Riding the Waves: How to Appreciate Your Wavy Hair

Love this? Share it!

As a human child, like many others, I wanted the things I didn’t have. In particular, straight hair. I did not appreciate my wavy hair at all.

I used to process that hair straight!

However, one of the perks of growing up and meeting the right people in life is that you start to not only accept your qualities, but truly enjoy them.

These days, while I still have my trusty hair dryer and curling iron, I rarely use them. I’ve learned to embrace the texture of my waves not begrudgingly, but joyfully!

Here are some tips to help you embrace your wavy hair.

1. Find a stylist who enjoys working with natural textures.

Rather than encouraging her clients to tame their hair into submission in ways it does not want to work, my stylist, Andrea at Trichology encourages her clients to keep their natural texture and work within that. Since my hair is wavy, she is able to recommend and give specific cuts to both flatter me and highlight the wave, letting it shine.

This cut makes it easy to let the waves do their work.

2. Check out the Curly Girl Handbook 

Recommended by my stylist, it goes through different styles of waves and curls and how you can work best with each. Also goes through “the no-shampoo” method popular with many curlies; full disclosure, I definitely still shampoo my hair.

3. Get good products

The two products I swear by to maintain a natural wave are conditioner and sea salt spray.

Conditioner keeps the frizz at bay! In particular I like the Argan Oil of Morocco conditioner and Macadamia Professional™ Weightless Moisture Leave-In Conditioning Mist.

Sea Salt Spray is a great product to me. Natural and light, and provides just the right amount of hold and texture. I love Toni and Guy Sea Salt Spray.

So if you’ve been fighting your natural waves and curls, I encourage you to try a day or week when you just embrace it!

Originally published August 24, 2015