From air stylers to straighteners, these are the 4 ways our beauty team adds waves to their hair

As a beauty team, we love a wavy hairstyle, and after years of trial and error, we've really gotten our techniques down to a fine art. That said, we don't all rely on the same tool or trick for achieving a tousled look.

While there are plenty of chic updos and textured styles to try among the 2026 hair trends, we always find ourselves coming back to our trusted waves. Adding a soft bend or very loose, brushed-out curl never fails to afford an effortless feel to your look and outfit, and perhaps best of all, there's really no right or wrong way to wave. You can use heatless rods, tie your hair in plaits or, of course, turn to one of the best curling irons and wavers. There are many methods to try and products to consider, but in case you're seeking some tutelage and guidance on which waving tools to invest in, our beauty team can lend a hand.

From the best straighteners to the Dyson Airwrap, each one of us has a different way we like to add shape and texture to our strands. Four, to be exact, and we've broken down every step. So no matter what tool you have at home, you can achieve chic, versatile waves in minutes.

The 4 ways our beauty team add waves to their hair

1. Waves with an Airwrap

The Dyson Airwrap is something of a fan favourite for achieving very bouncy, blown-out looks and for Digital Beauty Editor Aleesha Badkar, it's definitely one of her go-to tools for styling her long hair - especially into chic, loose waves.

"I like my waves to look quite bouncy and blow-dried, so I opt for the Dyson Airwrap to style my hair. I don't like too much movement in the top half, so I first dry that straight (and go over it with my ghd Sculpt straighteners if it's in a particularly frizzy mood). Most people's gripe with the famous Dyson tool is how to make the Airwrap curls last, so for this style, it's all in the prep. If my hair is already dry, I'll spritz with a little water - as I find the style lasts longer if I go from wet to dry - and then smooth on a touch of blow-dry cream followed by the L'Oréal Flex Pli Thermo Modelling Spray.

"When going in with the Airwrap, I like to use a Tangle Teezer to help wrap hair around the barrel, as I find this helps it come out really smooth, and my curls tend to last longer. I hold hair onto the tool until it's fully dry and then blast it with the cool shot before removing. A mist of light hairspray and my hair is done for the week in the space of 10 mins!"

2. Waves with a curling wand

For Digital Beauty Writer Naomi Jamieson, it's an affordable curling wand that she relies on for her signature waves. "This Babyliss trio was such a great find; it comes with three different wands, but I actually only really use the wide, oval one. I wear my hair wavy about 90% of the time, and while I do love using the Airwrap too, when I want waves that will last for days and days, it's this trusty tool I turn to.

"With it, I can literally do my entire head of hair in 10 minutes (yes, I have timed it). The oval shape of the barrel gives my strands those perfect, fluid-looking curves, and as you can see above, I always wrap them out and away from my face - holding the wand in an angled, downward position. You can chop and change the direction you wrap your hair and hold the tool (this is great for a very textured, beachy kind of effect), but I find doing them all the same way gives my hair a very soft, quite romantic finish, which I personally prefer.

"I hold each strand for about 10 seconds before gently removing the wand from the newly formed wave and gently pulling the end of the strand downwards - almost like I'm stretching the curl straight out again. I find this helps to loosen it slightly without disturbing the shape. I repeat this process throughout, working in sections. Once every last piece is waved, I spritz a bit of the John Frieda Medium Hold hairspray and give my hair a good shake-out and ruffle it with my hands."

3. Waves with straighteners

Straighteners, while designed to iron your strands into silky-smooth styles, are actually quite versatile tools. With a bit of practice, you can use them to add curls, flicks and waves too, the latter of which Digital Beauty Writer Sennen Prickett is a pro at.

"Whenever I want to wave my hair in a flash, I reach for my Remington AIRvive Slim Straightener. While curling your hair with a straightener gets a bad rap, this tool makes it easier than ever. Its ceramic plates glide seamlessly through my tresses without requiring any tugging or pulling, while its airflow system cools and banishes static strands as you style.

"For my technique, I work from the back of my hair to the front, taking small sections at a time. I typically curl inwards; however, I curl a few strands outwards for a naturally non-uniform look. I constantly rotate the straightener towards my face as I pass through the hair, before releasing at the end. I then use my finger to twizzle the strand into a twist, before letting go to reveal an accentuated wavy result. Repeat this process for your entire head of hair, and voilà, you have salon-worthy, bouncy blow-dry!"

4. Waves with a waver

For a quick and effortless option, a waver, with either two or three barrels, is definitely the way to go and is Digital Beauty Editor Fiona McKim's tool of choice for adding instant, tousled texture.

"I like my hair to look a bit imperfect - although it's a chicken-and-egg situation as I have so little getting ready time in the morning I'd have no hope of fitting in a multi-step, ultra-coiffed style, even if I did aspire to one. When I want a departure from my usual air-dried 'do, I look to my hair icon, Kate Moss, and have a stab at emulating her signature, texturised bends with the ghd Wave.

"The amazing thing about this tool’s technique is, there basically isn’t one. You quickly clamp it over large sections of hair, the more random the better, leave your roots and ends out, and in less than five minutes you’ve got a whole head of perfectly imperfect waves. It’s actually quite silly how easy and fast the whole thing is. If your hair’s fine like mine, finish with a bit of hairspray for grip, and maybe some dry texturising spray for a matte, mussed-up Moss effect."