Learn how to take care of wavy hair from this guide about styling waves, maintaining wavy hair and the best products for 2b, 2c and 3a wavy hair.
In This Article:
- What is wavy hair and how is it different from curly hair?
- How to Take Care of Wavy Hair
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Why You Should Trust Us?
As a hair stylist one of the biggest questions my clients had for me is why their wavy hair is now standing flat and limp and has lost its natural bounce? What could have gone wrong? And is it possible to bring back those beautiful waves?
And I always tell them, yes, most definitely your waves can be brought back! It is important to note that all hair types are different and require different methods of hair care and product usage.
So all you got to do is decide to follow the right hair care routine specifically meant for wavy hair and no sooner will your luscious locks be back and with a “bounce” of course! Here’s a simple one that I follow!
What is wavy hair and how is it different from curly hair?
Wavy hair is often categorized in the type 2 category of hair and comes under the 2A, 2B or 2C hair types wherein wavy hair can range from fine hair with subtle waves, to wavy hair that has a loose ‘S’ shaped pattern to hair that has well defined ‘S’ shaped patterns.
But sometimes, people can confuse their type 2C wavy hair with the type 3 curly hair because of the shape of the curls.
Your hair gets either wavy or curly or straight thanks to the hair follicle shape. (Miranda, J Jaime et al. “Hair follicle characteristics as early marker of Type 2 Diabetes.” Medical hypotheses vol. 95 (2016): 39-44. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2016.08.009)
Rounder hair follicles give rise to straighter hair texture while more oval hair follicle shapes give rise to wavy or curly hair.
Well, there are quite obvious differences like curly hair strands are more defined where the curls have complete twists or spirals, whether subtle or more pronounced.
How to Take Care of Wavy Hair
1. Use the right type of products
In the present day there are hair products that are specifically formulated to suit each hair type.
So buying a shampoo and conditioner specially meant for wavy hair is very essential.
Choose those products that contain no sulfates and parabens, or maybe choose an all-natural product, as it will help boost your hair’s natural bounce, without ruining the wave pattern but instead making your waves look more defined.
Also, always choose lightweight products like hair oils and moisturizers. Using lightweight products will not only hydrate your hair, but will also make your hair look voluminous.
Using any heavyweight products will make your hair stand flat and limp, making your waves look dull and lifeless.
2. Avoid the use of heat styling tools
Using any sort of heat on your hair is a big no-no, because it will dry out your hair considerably and make it more prone to frizz.
When the hair gets dry and frizzy, it will show on your waves and it will make your waves look rough and frayed.
Minimizing the usage of heat on your wavy hair can do it good. So, whether it is in the form of hair styling tools, blow dryers or maybe even hot water hair washes, avoid their usage to the maximum.
3. Avoid combing your hair too often
A lot of people tend to comb their hair many times a day and this is not a healthy practice for those with wavy hair.
It can not only lead to hair damage, but can also ruin the wave pattern of your hair.
So, make sure to only comb your hair once or twice in a day and the other times simply run your fingers through your hair (if you really feel the need to).
4. Make sure to get rid of scalp buildup
Very often we tend to use different types of hair products like shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, hair styling creams, serums, gels, pomades, hair waves, moisturizers, etc, that leave some amount of residue on the hair once it has been used.
If it doesn’t get washed off properly, it will continue to remain on the head and collect as scalp buildup over time. This buildup will make the hair stand dull and limp, making your waves lose its bouncy texture.
5. Always wash your hair with lukewarm water
Washing your hair with hot water will only open up the cuticles on the hair shaft and will let out all the hair’s moisture in no time.
This can make your wavy hair extremely dry and frizzy, in turn affecting your waves.
Therefore, using lukewarm or cold water to wash your hair will not just help retain the moisture in the hair, but will also help lock in the conditioner you’re using, letting it coat each hair strand keeping it sufficiently moisturized.
6. Make sure to air dry your hair and never comb your wet hair
Using blow dryers is not advisable, since heat is the worst thing to use on your hair.
So, you could just dab out the excess water from your hair using a microfiber towel (as they help absorb the water more easily and facilitate quicker hair drying) and let it air dry or dry up naturally.
In case you’re using a blow dryer occasionally, make sure to use it with a diffuser attached. This will save your wavy hair from becoming frizzy and losing its wavy texture.
Also, make sure to never comb your wet or damp hair once you’ve had a head bath.
While it can ruin your wave pattern, it can also cause your hair to break and fall out as the hair is extremely weak when it is still wet.
7. Make sure to never overwash your wavy hair
A lot of people find that their hair is standing flat and limp making it look oily and greasy and therefore, they tend to over wash it in order to get rid of the greasiness.
Well, this can be detrimental to your wavy hair.
Overwashing will strip the hair off its natural oils and in the meantime stimulate the sebaceous glands in the scalp to overproduce sebum because of its quick depletion.
This means that your hair will only become further oily in no time.
So it would be best if you wash your hair around three times a week and maybe occasionally use a dry shampoo between washes or on greasy hair days.
8. Deep condition and oil your hair regularly
Wavy hair can get dry due to various reasons from use of hot water for hair washing, to use of heat styling tools, to lack of conditioning or maybe even due to uneven distribution of the hair’s natural oil or sebum.
Since there are waves in the hair strand, the hair’s natural oil (sebum) may not flow evenly along the hair strands and cause it to dry out.
Therefore, using deep conditioning masks and oil massaging your scalp and hair at least once every week will help rejuvenate your wavy hair.
9. Remember to get frequent hair trims or haircuts
Be it curly straight or wavy hair, getting frequent hair trims and having haircuts from time to time is very important and this is because of how old our hair gets over time and can easily succumb to damage, especially frizz and split ends.
While the new hair strands grow out strong, the lower parts of our hair towards the tips are old.
Therefore, your beautiful wavy hair will begin to look frizzy and your hair tips will look frayed because of the split ends.
Eventually the split ends will end up tearing apart your whole hair strand and damaging it, if not trimmed off at the right time.
So make sure to get hair trims at least once in every quarter of the year.
10. Use the right type of comb for your waves
Using the right kind of combs and hair brushes for your wavy hair is very important not only to retain your wave pattern but also to help keep the waves intact while also making the waves look bouncy and voluminous.
For those with wavy hair, the ideal hair comb will be one with wide teeth, as it will help get rid of tangles, without affecting your wave pattern.
If you wish to brush your waves, then you can use a boar bristle brush and brush your hair very gently, but not too often. Boar bristle brushes can help enhance the body of your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can root volumizing products help fix flat and limp wavy hair?
There are times when the hair near the roots/at the top of your head tends to stand flat and limp. This could be due to excessive buildup, use of heavyweight products or maybe even because of an oily or greasy scalp.
Therefore using root volumizing products or curl enhancing products on your damp hair can help give the roots a lift and give your waves a natural bounce.
2. Can my hairstyle affect my wave pattern?
Yes, it definitely can and this is what most people do not realize. If you wear a certain type of hairstyle for a long period of time, then your wave pattern can change.
Therefore, it is essential to either change your hairstyle from time to time or let your hair down often.
Why You Should Trust Us?
The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.
The final takeaway
Well, I hope this article has helped you figure out the reason why your wavy hair had lost its bounce and I hope that you’ve now finally found the right ways to maintain your wavy hair.
Always make sure to find the right hair care routine specifically formulated for your hair type and more so, stick to it.
It will undoubtedly help your hair in every way possible.
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