Hi there, Wavies! Wavy hair is the envy of many yet it is sometimes left stranded between straight and curly hair with not as much care tips and methods. For the basic Dos and Don’ts, head to our original CG blog. Most Wavies who try the CG method are usually left disappointed and stumped as their results vary from what curly heads experience. Even though wavy hair may seem like just another variant of curly hair, it requires a routine that slightly different. Worry not, here’s a quick breakdown of the CG method to embrace and flaunt your luscious, natural waves:
If you are a CG newbie,
First Wash routine:
1. Pre-Poo: Start with a dose of nourishing pre-poo. Simply oil your waves with a light oil like argan or almond. You can detangle your hair during this process but ensure that you don’t end up with a heavy head of oil.
2. Clarify: As with Curlies, Wavies also need to clarify when you begin CG. Clarifying refers to the removal of existing build-up of silicones and other products on your scalp and hair. This is done by using a clarifying shampoo that contains sulphates but NO SILICONES! An affordable option in India is the Pantene Lively clean shampoo. Compared to curlies, wavies need to clarify more often as sebum travels down waves more easily than curls thus weighing them down. Also, product build up occurs more in wavy than curly hair. DO this step once or twice every 3-4 weeks to keep your scalp clean and ready for the goodness of the rest of the CG steps.
3. Condition: It’s not just curls that need to be quenched with moisture, waves do too! Apply a generous amount of a light but moisturising conditioner using the Praying Hands method, starting from the crown of your head to the ends of your waves. Then detangle using a wide toothed comb. This should be followed by the Squish to Condish method which involves reapplying a little bit more conditioner and scrunching the curls. This will ensure that you get good clumping along with better curl definition. Rinse lightly post conditioning.
4. Styling: Now that you have a clean and nourished head of hair, get styling! Different types of waves require different products while styling, but investing in a good curl cream like Curl Up Defining Cream will help style and hold your waves in place. If you have lighter waves, opt for a mousse or gel cast to hold your waves in place. Try finger coiling your hair with your leave-in product for more defined waves and hold. While applying styling products to wavy hair, remember to use the Praying Hands method and not the raking method so as to prevent clumps from breaking and disrupting your curl pattern. This should be followed by flipping your hair over and scrunching it up gently so as to preserve the clumps without shrinkage.The ‘squelch’ noise is an indication that the hair is appropriately wet for the stylers to spread evenly and work well. If you do not hear this satisfying noise, then spray some water on your hair and then scrunch again.
5. Drying your waves:Waves generally dry faster than curls, but still require taking the right steps to avoid frizz and maintain definition. Try the plopping method with a microfiber towel and then either air-dry or diffuse. Diffusing is a great way to add volume to your waves and enhance your natural wave pattern. Go ahead and rock your waves now!
6. Refreshing:As mentioned earlier, oil travels faster in wavy hair and you need to refresh more often than your curly counterparts. For Day 2 and 3 waves, simply spray the length of your hair with a nourishing liquid like coconut water or even a mixture of water and your leave-in conditioner. Shake and scrunch to style and voilà!
Second Wash and after-routine:
Cleanse:After pre-poo-ing, cleanse your scalp with a mild sulphate and silicone free cleanser to get rid of the grime on your scalp while retaining natural oils. Curl Up moisturising shampoo contains argan oil and chia seeds packed with antioxidants and vitamin E to refresh and renew your scalp while guarding natural moisture.
The rest of the steps for your CG-routine stays the same as above
7. Wash Day:Wavies will feel an obvious heaviness after Day 3 or 4 so get set to wash it away. Simply shampoo your hair with a CG-approved shampoo now to cleanse your base. Then go ahead and repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 for luscious waves!
8. Deep-Condition:Though Wavies don’t depend so much on deep condition as Curlies do, it is still a vital step in your CG journey. Once a week, post shampoo, apply a thick conditioner to your hair and let it seep in for 30-40 mins before washing off. (Pro tip: Amp up your regular conditioner into a deep one by adding a few drops of olive oil and a tsp of honey, cover with a heating cap or shower cap to lock in moisture.
Tips and Tricks for Wavies:
Here are a few extra tips to help you on the CG voyage without buckling under the stress to get it right:
- Wavies need to use a clarifying shampoo more often than curly types.
- Deep condition less often to ensure volume and avoid added heaviness.
- Use more water during the styling process to get gorgeous clumps.
- Use lesser products and opt for lighter creams and gels to set your waves.
- A diffuser goes a long way in helping with a more defined wave pattern.
- Avoid combing your hair after applying stylers as it may lengthen your waves.
- Most importantly, DON’T compare your journey with Curlies! Embrace your waves for their beautiful, loose patterns and stay consistent to achieve the best hair you’ve had!
Do let us know if this blog helped answer your queries and feel free to reach out to us at customercare@letscurlup.com, +91 9945373597 or @letscurlupdotcom on Instagram to answer your questions or even just be a part of our #letscurlup community!