It’s been awhile wavy friends! If you didn’t know, I had a baby last year and two little ones has been a big transition. Be sure to subscribe for that post!
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Anyways, simplicity is the name of my game. I’ve always had a lazier approach to wavy hair, but this routine is SO simple and affordable that I can’t wait to share it! And I’ve actually got two versions, the one I do at home, and the one I do at the gym! I’m happy to say that I’ve figured out how to keep my hair from making me unhealthy. For now, here’s my at home routine!
Update Dec 2020: the original set mentioned in this blog post is no longer for sale, and has been updated to reflect other favorites that are used in the same way!
Affiliate disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, which costs you nothing but helps keep this website running. I sincerely appreciate each click! You can read our full website disclaimer here.
These words were from last year’s routine, but they are still true. As a wise wavy once said, “It takes way longer to write out how I apply the products than it does to actually apply them.” Truth. Don’t be scared by how long this looks! I’m trying to give the most comprehensive information possible!
I do this 2-3 times PER MONTH only. Other times I detangle only in the shower. I only do this step at home (not at the gym). There are a few reasons, but I’ve found that this step helps my hair be so much smoother and less frizzy all around. If you have 2A or 2B waves, your hair should not be prone to breakage. 2C wavies may need to skip this if you’ve got 3A mixed in. I do 100% recommend using a brush designed for tangly hair or wet brushing. The difference is unreal.
How I Use: I very gently work the brush through, starting from only an inch or two own from my hair. I go up a couple of inches with each stroke until I’m at my roots. I lose SO much less hair than detangling in the shower. Plus it’s easier to deal with, and the drains don’t clog (really though. We’re friends here, it’s fine.)
Okay, tbh the reasons I tried this were that 1. It was new and 2. I was sick of the scent of the NYMN Dark Blue line. Yes, it smells like a vacation but when you smell the same thing for a year straight it gets boring. This set is made for kids, but
How I Use: Basically, as a “normal” shampoo. Low-poos are very user friendly if you are just starting your natural hair journey. I use about a quarter size amount and lather into my scalp. Don’t lather into your ends or they will get dry. This shampoo (low-poo) lathers very well and is quite cleansing. If you use water soluble silicones you’ll have no trouble rinsing those out. I am careful not to pile my hair up but rather focus on cleansing my scalp. Often I will do this two times, rinsing in between. I focus the second time on anywhere there appears to be any buildup. Rinse out completely before continuing.
To make this clear to any new readers, no this isn’t sponsored. I just decided to try this line all together and have loved the results.
How I Use: Although I used a brush, I still start by detangling. This conditioner has good slip, but always be very gentle. I detangle all the way up to my roots, the immediately rinse out. Otherwise, the hair gets weighed down. Then I do the “real” conditioning. I do not flip my head over at this point. I squish in a a lot of conditioner into the ends of my hair and work my way up. I do not condition four inches from my roots and up (my hair gets weighed down when I do this). I then let this sit on my hair while I do all the rest of my non-hair shower stuff. Then, to rinse out, I switch my water to room temperature/cool, flip my head over, and rinse out while detangling/scrunching… This often requires a little more conditioner. I actually change my water settings so that a little bit of the conditioner stays in the lengths of my hair. If you don’t have a shower head that allows for this, just try to leave in a little of the conditioner. I rinse out about 95% of it.
Real Quick, sometimes I use a leave in spray. When I do , it’s the Fairy Tales Conditioning Detangler. I promise, still not sponsored. Still purchased by me. I really do like using full lines together!
How I Use: If using leave-in, my head is flipped over, then I spray 3 sprays into my hand then scrunch it in. This is not very much, but I find this causes my hair to be weighed down on days 2-4 if I use too much right away. Then, I twist my hair into the microfiber turban I think this actually helps my waves form into more ringlets/waves. I leave my hair in the microfiber turban for approximately 20 minutes. This time varies based on crying babies and mischievous toddlers and puppies.
p.s. Yes, if I don’t use leave in-this means I let my hair dry WITHOUT a styling product. Gasp. 2A/2B wavies this might just change your hair forever (in a good way!) Damp styling is a game changer.
