By Jessica Milter

If you’re someone who’s struggled with achieving wavy hair that’s perfect for the beach – but looks effortless – you’re not alone.

Ever since Blake Lively hit the scene with those carefree tousled locks that made her look like a beach goddess, girls everywhere vowed to achieve the same look. Whether you’re someone who doesn’t mind putting in the time or you need to run out the door, these tips can help you on your way to making even Blake green with envy!

The Do-It-Yourself Waves

If you’ve ever wondered why swimming in the ocean might make your hair more wavy than normal, you can thank the salt for that. For those of us wanting to arrive to the beach looking like we’ve already spent hours in the ocean and are still looking great, a salt spray can do the trick. There are multiple ones on the market, but if you want to save some money, it’s very easy to make one yourself. According to ‘College Fashion,’ all you need is a spray bottle, some water, and a few teaspoons of sea salt. Adding more salt will add more texture to your hair, but it can also be a bit drying. To combat this, add some conditioner to your mixture. Shake well and make sure your hair is damp when getting ready to spray. Less is more in this situation, but make sure to keep scrunching your hair throughout the process. You can choose to blow-dry with a diffuser or let air dry. For a little added volume, tease your roots with a pick comb, hair flipped upside down, and finish with a hairspray or your favorite volumizing spray.

The “Just Sleep On It” Waves

This method is one of the easiest and I practice it myself from time to time. Make sure your hair is wet to start off. If you have a serum or creme that you use to smooth out frizz and flyaways, apply that throughout your hair to give it a little structure. Then, section off your hair halfway. You can choose to do one or two braids on each side, depending on how tight you want your waves to be. Then, go to sleep. It’s as easy as that! When you wake up in the morning and take out the braids, your hair will be naturally wavy and ready to go. Just spray lightly with hairspray and you’re done!

The Extra Touch Waves

If you have some time on your hands and a curling wand or iron, you can achieve a more put-together wavy look. Start with dry hair, sectioned off halfway. For each half, wrap small sections of your hair around the wand or iron each time, making sure to spray your heat protectant as you go. Keep going until you’ve gotten all the hair, finish with hairspray and voila!

Image Source: We Heart It