom layer. After that, I pin one side of the top away so I can use a curling iron on the rest. I use a bigger barrel for looser curls. 

The key here is to curl the pieces of your hair away from your face. On my right side, that means I flip the curling iron with the clamp up. On my left side, I curl with the clamp back (pictured above). Another key is that you only wrap the middle of the piece. The ends of your hair should stick out an inch or more. 

The result looks something like this after you curl it but before you do anything else. 

Next, you run your fingers through the curls to break them up. I do not touch it with a brush. Spray the hair with whatever you like best for a hold (not a crunchy hold). 

THE RESULT

Has anyone else tried this technique?

Also, purchase the aforementioned products here: