How to take care of wavy hair

If your hair never seems to hold a curl fully, but isn’t exactly straight either then you heard it here first: you might actually have wavy hair.. great news! For starters, the beach look is all the rage at the moment and anyway wavy hair always looks awesome! 

However, some curly hair care routines for tight curls and coils can make your hair feel overloaded and limp, but heat styling to keep it straight can cause damage to your hair. Not ideal.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you with our guide to riding the wave and enhancing your gorgeous wavy hair.

How do you know if you have wavy hair or curly hair?

Curls, coils and waves come in all shapes and sizes. You can have one type of hair, or you can have a few different types of curl all in one place. So how do you tell the difference between curly hair and wavy hair?

Curly hair clusters together and winds in a spiral that can be loose, tight or somewhere in between. You usually need plenty of moisture to keep your curls looking defined and bouncy. Wavy hair is where there’s still curves and bends in the hair, but it’s in a much looser ‘S’ shape. Straight is the easiest to spot as it tends to just go straight up and down, no confusion.

All types of hair can experience frizz, dryness and a lack of shine, though curly and wavy hair types tend to be more prone to all three. If you’ve ever said, “my hair’s not exactly curly but…it isn’t straight either”, or freaked out about frizz 5 minutes after you left the house (after spending ages styling), then chances are you’re the proud owner of some wavy tresses.

Ready to ride the wave? Here’s everything you need to know about how to care for wavy hair for beginners and pros. 

How to care for wavy hair

When it comes to keeping your wavy hair healthy, shiny and doing what you need it to - whether that’s wearing your natural waves, holding a curl or staying straight - there’s a few things you need to know:

Hydration, hydration, hydration

Wavy hair tends to crave moisture more than a parched desert, just like curly hair. The shape of the waves in your hair can mean that the natural oils from your scalp don’t make it all the way down to the ends of your hair.

Hydration is the key to happy and frizz-free waves. Treat your tresses to the Thirsty Curls Moisture Surge Curl Hydrating Shampoo. It’s not just for curly hair and it’ll drench your waves with moisture for up to 72 hours without adding drying sulphates, for a more manageable, frizz-free finish. Follow with the Thirsty Curls Moisture Surge Curl Hydrating Conditioner to help detangle and hydrate with hyaluronic acid, snow mushroom and black oat extract.

Go easy on detangling

Use your fingertips to massage your hair as you shampoo to cleanse and loosen any tangles. When it's time to detangle, start from the ends and work your way up, using a wide-toothed comb or your fingers. Less is more with this one - keep it gentle to keep your waves happy and intact.

If you’re detangling without a wash, the Banana Coconut Detangler is the perfect lightweight leave-in conditioner. It works to repair and restore shine, while helping you to detangle and moisturise without damaging your hair.

Let’s get deep (but keep it light)

Conditioner is your wavy hair bestie. As well as your regular wash day conditioner, a deep treatment like the best-selling Curl Jelly Mask is the perfect partner for a deep conditioning session. It’s for all types of waves, curls and coils, using coconut and shea to de-frizz and moisturise your hair. Apply it from mid-length to ends once or twice a week to avoid weighing down your waves.

You might find that wavy hair needs lightweight conditioners and can’t handle oils or glycerin as well as curly hair. Start out with a smaller amount of conditioner and see how your hair handles it - we can recommend serums which are lighter than oils - the grow long serum is our light weight serum .

Define those waves

Enhancing the natural beauty of your waves is the perfect finishing touch. You want to use something lightweight that won’t weigh down your waves but’ll leave you with shiny, hydrated hair. Sometimes it takes a little bit of trial and error to find the right fit for your waves, but we promise it’s worth it.

If beachy boho waves are what you’re after the Boho Beachy Jelly Coconut Oil Scrunching Jelly or the Boho Beach Waves Coconut Oil Texture Spray are exactly what you need. These can give you beachy hair all around, with colour-protecting UV filters and nourishing ingredients to keep your hair hydrated and safer in the sun.

Want more defined waves? You need the Curl Whip Mousse for weightless, flexible and frizz-free waves with no crunchy feel or limp locks. If you feel like your hair needs even more moisture, then the Crème De Curl Control Cream can be layered to smooth, hydrate and protect from heat. It’s perfect for all types of wavy, curly and coily hair textures.

With waves, you want to keep it lightweight. Especially when it comes to your conditioner and styling products. Skip the heavy oils and butters, unless you feel your hair really needs them, and focus on foams, mousses and gels. Using a root lifter and a hair pick can add a little extra volume at the roots. Finish with a fine mist of lightweight hairspray or our recommended texture spray. 

Wavy hair trends you need to know

Want to keep your waves on trend and in check? Here’s some of the easiest summer styles to keep your waves looking gorgeous, whether you’re off on holiday, heading to a festival or just chilling out.

Mermaid hair

Mermaid hair was made for wavy hair. It’s all about beachy, textured waves that are created using a triple barrel waver or a crimper to create even waves throughout the lengths of the hair. You can even get the look by plaiting overnight, but watch out for frizz if you go for this method. It’s the perfect balance between looking styled and looking chilled.

Remember to use heat protector spray if you’re using heated tools on your hair and set with some hairspray to keep frizz in check.

@brookelilybrazelton Summer hair whooo??? #beachwaves #hairtok #hairtutorial #mermaidwaves #glam ♬ original sound - Brooke Lily

Front braids

One of the cutest wavy hairstyles for summer couldn’t be easier to do. Simply set a middle parting and style your natural waves like you normally would, then take a section from the front of your hair on each side, add a little gel and braid into two small plaits at the front of your hair. Secure your braids with some snag-free hair elastics and enjoy the vibes while keeping your waves out of your face.

@itsgretawilson I loveeee this one but my arms always get so tired 🤨 #wavyhairroutine #wavyhair #wavyhairproducts #wavyhair #hairstyle ♬ original sound - ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

Wavy updo

Another mega easy wavy style is a wavy updo. If your hair needs a refresh but you don’t want to wash it, add some Scalp Refresh Anti-Dandruff Dry Shampoo and part your hair in the middle. You have two options here: either put it in a low pony and secure with a hair elastic, leaving some hair out at the front for a little bit of texture or brush it into a high pony.

Then, the choice is yours, either twist up and secure with a claw clip, leaving your waves out and flowing freely on top or twist into a bun at the top of your hair, leaving the ends of your waves there. Add some hairspray or serum to tone any flyaways, and refresh any flat sections of hair with a heated styler.

@alegriajimenez._ A wavy bun just gets me 😍 #hairstyles #hairinspo #longhairstyles #hairideas #updotutorial #hairtutorials ♬ La Jumpa - Arcángel & Bad Bunny

Want to know how to take care of your waves without stress? Check out our Curls & Waves collection for everything you need to keep your waves healthy and in style.