The Bed Head Wave Artist is a popular deep hair waver designed to create defined, beachy waves quickly. Across retailer and beauty-community reviews, users generally praise its ease of use, fast styling, wave definition, and relatively affordable price. The main complaints are that the tool can feel heavy during extended use, the waves can look too crimped if used incorrectly, and some recent reviewers have reported inconsistent heat or electrical problems.
If your goal is large, noticeable beach waves rather than tight curls, the Wave Artist is worth considering. However, it works best when you use appropriately sized sections and avoid holding the plates in one position for too long.
Bed Head Wave Artist at a Glance
| Feature | Review |
|---|---|
| Best for | Beachy, deep, textured waves |
| Ease of use | Very good once you learn the technique |
| Wave definition | Excellent |
| Styling speed | Fast |
| Hair volume | Very good |
| Long-lasting results | Generally good |
| Travel use | Good on dual-voltage versions |
| Main drawback | Can be heavy or tiring to hold |
| Overall verdict | A good choice for defined beach waves |
The exact specifications can vary by Wave Artist generation, but Bed Head describes the tool as a Tourmaline Ceramic Deep Waver intended to create sculpted waves while helping control frizz and add shine. Current product information also lists features such as multiple heat settings and automatic shutoff on some versions.
What Do Customers Say About the Bed Head Wave Artist?
Customer feedback is predominantly positive, although experiences vary by retailer and hair type.
At Target, the Wave Artist currently has 4.2 out of 5 stars from more than 1,600 ratings, with 79% of reviewers saying they would recommend it. Reviewers frequently highlight the wave quality and ease of use.
Best Buy shows a 4.5/5 rating from 22 reviews, with customers particularly mentioning hair length, ease of use, and wave quality. Ninety-one percent of those reviewers say they would recommend the product to a friend.
Another retailer, Walmart Canada, shows approximately 4.6/5, with recent verified purchasers praising the quick styling process, beachy waves, volume, and longevity.
These ratings suggest a consistent pattern: most people like the results, but the tool isn’t perfect for everyone.
Bed Head Wave Artist Pros and Cons
Pros
- Creates deep, noticeable waves quickly.
- Easier to learn than using a traditional curling wand for some users.
- Produces considerable volume and texture.
- Works particularly well for straight or limp hair.
- Adjustable heat makes it easier to adapt the tool to different hair types.
- Tourmaline ceramic technology is designed to help with shine and frizz.
- Waves can remain visible for hours or longer depending on hair type and styling products.
- Generally considered affordable compared with many premium styling tools.
Cons
- The waver can feel heavy when styling a full head.
- Using small sections or holding the tool too long can create a crimped rather than natural appearance.
- The technique isn’t completely intuitive for first-time users.
- Results vary considerably depending on hair length and texture.
- Some recent Target reviewers have reported inconsistent heating or electrical failure, including one July 2026 report of sparking. These are individual customer reports rather than evidence that every unit has the problem, but they are worth considering when evaluating the product.
Does the Bed Head Wave Artist Create Beach Waves?
Yes, but technique makes a major difference.
The Wave Artist uses a deep-waver design that presses the hair into repeating curves. This produces a much more pronounced texture than a conventional curling iron.
Professional and editorial reviews have found that it can be particularly effective on straight, limp hair. Allure, for example, described it as an easy way to add volume and textured waves and noted that styling could be completed relatively quickly.
Customer reviews tell a similar story. Recent users describe the result as beachy, voluminous, effortless, and long-lasting.
However, the Wave Artist can also produce a distinctly crimped appearance. That isn’t necessarily a flaw—the tool is capable of both retro texture and looser waves depending on how you use it.
How to Use the Bed Head Wave Artist for Natural Waves
For the most natural-looking result:
- Start with completely dry, detangled hair.
- Apply a heat protectant.
- Divide your hair into manageable sections.
- Take a relatively broad section rather than tiny pieces.
- Start near the roots, avoiding direct contact with the scalp.
- Clamp for only a few seconds.
- Move down the section and overlap the previous wave slightly.
- Continue until you reach the ends.
- Allow the hair to cool before brushing or separating the waves.
- Finish with a light texturizing or flexible-hold product if additional longevity is needed.
A Today review found that thicker sections produced a more appealing beach-wave effect after some experimentation, while smaller or poorly positioned sections could result in overly zigzagged waves.
Is the Wave Artist Good for Fine or Straight Hair?
Yes. Straight and limp hair is one of the strongest use cases for this tool.
Because the waver creates substantial texture, it can give hair the appearance of more body and movement without requiring advanced curling technique. Allure specifically recommended the tool for straight, limp hair and reported that the waves could last for several hours.
For fine hair, however, it is better to begin with a lower heat setting and increase the temperature only if necessary. More heat isn’t automatically better; the objective is to create the desired shape with the least heat needed.
Is It Good for Long Hair?
Generally, yes. Long hair is frequently mentioned positively in customer reviews.
Best Buy’s review summary identifies hair length as one of the most frequently mentioned positive attributes, while individual reviews also describe the tool as particularly effective on longer hair.
Long hair also gives the deep waves more room to develop visually. On shorter hair, the same deep pattern can appear more compact or crimped.
Does the Bed Head Wave Artist Make Hair Last?
Results depend heavily on hair texture, humidity, heat setting, and styling products.
Some customers report waves lasting all day or even several days, while editorial testing has found shorter longevity in some circumstances. For example, Allure reported approximately six hours of wear in its testing, while Walmart reviewers have reported substantially longer-lasting results.
This difference is important: there isn’t one universal wear time for the Wave Artist.
Fine, straight hair may need hairspray or texturizing spray to maintain the shape, while naturally textured hair may hold the waves considerably longer.
Is the Bed Head Wave Artist Easy to Use?
It is easy once you learn the technique, but the first few attempts can take some practice.
That’s one of the more interesting themes in the reviews. Many customers describe the tool as extremely straightforward, while editorial testing found that getting natural-looking waves initially required experimentation.
The key is to think of the tool as a wave maker rather than a curling iron. You don’t wrap hair around a barrel. Instead, you repeatedly clamp sections while moving down the strand.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Bed Head Wave Artist?
The Bed Head Wave Artist is a strong choice if you want fast, deep, voluminous beach waves without mastering a curling wand. The large number of positive customer ratings and repeated praise for wave quality, ease of use, speed, and volume make it one of the more approachable deep wavers.
It is less ideal if you want extremely subtle waves, dislike heavier styling tools, or prefer a tool that requires virtually no learning curve.
Best suited for
- Straight or limp hair
- Medium-to-long hair
- Beachy or mermaid-style waves
- Adding volume and texture
- People who find curling irons difficult to use
- Quick everyday styling
Consider another tool if you want
- Very loose, barely-there waves
- Traditional curls
- Minimal hand fatigue
- A styling tool with a different wave pattern
Bottom line: The Bed Head Wave Artist earns generally strong reviews because it delivers a noticeable hairstyle quickly and doesn’t require advanced styling skills. Its biggest trade-offs are weight, the possibility of overly crimped waves, and some isolated reports of inconsistent performance or electrical failure. For dramatic beach waves at a relatively accessible price, however, it remains a compelling option.