The Best Products for Wavy Hair
Having wavy hair is a bit of an aesthetic identity crisis: Some days you’re blessed with effortless S-shaped cascades, while other days it’s somehow frizzy and flat at the same time. We tapped our wavy-haired friends and scoured reviews to find the best products for getting your not-quite-curly, not-quite-straight strands to look their best, no matter what.
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Best for heat-free styling: Ouai Air Dry Foam
Celeb stylist Jen Atkin knows her way around red carpet-worthy waves, and her wave-centric product doesn’t disappoint. It’s meant to be applied both on damp hair (just scrunch and go) and dry (apply mid-lengths to ends for a soft, non-crunchy pick-me-up).
Best for volume: IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
If you find that standard salt sprays tend to dry your hair out, try this lightweight aerosol texturizer: The salt-free formula helps add volume to fine roots (to balance out more voluminous ends) and adds definition without stickiness.
Best for extending time between washes: Verb Sea Texture Spray
Another spray that earned high marks, Verb’s offering includes seaweed extract to absorb oils (it doubles as a dry shampoo), quinoa protein to repair damage and sunflower extract for natural UV protection.
Best wave booster: TIGI Catwalk Curls Rock Amplifier
Even if your “wave” is really more a handful of seemingly random bends, this concentrated cream works to enhance whatever natural texture you have, while taming frizz and adding definition. Pro tip: Apply with a light hand—a little goes a long way.
Best for adding shine: Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray
Some days we’re feeling that matte, just-went-surfing look, but when we want something a little more polished, this oil-enriched mist adds moisture and gloss without weighing strands down. (If the price gives you sticker shock, we also love this spray from Kristin Ess.)
Best multitasker: Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam
This longtime cult-fave product is more lightweight than standard mousse, which can be a little too stiff if you have a less-defined curl pattern. And it works equally well for air-drying and blowouts.
Best for coarse hair: Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner
Devotees swear by this ultra-moisturizing (and color-safe) line, which brings dull, dry hair back to springy life. And it still cleanses thoroughly enough that you can skip a day or two without worry.
Best for fine hair: Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Shampoo and Conditioner
For fine hair, it’s hard to find that magical balance between oil control and hydration, but this sulfate-free combo nails it. The formulas contain maltodextrin, a natural sugar starch that binds to strands to create fullness without a sticky residue.
Best for speeding up your routine: Aquis Microfiber Hair Towel
Whether you diffuse or air-dry, getting quickly from the sopping phase to the damp phase is key for minimizing potential frizz. This top-rated towel is gentler on cuticles than standard terry cloth, and works especially well when combined with the “plopping” method (basically, piling your hair in upside down to scrunch while drying).
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