Mousse: Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly
Guys, the only hair product I need is mousse. This reminds me of my teenage years, but seriously. It’s all I need! I have a post on how I do my 2 minute refresh for days 2-4 hair. Basically, I use the same technique for Day 1 hair! I L-O-V-E the Herbal Essences Totally Twisted! It offers grat hold.
edit: if you were here prior to May 2019, You saw me mention the “Aussie Sprunch Mousse.” I did write a review (read that here) and I didn’t like it, so I replaced the mousse option with my current favorite
How I use: I take my hair out of the turbie twist. After 20 minutes, it’s about 70-80% dry. That’s where I want it: dry enough to soak in the product, but damp enough to distribute it before it frizzes. If my hair is any more dry, I will actually spray it back down a little with water. I keep adding mousse until my hair feels coated. This is typically 2-3 golf ball sizes out mousse for my medium thickness, medium-long hair. Really, you can look at the pictures in my 2 minute refresh post and the technique is quite similar.DO NOT put the product directly at the roots or you will weigh them down. This is a key difference between CGM and Wavy hair. I apply it up to about 4 inches from the roots. I find if I go any higher that my hair gets too much build up on days 2-4.
You might be wondering about root clipping/volume. TBH, most days I flip my hair “against” my part until it’s dry, then once it is dry, flip it to the “normal” side. That’s my simplest method. Also, using mousse means your hair isn’t as heavy as it would be with gels/creams. But also….I don’t worry too much about root volume. In the scheme of things, I’d rather not worry. My commute would allow for 20 minutes of clipping, so I did do my triceratops root clipping method if you need an in-between. But if you want my “normal” routine….this is it. I’m done!
hair treatments & other hair routine items
Let me know if you’d like a post on any of these specifics.
- Clarifying Every 6-ish Washes With you have ANY clarifying washes/low-poos to recommend, please let everyone know in the comments!
- Hair Masque – I looooove the smell (and results) of this one! It’s very thick and heavy, but I’ve almost completely used it up. I recommend using before/after heat styling if that’s your thing.
- a co-wash – I will rarely co-wash, but if I do it’s more than likely a day before a hard workout at the gym (when I KNOW I’ll need to wash after). I use the Yes to Tea Tree & Sage Conditioner to do this. Apparently the reviews say it’s been reformulated, but I have the new version and the scent seems fine to me.
- I still do ACV rinses. These also help with the hard water at our house. I put about 2tbsp into a cup, take it in the shower, dilute (by filling the cup to the to with water) and rinse at the end. I do an ACV rinse once every 2 months or so. If you’d like a full post on that please comment so I know.
What About Working Out?
Workouts can make your hair care more complicated. I even wrote a post about how my hair made me unhealthy. There was a time where good hair was more important to me than physical fitness. But I’ve been able to adjust, and here’s how. I schedule my hair washing around my workout schedule. Yep. And while that sounds intense, it’s really just establishing a routine. Once you’ve got it set up, it becomes second nature.
Example Workout/Hair Wash Schedule: ….Day 1 hair: Low impact workout such as yoga/pilates/barre and then LISS (low intensity steady state cardio – for me that’s jogging, incline walking, or stair-master low intensity). Day 2 hair: Weight training. Day 3: HIIT or hard cardio then wash hair.
Now I still sweat on days 1 and 2 for sure. So on those days, I put my hair into a bun in the shower, then rinse the edges of my hair. I only go about an inch or two in. This removes the sweat from most of my scalp, but doesn’t make me do a full hair routine. Then I’d go in with my normal 2 minute refresh routine. (or if it’s day 1, my normal hair care routine). If you’d like a fully in-depth post, let me know!
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Finally! someone who is 2a/b posting their routine!! And bonus! You have thicker hair, too! I swear everyone seems to have low porosity, fine hair and I can’t find a soul with similar hair!
Anyway, thank you for making this! I’m excited to give it a try. Esp. since I, too, have a baby (well, she turned 1 on wednesday. Where did the time go?) plus 2 older ones…and I just don’t have time for diffusing for 6 hours, nor waiting 12 for it to air dry thanks to gel. LOL.
