5-Step Wavy Hair Routine for Beginners

There are countless tutorials online for beach waves, soft waves and even mermaid waves. Needless to say, wavy hair gives an effortless look that many are after. So, if you have naturally wavy hair, you’re already one step ahead.

However, it’s not always easy to bring out your natural waves. After years of using hot styling tools like flat irons, your waves may have lost their shape. Wavy hair is also prone to issues like frizz, dryness and tangling.

Consider this your guide to moisturized, frizz-free and defined waves. Follow this simple 5-step wavy hair routine to embrace your natural hair and reduce your exposure to damaging heat.

5-step wavy hair routine

Some wavy hair regimens are long and complicated, but here’s a beginner-friendly routine anyone can do.

1. Shampoo

Your new wavy hair routine begins in the shower. The Native Moisturizing Shampoo – Coconut & Vanilla is free from sulfates and silicones (aka ingredients to avoid in your wavy hair products). What’s more, it’s a moisturizing formula, which can help combat the dryness wavy hair is often prone to.

2. Conditioner

Conditioning your hair after shampooing restores some much-needed moisture. The Native Moisturizing Conditioner Coconut & Vanilla is suitable for wavy hair because it’s lightweight yet moisturizing, so it hydrates your waves rather than weighing them down. Like the corresponding shampoo, it also has a simple ingredients list.

If you prefer to wrap your hair in a towel after showering, opt for one made from microfiber—this material helps to reduce frizz and breakage while also trapping moisture into your hair.

3. Leave-in conditioner

Remove the microfiber towel from your hair and comb or brush it out. Styling wavy hair requires ample moisture, so if your hair has already started to dry, use a spray bottle to rehydrate it before moving on.

You may notice a pattern here—getting ahead of dryness and frizz by moisturizing your luscious locks. A leave-in conditioner does just that, and the Alaffia Beautiful Curls DefineTight Curls Leave In Conditioner is specifically formulated for hydration and definition.

4. Styling cream

Similar to styling your hair with heat, styling your hair naturally depends on your hair products and technique. To bring out your wave pattern, use a curl defining or styling cream, such as the Pacifica Pineapple Swirl Curl Defining Cream. Rake this through damp hair and use your hands to scrunch it in. This will contribute to more defined waves. For more volume, flip your head upside down and scrunch upwards.

5. Hair gel

Hair gel isn’t just for slick back buns. In fact, this step is considered essential for textured hair because it locks in your defined waves while also taming frizz. The Alaffia Beautiful Curls Curl Defining Gel holds waves and curls without sticky residue.

Grab a generous amount of gel and use a praying hands motion to gently coat your strands. Once you feel it’s evenly distributed, scrunch your hair until you’re pleased with the wave pattern.

To finish off this routine, you can let it air dry or use a diffuser. Here’s how to do each one:

Air Dry: Let the gel dry in your hair, which will form a cast. Once the cast is set (aka it feels “crunchy”), use a small amount of Derma E Styling Hair Repair Oil to break the cast. Glide the oil over the hair using a praying hands motion. Then scrunch it out until your waves are soft and bouncy.
Diffuser: If you’re short on time, you can use the diffuser attachment on your blow dryer. First thing’s first, use a bit of Desert Essence Hair Defrizzer and Heat Protector to prevent damage. Turn the diffuser on and hover it over all your hair until a curl cast forms. Working in sections, place some of your hair in the diffuser bowl, scrunching toward your roots until your waves are set.

Optional steps to add later

When you’ve got the hang of steps 1–5, you might be ready to take it to the next level. Though optional, these next steps can contribute to more moisturized hair and more defined waves:

Hair Mask: You don’t need to do a hair mask every day, but a weekly hair mask in the shower is a good idea for keeping your strands moisturized. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Hair Masque provides moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil to reduce dryness and brittleness.
Clarifying Shampoo: Even the simplest wavy hair routines call for several products, which can lead to product buildup. Think of clarifying shampoos, such as the Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Shampoo Hydrating-Clarifying, as a deep cleanse. Swap out your regular shampoo for a clarifying formula once a week or once or twice a month.
Texture Spray: Want to ride out your waves? Refresh second- or third-day hair with a bit of sea salt spray. If you could bottle beach waves, it would be the Pacifica Salty Waves Texture Spray. It uses salt to give your waves some grit to grab onto. Use this shortcut when you don’t feel like doing the entire routine.

Can’t I just use heat?

A 5-step wavy hair routine might seem like a lot of effort, especially if you’re used to heat styling. Sure, you could straighten, curl or blow out your hair—doing so will certainly combat frizz, and if you’ve been styling your hair this way for years, it might even save time.

But using hot tools isn’t ideal for your hair in the long run. Excessive heat from tools like flat irons, curling irons and blow dryers can damage your hair, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). One of the perks of embracing your natural waves—and bringing them out with the right products—is reducing your exposure to heat.

Should you decide to use hot tools on your hair, here’s what the AAD wants you to know: