How to Style Wavy Frizzy Hair

Co-authored by Martin Nepton

Last Updated: January 25, 2021 References

Wavy and frizzy hair can be challenging to style, but it can also yield great results. Practice using various products until you find one that you like and one that gets great results. Gels, pastes, and sprays are all good options, depending on what you want. In between styling sessions, preserve the natural texture and moisture of your hair by sleeping with it in a scarf or in braids. With a bit of effort, you can have stylish, wavy hair free of frizz.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Washing and Drying Your Hair

1
Use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. If you have naturally wavy and frizzy hair, then using the right shower products is very important. Look for a shampoo or conditioner that advertises its moisturizing qualities.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 November 2020.} Make sure to massage these products into your scalp while taking a shower and fully rinse them out.^{[2]
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- You can also comb your conditioner through your hair while taking a shower. This helps to ensure that the product reaches all hair strands and makes detangling easier.
- Avoid shower products that contain alcohol or sulfates, as these can dry out and split your hairs.
2
Towel dry your hair gently with a soft towel after the shower. Using a blow dryer on your hair may only increase any frizziness and dry your hair out. Instead, use a soft towel such as one made of a microfiber material or old cotton T-shirt to gently wring the water out of your hair. It’s best to leave your hair just slightly damp if you plan to add styling products right after.^{[3]
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- Avoid using a terry cloth towel, as this will only increase frizziness.
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3
Detangle and smooth out your hair with a wide-tooth comb. Hair brushes remove oils from your scalp, which makes your hair dryer and frizzier. Use your brush sparingly or replace it entirely with a comb. Run a comb through your hair to spread product out. Or, use your fingers to do the same thing.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Fighting Frizz and Managing Waves

1
Massage frizz-smoothing products into your hair. When you get out of the shower, towel dry your hair. Then, place a few pumps of smoothing product into your palm. Rub your hands together and then run your fingers through your hair from root to tip.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 November 2020.} Draw the waves slightly downward as you work the product into the strands.^{[5]
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2
Scrunch in texture paste from the bottom up. Place a small amount of hair paste on your fingertips. Then, place your fingers against the bottom tips of your hair. Gently scrunch the hair between your fingers and work your way upwards until the paste is gone. Add more paste and continue.^{[6]
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- Try not to use too much paste or your hair will feel stiff and heavy.
- If you feel as if the paste is only reaching the top layer of hair, flip your head downwards and apply paste to the underside.
3
Use a travel-sized bottle of serum to tame frizziness on-the-go. If you are out and hit some rain or humidity, place a bit of hair serum into your palm. Lightly place a layer of serum on top of your hair, which will hold down the frizz. You can also pull your hair back into a ponytail to complete a sleek look. Most anti-frizz serums will work for this purpose.^{[7]
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4
Experiment with different products until you find what works. Each person’s hair is their own and will respond differently to various products. Get product samples and try them out to see what works. This allows you to test products without spending lots of money. If your friends also have wavy or frizzy hair, talk with them to see what works well.^{[8]
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- Don’t give up on a product right away. It may simply take using just a bit less or trying a different technique.
5
Mix up your styling process every few days. Don’t use the same products and process day after day or you and your hair might fall into a rut. Instead, alternate products every so often from gels, sprays, and pastes. Some days use full products in the showers and other days skip washing your hair altogether.
6
Sleep with your hair in a scarf to prevent frizz. Gently twist your hair and then tie a silk scarf around it. Arrange it so that the scarf will hold your hair in. The scarf will preserve the moisture in your hair and keep it from drying out. The twist will also preserve the waves and texture of your hair.^{[9]
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- Sleeping on a silk pillowcase can also help prevent frizz if you prefer to sleep with your hair down. You can find silk pillowcases in many home goods stores as well as online.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Creating Different Hair Styles

1
Pin down 2 of your front hair sections. Select 2 small portions of hair on either side of your face at the front. Pull 1 section upwards and twist it a bit. Then, place it back against the back or side part of your scalp. Use pins to keep the twist in place. Repeat on the other side.^{[10]
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2
Spritz sea salt spray into your hair. Turn your head upside down and let your hair hang. Grab your sea salt spray and spritz the exposed underside of your hair 2-5 times. Then, flip your hair back over and use your hands to spread the spray out into your hair. The final look should have a beachy vibe with undone waves.^{[11]
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3
Slick back your hair with gel. Place a quarter-sized amount of gel into your palm. Use your fingers to apply this gel to the top front sections of your hair. You can either slide it directly back or use the gel to mold your hair into face-framing waves.^{[12]
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4
Move your flat iron in small circles. Instead of feeding your hair into the flat iron and pulling it straight, try to rotate your hand around slightly. You’ll still want to feed a small amount of hair in between the iron tongs at a time. Then, go slowly and slightly twist your wrist around as you move the iron down. This will keep a bit of curve in your hair.^{[13]
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5
Sleep in braids for smooth curls. Before you go to bed at night, twist your hair into 1 or 2 large braids. It’s usually easier to sleep with 2 braids. Then, when you wake up your hair will have a preserved, careful wave without tangles. Be careful which ties you use as some can leave kinks in your hair. To polish your look, go over your larger curls with a curling iron.^{[14]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Trying Different Haircuts

1
Get an undercut. Many men with wavy hair prefer to trim the sides and back of their hair very short while leaving the top section longer. Then, they can either push those long strands forward all the way or part them to the side. They can also allow the waves of their hair to flow freely, in a more uncontrolled look.^{[15]
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- It can help to tie your hair up with a band loosely at night. This keeps the waves intact and untangled.
2
Ask for a straight cut if your hair is shorter. If you have hair that sits above your shoulders, cutting it with many layers will only make it look round and top heavy. Instead, keep your hair as long as possible by trimming it a single length around the chin. These blunt cuts often flatter shorter hair. Additionally, the heaviness of the hair will then keep them from frizzing or becoming unruly.^{[16]
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- With this look a long bang is often a good choice. It softens the face.
3
Ask for a layered cut if your hair is shoulder-length or longer. Wavy and frizzy hair can look very heavy on top unless it is cut properly. To ward off this chunky look, request that your stylist cut layers throughout your hair in varying lengths and locations. It’s also a good idea to get layers both in the interior and exterior of your hair to create balance and an evening effect.^{[17]
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- Most stylists will use scissors when cutting layers into wavy hair, only using razors for more subtle cuts.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I make my wavy hair look nice?

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Martin Nepton is a Professional Hair Stylist and Colorist at Bang Bang LA in Los Angeles, California. With over 11 years of experience, Martin specializes in helping clients express their Queer identity through hair. Martin offers personalized haircuts and color and style services with non-gender prices based on hair length. Martin holds a BA from the University of Québec at Montréal and is a Licensed Hair Stylist in California.

Martin Nepton

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Use shampoo and conditioner that's labeled "moisturizing" since it will prevent your hair from getting dried out or frizzy.
Question

What is a textured haircut?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

A textured haircut is one that has soft ends instead of a blunt outline. This can help your waves have definition.
Question

What is 2b hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

According to the Curly Girl method, there are 4 basic hair types and each has three subtypes. 2B is hair that is wavy with a defined "S" pattern.

Warnings

Only shower in lukewarm water, as hot water can damage your hair. Lukewarm water also works the best with shower products.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Martin Nepton
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 November 2020.}

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