Published 21st August 2021
12 Tips For Styling Wavy Hair
Have you looked at your natural hair and thought it looks like a frizzy, poofy mess of hair? Ever wondered why your hair is straight when its wet but dries almost straight? Do you leave your hair to be in it’s natural state when on holiday but go back to blow drying and straightening when you get home?
All of the above are little clues that you may be blessed with wavy, not curly and certainly not straight hair. You might wish for it to be straight or curly, but why not embrace the middle of the hair spectrum and love your wavy hair?
With the right routine and products you can manage your would-be frizzy messy hair into beautifully tousled, beach worthy waves.
But first...
You need to understand the basics of wavy hair.
what are THE WAVY HAIR BASICS?
To understand your wavy hair, you need to understand the different types of curls. Your hairs genetic makeup and the shape of your hair follicles play a major part in how your hair looks, which is typically categorised into 4 main types. This categorisation takes into account density, volume, length, and consistency, as explained in our curly hair guide here.
While you might see your hair as just one of the 4 main types, it’s also normal for us wavy-haired people to be a mix. One day you might wake up a Type 1a and the next be Type 2c. For more detail about categorising your hair read our previous blog post.
Another one of the biggest challenges for wavy hair is frizz. It might be that you have so much frizz you have never dared to leave your hair to be natural. Wavy hair can get frizzy from humidity, or even if you sweat along your hairline. But don’t worry we have 5 simple tips to help you fight the frizz here.
Don’t give up on your wavy hair!
Our best tip is to experiment with products and applications until you figure out what works for you. Your wavy hair results start from the moment you step into the shower!
12 STYLING TIPS THAT'LL AWAKEN YOUR WAVES
1.
Know your hair type and what it needs. Wavy hair needs lightweight products so it doesn’t get weighed down. Merwave’s Cast foam is a great choice to hold your waves without them becoming heavy. If your hair has thicker and coarser strands it may need and be able to handle more moisture so apply a good amount of a leave in conditioner like Merwave’s Feed treatment.
2.
In England the weather is pretty unreliable. It can rain at any given time. And rain = moisture in the air. Some products promise a great hold but are high in glycerin which acts as a magnet to the water in the air. So if it rains, that glycerin gel is just sucking up the water and won’t do much other than allow your waves to drop. Merwave’s Protect Gel is glycerin free so whatever the weather, you will have a great hold in your waves.
3.
After you have applied your styling products, don’t touch your hair! Wait until its completely dry. Otherwise the cast won’t fully dry and you may cause frizz and end up with flatter waves.
4.
Pretty much the same as above… Once your hair is dry, keep your hands off! Brushing dry hair can cause frizz and damage to the hair. Try to only brush your hair when it’s wet with conditioner on to detangle. If you really need to brush between washes, use a gentle brush and brush as part of a refresh.
5.
Visit a specialist hair dresser. Especially if you are tempted to have a drastic change of style like a fringe. Have a Google of your local area to find a curly / wavy hair dresser, they do exist and are worth the money!
6.
Invest in high-quality hair products. Look at reviews with pictures and see if any hair are similar to yours. Highstreet brands often have great marketing behind them and can be cheaper but if it doesn’t work then it’s still a waste of money. More premium products tend to have more concentrated ingredients and intensive testing to back up their claims.
7.
Protect your hair overnight, sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase. Cotton causes friction, which can lead to hair breakage and frizz. Silk is also great for your skin so you may notice your face feels more hydrated!
8.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, frizz can come from dehydrated hair so you need to keep your hair hydrated. A good conditioner like Merwave’s Repair conditioner can be used as a normal conditioner or as a leave in mask. This is especially important for recently coloured hair.
9.
You may be used to wrapping your hair with a normal towel or even worse, towel drying it! Please don’t do this if you don’t want a load of frizz! Instead, grab a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt, and plop out the excess moisture. Not sure how to plop? Read this.
10.
Experiment with different styling techniques and see what works for your hair. For example try out finger coiling (twisting small sections of your hair around your finger when its wet) or Denman brush styling (using the handle of the brush for wrapping small sections around). These techniques can be especially useful for the stubborn bits that just won’t go as wavy as the rest!
11.
Try using a diffuser attachment that your hairdryer probably came with and you’ve never used. A diffuser is a more gentle way to dry your hair, use low heat and low speed so your waves can remain intact with minimal frizz.
12.
Your waves can look different every day. Instead of doing a full wash day every day, try doing a refresh. You can dampen your hair and apply styling products before scrunching to reset and bring your waves back to life. Not washing your hair everyday helps to give you a healthy scalp and healthier hair resulting in better waves!
Hopefully after reading these simple tips you may have changed your mind and are ready to awaken your naturally wavy hair!