I did experiment with mousse a little bit and got great clumps, but it wasn’t enough hold, so i had to go back in and re-wet and use Aussie Instant Freeze over it. How does your hair seem to clump in the shower? (I feel like I need to add in a lot of conditioner and squish to condish to get the clumps where I want them.) I was also told not to plop because this could ruin the curl pattern, but it’s interesting that you’re doing it without any product. How do your clumps/waves look after plopping? Do you have any problems with hold? I’m just curious if my waves will fall out without that harder hold from gel.
Woohoo! Glad you like it. So true, and out hair needs a lot more moisture etc. Awww my little guy is over 1 now too, they grow too fast! I think mousse with the best hold is Herbal Essences Totally Twisted (and it’s around $3!). My hair clumps best with the leave in, and I use a LOT of conditioner. I think plopping is always unique person to person, so I’d say give it a try a couple of times. I love how my clumps look after. I just have to be sure to add the product in right after taking it out or it gets VERY puffy. I don’t have a problem with hold but this reminded me to update the post because I actually do NOT like the sprunch leave in mousse, because it doesn’t have enough hold. My waves do tend to fall on days 2-4 but I do my 2 minute refresh and they come right back to life! So that’s what I do 🙂 Hope that helps! -Rachel
So glad I happened upon this page! As a wavy who has always struggled with definition, trying to make sense of products, silicones, and hair-dyeing, I feel like any time I try something it never quite works for me. Excited to try your SUPER simple methods and that you explain exactly what you do. I feel many tutorials never get to what they do on different days, how much product they use or just have much curlier hair than I do. They’re just so VAGUE. I want to love my waves rather than feel unblessed by curls haha!
I’m so glad you included the Maui Moisture Vanilla Butter mask or whatever. I was literally at the store today debating for like 20 minutes what to get; the girl kept asking me if I needed help and tried to recommend an OGX product (which I’m literally replacing some of these products with in trying to avoid silicone buildup). ANYWAY I happened to pick the Maui Moisture one up (as well as the sea kelp shampoo/conditioner). Can I ask how you use the vanilla mask? (Do you use it occasionally in place of your usual rinse out conditioner, as a leave in, how much do you use at a time, etc.)
Thanks in advance! Looking forward to trying these out, reading more of your blog and possibly chatting more! Thank you for sharing.
Hooray! Love hearing this 🙂 I hope you do come to love your waves too! I’ll write up a post on deep treatments, but real quick I use it maybe once a month after detangling with a normal conditioner (and rinsing that out first). I don’t use it as a leave in. Hope that helps!
I was so glad to stumble upon your blog thanks to a Facebook curly girl group. I have a couple questions: do you put the turbie twist in your hair while upside down and pull it through the loop at your neck? Or put the elastic loop on top of your head, twist the hair in while right side up, and pull through the loop on top of your head (almost like a French twist hair style? Second question: when you apply mousse is your head upside down? Do you use praying hands or anything like that? Thanks!!!
Hi, I’m glad you made it here! I do put it in with my hair upside down and have the loop at the bottom near my neck. I apply mousse while standing up, though I do seem to lean to the side. I go really into detail in my 2 minute refresh post, so check that out here!
In a sea of natural curly girl blogs I am SO HAPPY to find some more wavy insight. I’ve been more natural for a year or two, but living in the desert has taken my waves and flattened them so I’m always on the hunt for moisture that won’t weigh hair down and how to toe that line (so hard to do when trying out actual curl girl’s advice!). PLUS budget friendly product recommendations?!? HAPPY DAY!! This girl does not want to justify even a 15$ bottle of product to her thrifty husband. Oh!! And yes, please do a tutorial on ACV rinses.
Hooray! So glad you made it here 🙂 Wavy hair can be tricky too! Budget friendly options and natural options are my fave! I’ll put the ACV rice in my list 🙂 -Rachel
I would love to see a post about apple cider vinegar rinses!
It’s now live here: http://allwavyhair.com/2019/09/02/apple-cider-vinegar-rinse-tips-for-wavy-hair Enjoy! 🙂 -Rachel
Thanks for sharing the details about 2a 2b hair! I feel like my hair always looks a mess, like I just need to brush it down! I’ve been trying to do curly girl for 5 months, and about ready to go back to blow drying. : /
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