Tips For Styling Your Naturally Wavy Hair

When people talk about hair, they always discuss two types: curly and straight. For instance, we can't count all the times we've heard someone with naturally straight tresses say, "I wish I had bouncy, curly hair," followed by their curly-haired friend saying, "Are you serious? I wish I had perfectly straight hair like yours!" But what about wavy locks? Wavy hair isn't stick-straight, but isn't curly either; it's in between, so people sometimes forget about this hair type when discussing hair care and styling.

Because some people with straight locks use hair wavers to achieve perfect beachy waves, you might think that those with naturally wavy hair just wake up with their hair looking ready for the day. However, naturally wavy hair typically requires styling. Plus, there are different categories of wavy tresses. The three types of wavy locks include type 2A — the straightest type with a subtle wave near the bottom; type 2B — wavier and can get frizzier; and type 2C — thicker and wavier than the other two and more volume (via All Things Hair). If you have any of these hair types, you have wavy locks, and we have some tips to help you style them.

We know it's most people's instinct to brush or comb their tresses after a shower. But have you ever thought about doing this while you're still in the shower? "When you're in the shower, comb through your mask or conditioner before rinsing it out. After rinsing, brush through your hair one more time while it's still wet to get out any tangles," Mara Roszak, a celebrity hairstylist/salon owner, told PureWow. Tangles are a frequent issue for people with wavy locks, so combing or brushing your hair immediately after the conditioning product does its magic can help prevent tangles when you get out of the shower. Give it a try!

One hairbrush brand that specializes in eliminating tangles to allow for smooth hair for every hair type is Tangle Teezer. For example, The Ultimate Detangler brush by Tangle Teezer is an excellent choice for brushing out tangles while you're showering because of the special technology in the teeth. This product is available for about $15; you can also find many other helpful items, such as the Large Size Ultimate Detangler, available for under $20, ideal for longer and thicker locks.

When you have naturally wavy hair, it can be challenging to determine what features to look for in products. But regardless of what wavy hair type you have, you can't go wrong with focusing on hydration. "[I have type] 2A hair and [it's] double-processed. My specific hair needs are always hydration, hydration, hydration," Faith Xue, the Executive Beauty Director of BDG, told The Zoe Report. Meanwhile, Hannah Baxter, the Deputy Beauty Editor of The Zoe Report, said: "I have 2A and 2B waves. It's very fine but I have a lot of it. ... It tends to frizz and it loses definition throughout the day. ... I can't use a thicker cream because it weighs it down quite a bit. ... I usually try to use moisturizing products in the shower." Thus, successful women with wavy hair in the beauty content editing industry seem to use moisturizing products for their tresses, so why not follow their lead?

There are many hydrating hair products to explore, so you should experiment to see what works best. One option worth trying is the Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Moisturizing 4-in-1 Combing Creme, selling at Walmart for less than $15. This moisturizing product has 4.4 out of five stars with 200 reviews.

Of course, you should only choose a hair length and style if you like it — it's your hair, so your opinion is most important at the end of the day. However, some haircuts tend to look better than others with wavy locks. For instance, layered looks are super flattering on people with natural waves, per L'Oréal Paris, along with lobs for chic, low-maintenance looks. Moreover, pixie and bixie cuts are super fun and don't require a lot of styling, while bangs look so stylish with wavy tresses.

Although layered looks tend to look gorgeous with wavy locks, blunt haircuts can be flattering with wavy hair, too. "This universally flattering haircut is the same length all around and will keep the focus on your waves. This simple and modest haircut serves as a low-maintenance style that's perfect for those who love a minimalistic look," Annagjid "Kee" Taylor, a celebrity hairstylist, told PureWow. So, whether you go for a mid-length, super short, layered, or blunt haircut, your waves will look stunning. Furthermore, there are over six million posts dedicated to #wavyhair on Instagram, so scrolling through these posts is a helpful way to see how different hair lengths and styles look with wavy tresses.

There are various products to try for wavy hair, so people with wavy locks will have different routines and techniques depending on their preferences. But whichever products you use, it's always a good idea to divide your hair into sections when styling (via TikTok) to avoid getting overwhelmed by all your waves and recognize which areas you still have to style. There's nothing more frustrating than spending so much time and effort styling your tresses, only for the overall look to be ruined because you missed a spot. This suggestion applies when you straighten or blow dry your hair, as a random wave in a sea of straightened or polished tresses will appear distracting and misplaced.

Of course, you can use classic hair ties to divide your hair into sections, but if you want something more professional, there are clips specifically designed for styling hair. For instance, the Kitsch Styling Clips are super convenient. You can buy them for $8 at Ulta Beauty, and they have 4.3 stars. Whether you invest in styling clips or use your hair ties, everyone should consider dividing their hair when styling to prevent frustration, especially people with long locks.

Many people use a mousse for styling their wavy locks. However, you might currently be applying it in a way that won't benefit your tresses as much as possible. A TikTok user with the username @lyss.mia shared a video of her styling her wavy tresses, and when it came time to put in the mouse, she applied it by scrunching it in rather than patting it on or putting the product in the hair in a pulling motion. The scrunching method will help enhance your waves rather than working against them, so you should use a scrunching method if you aren't already. But of course, remember to be gentle on your hair — never get too aggressive with your tresses, even if you're in a rush!

One mousse ideal for wavy-haired-beauties is the Suave Simply Styled Wave Mousse, available for around $5 at Walmart. This affordable product won't feel heavy on your wavy hair as it handles frizziness, and it has 4.1 stars with over 300 reviews. A wave mouse can do wonders for your look, so everyone with hair types 2A, 2B, or 2C should try one.

Every beauty enthusiast we know is constantly weighing in on the debate of how often you should wash your hair. But no matter how many times per week you wash your locks, most people now know that you shouldn't wash your hair daily. According to WavyHairCare.com, it's a good idea for people with wavy tresses to wash their locks every third to fourth day. This way, you'll still be keeping your tresses clean — but without damaging them by washing them too frequently.

Not washing your hair every day doesn't only apply to wavy hair. "The population of microbes help maintain the skin pH and actually prevent bad microbes from colonizing the skin by competing for nutrients and also producing molecules that bad bacteria don't like. ...Too frequent washing of the scalp with harsh cleansers can upset that microbiome, and an imbalance in the microbiome can lead to scalp problems," Dominic Burg, chief scientist at Évolis Professional, hair biologist, microbiologist, and trichologist, told Byrdie. So, take this as your sign to stop washing your hair every day. Not only does that mean less work for you, but it also means your hair will be healthier.