My Step-by-Step Wavy Hair Routine (with Pictures!)

I wash my hair every two to three days. Those wash days (well, nights) begin with a sulfate- and silicone-free shampoo and conditioner. Now, you may be wondering, what are sulfates and silicone, and why do curly and wavy-haired gals want to avoid them? As PureWow Beauty Editor Chelsea Candelario shared in her story explaining sulfates, a cleansing ingredient, “they’re a little bit too good at removing things—including your natural oils. As a result, they can leave hair looking and feeling dry, dull, frizzy and brittle.” Alas, not something someone with already frizz-prone locks wants in their rotation.

Silicone, meanwhile, is a popular additive in hair care products due to its moisturizing and sealing properties; however, silicone can start to build up on hair, weighing down those curls and waves, and eventually leading to a dry and dull finish.

All that said, I’ve been loving Briogeo’s Curl Charisma line, which includes a sulfate- and silicone-free set of shampoo and conditioner (made with nourishing ingredients like rice aminos, avocado and shea butter) that are specially formulated to care for and define wavy and curly strands. They’re both super lightweight and leave my hair feeling clean and fresh, but not weighed down.

Once or twice a week, I will also add in a hair mask to give my strands an extra dose of hydration, and therefore, a nice glossy finish. I’ve been using this Shine Hydrating hair mask from Fable & Mane, which features black tea ferments, bio-sugar enzymes and hibiscus flower extract to revive hair from deep inside the cuticles.

This is meant to be applied after shampoo and before conditioner, so I apply a generous amount from the mid-lengths down (along with a tiny bit at the roots) and leave it on for around three minutes, per its instructions. In addition to smelling what could only be described as heavenly (and by that I mean, warm, spicy and chai-like), it never fails to leave my hair soft and shiny—and it has been a big help on my journey to reverse damage from dyeing.

While it is recommended for wavy hair havers to use a microfiber towel or T-shirt to dry in order to reduce frizz, I’m admittedly not as strict about it. I do, however, avoid rough towel drying, which can cause breakage. A short stint in a basic towel turban is all my hair needs.

After my strands have dried just enough to not be dripping, I part my hair into two sections and use my handy Wet Brush to get out any tangles. I find that the firm-but-flexible separated bristles are gentle enough to not pull or tear at my locks, but still do a great job at smoothing them out and getting rid of any knots.

Next, I’ve begun incorporating a soothing curl cream into my routine. The Rizos Curls Curl Custard, with flaxseed, olive oil, and shea butter, has been a total game-changer. I smooth a quarter-sized amount evenly throughout my mane and voilà. Not only does the super lightweight product  moisturize my hair and help to reduce frizz, it also works almost instantly to start defining my waves. Just take a look at my hair right after I apply it.

I usually wash my hair before bed, so to keep everything nice and tidy (and encourage my waves to develop nicely as I snooze), I then separate the two sections into loose braids or twist braids, tying them off towards the bottom with loose scrunchies.

To lock in some texture, and wake up with that perfectly beachy look, I finish off my wavy hair routine by spritzing the braids from the top down with my favorite wave spray from Ouai. I’ve been using this stuff for years, but it has recently been revamped with an upgraded formula that, firstly, smells *so* good (truly, like a fresh ocean breeze), and secondly, creates body and volume without leaving behind any stickiness or crunch. It’s also particularly suited for wavy and curly manes since it uses hydrating rice protein instead of salt, the latter of which can leave hair dry and brittle. 

In the morning, I just let out my braids, run my fingers through my hair and go. (I try to avoid brushing when it’s dry as it will loosen the structure of the waves and generally expand my ‘do to Hermione Granger proportions.)

To revive my strands and keep my waves from going limp between wash days, I turn back to my Ouai wave spray; I spritz it throughout my mane in the morning, tousle it a bit and I’m good to go.

If I want my waves to have more structure and hold, especially when they start to get limp and oily on day three, I incorporate a light curl mousse, like this one, also from Rizos Curls. To do this, I wet my hair a little and scrunch it through, from the mid-lengths down. This product has a cloudlike foamy texture that doesn’t weigh my strands down or leave them feeling hard and crunchy.

Then, when it’s time to wash, I simply rinse and repeat—literally.