As a fellow wavy-haired girl, I know the struggle of finding a method that works for taming the seemingly curly, straight, frizzy hair. Wavy hair routines on TikTok can be too time-consuming or make my hair too crunchy as they require loads of gel. Luckily, I have found a few techniques that have worked for me and I hope they work for you as well.
Like most girls who grew up with “straight hair” that was perpetually frizzy, I realized that I have wavy hair. As a child, I was constantly told to brush out my hair and then smooth it with water. Unfortunately, this ineffective routine pushed back my wavy hair journey until high school when I finally realized better methods lay ahead. Although I do fall victim to using the Revlon blow dry brush from time to time to straighten my hair, I have found a method to the madness of wavy hair. I have seen what has worked for me through various trials and tribulations. Wavy hair is beautiful and we should learn how to cater to our hair! Before diving into my favorite products and methods, it is important to note my hair type most closely matches 2b. Check here to see your hair type.
When you wash your hair, it can help to use a curly or wavy shampoo/conditioner. Although I do not find this step extremely necessary, it can help to hydrate your hair better than regular hair products. I love to use environmentally friendly products and brands that do not contain harmful ingredients. A good option is Raw Sugar, this brand has hair care that is vegan, animal test-free, color-safe, and formulated without sulfates, phthalates, silicones, or parabens. One of their shampoos that stuck out to me was the Wave Maker which contains lychee to strengthen hair, sea salt for texture, phytonutrients to help protect hair from damage, and jojoba oil to remove excess oil. If you do not use curly/wavy shampoos or conditioners, do not fret, you can still make your hair more uniform through creams and mousse.
Moving chronologically, after washing your hair, I find it works best to apply curl cream when your hair is wet. By wet I do not mean slightly damp, I mean freshly out of the shower near sopping wet. Applying curl cream is the most defining step in your wavy hair routine. There are a few curl creams I have used and my favorites have been Garnier Fructis Air Dry Curl Defining Butter Cream Leave-In Treatment, Garnier Fructis Hair Filler Moisture Repair Gel-Cream, and Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm. Whether you are willing to splurge or on a budget these products are readily available at your local CVS, Ulta Beauty, Target, or Amazon! Most curl products I purchase are around 10 dollars but purchasing multiple can add up. When putting the curl cream in my hair I simply scrunch upward and section my hair making sure each layer gets product evenly. I do not flip my hair upside down while scrunching because I feel like my hair does not look as uniform when I do this. Additionally, I got a curly haircut once and the hair stylist suggested not flipping my hair when scrunching in cream.
Next up is mousse, I do not always use mousse when perfecting my wavy hair. However, when I do use a mousse I opt for Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk. I spray a decent amount in my hands, rub them together, and then scrunch evenly throughout my hair. While scrunching, naturally I tilt toward either side to get a better angle.
After applying cream and mousse you can air dry or diffuse your hair. Diffusers are a blow dryer attachment that disperses air over a wider surface area than a normal blow dryer which aids in forming curls and prevents frizz. When diffusing your hair, make sure it is slightly dry or damp, not too wet. You can wait for your hair to air dry for a few minutes or use a diffuser on low placed a few inches from your hair. This will allow your hair to dry before putting the diffuser directly touching your hair. When your hair is slightly damp, it’s time to fully go in with the diffuser. Because my hair is not very curly, I put my diffuser on a high setting to ensure the waves are forming. I also do not flip my hair while diffusing my hair for the same reason as before. When drying my hair I do an up-and-down motion with the diffuser while my hair falls on the diffuser.
Lastly, when your hair is dry, hair oil can help make your hair look smooth, shiny, or less frizzy. Oils such as argan oil have antioxidants and vitamin E that prevent hair breakage and increase shine. Adding a pea-sized amount and running it through the back and ends of your hair can make a world of a difference.
Discovering what works best for your hair will take time so it’s important to be patient when figuring out what looks good. Hair is never the same day to day, factors such as weather and hair length play a role in your curl pattern. With that being said feel free to tweak any methods based on your hair needs. I wish you luck on your wavy hair journey!