Everyone wants that perfect hairstyle, but not everyone has the right hair type to make it work.  Essentially, you’ve got to find a style that works with the hair you’ve been blessed with (or cursed with depending on your perspective). If you have thick and wavy hair, then chances are you’ve gone through struggles of dealing with poufy hair, hair that won’t hold in place, and hair that seems to have a mind of its own and just goes where ever it wants.  I’d like to share my tips and solutions to addressing my wavy hair frustrations and to help makes yours more manageable – and, no, the solution isn’t to buzz it all off.  There are several options when it comes to thick and wavy styles, but the overall idea is to embrace the waviness and use that to your advantage by creating looks that are visually interesting, yet playful.

The key to styling thick hair is giving it dimension. This can be difficult because thick hair is so dense, but doing things like adding layers or trying different styles can help you to have more control over your thick hair. You can go from a pixie cut, to a long layer, to a bob, just make sure you’re not making these hair mistakes.

Patience Is a Virtue …

When you have thick hair it’s not a good idea to start blow-drying your hair immediately after you get out of the shower. We suggest letting your hair air dry for a while before picking up the blow dryer. For straight hair, let your hair get 75% dry, for curly hair, wait until your hair is about 25% dry. The goal is to remove the appropriate amount of moisture before manipulating the hair with a brush. It will save you a ton of time and its way less of an upper body workout when compared to round brushing.

Try A Shaved Look Underneath…

If you want to be a little more daring with your hair, try shaving your hair at the base of your head. This can eliminate a lot of the bulk. Many times, when you wear your hair down, you can’t even notice that underneath is shaved because you still have so much hair on top. To add a little more spunk, you can get a fun pattern shaved into your hair.

Start with A Good Foundation…

Whatever result you want to get starts with your foundation. This means, using the right shampoos, conditioners, and products. We suggest sticking to a shampoo and conditioner that is light and adds volume, so that your hair doesn’t get more weighed down than it already is. Like our Rejuvenating Argon Oil Collection. Finish your look with a smoothing cream.

You can also skip washing your hair every time you shower and use dry shampoo. We suggest using a foam dry shampoo versus a spray for thick hair. It removes oil and product buildup and leaves the scalp feeling clean. The foam allows for more control than a spray, since you apply the foam with your hands.

Using the Right Tools …

To release some of the bulk from thick hair, run through it with thinning shears or a razor on a regular basis. You can use a razor on the ends of thick hair to release some of the weight, clean up the edges, and give it a wispier look.

Section Off the Hair …

Thick hair and thin hair ties don’t always work together. We suggest sectioning off the hair and then styling it. Create foundations with multiple ponytails and connect them all. You can easily connect all of the ponytails into a cute up-do and secure it with pins and hair spray.

If All Else Fails, Go Short …

The simplest method, for tackling your thick, wavy hair is to keep your hair short.  By cutting your hair shorter, you’re basically solving the issue of excess waviness and your hair will be more controllable.  With shorter hair, you’ll also find that high hold products will help create the style you’re trying to achieve and actually keep it in place throughout the day. With shorter hairstyles, using a blow dryer can be key because you can basically get your hair close to the style you want without any product – the styling product will then be used to finish off the look and lock it in place.