Wavy hair is the best of both worlds. The natural body of your hair allows you to create any looks with ease. You can have curly hair one day and sleek straight hair the next—there are no limitations to what you can accomplish with a wavy mane. That’s why we’ve gathered advice from some of our favorite salon experts to give you even more style inspo to add to your repertoire.
It doesn’t matter if you have luscious dirty blonde hair or dark brown hair, we got you covered with easy ways to style wavy hair for every occasion. Keep scrolling for expert tips that’ll ensure every day is a good hair day.
The Best Wavy Hairstyles To Try Now
Beachy Waves
If you’ve already been blessed with naturally wavy hair and want to take it up a notch, try creating beach wavy hair. Jeremy Taylor, L'Oréal Professionnel brand ambassador, says the secret to creating this messy-chic style lies in the direction you curl your hair.
To create that effortless texture, alternate between waving your hair towards and away from your face while holding the iron in a vertical position. The stylist recommends using a hairspray like L'Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Wild Stylers Next Day Hair Texturizing Spray to bring it all together.
Sock Curls
Remember the sock bun trend back in 2013? We’ve come a long way since then, but one thing remains the same: Socks can be a great styling tool for your hair. If your hair lacks the waves you desire, try a heat-free style that’s easy to create.
Start with damp hair and divide it into four equal sections. Roll one section of hair around a clean sock, starting at your ends and making your way to your roots. Tie the loose ends of the sock together to secure your hair. Repeat the same steps on the remaining three sections.
Overnight Dutch Braid
While some of us have the gift of naturally wavy hair, the rest of us have to try a little bit harder to achieve this look. Don’t worry, though—all the work gets done while you get your beauty sleep.
Starting with damp hair, Dutch braid your mane before heading to bed. All that’s left is get your beauty sleep and let the magic happen.
In the morning, release the braid and gently tousle your hair to show off your natural waves. For a final touch, spritz a finishing spray like the Matrix Style Link Perfect Style Fixer Finishing Hairspray throughout your mane. It’s a great no-heat hairstyle that will get you out of the house in minutes.
Textured Low Updo
Some mornings, it’s our hair that wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. When your mane refuses to cooperate, recreate this textured low updo that’s a favorite of Redken artist, Cindy Duplantis. Perfect for girls with wavy hair, this look is all about enhancing your naturally textured and voluminous hair.
Voluminous Ponytail
Half the battle of putting together a voluminous ponytail is creating the waves that give it that extra fullness. If you have naturally wavy hair, you already have a head start. All that’s left is gently backcombing the crown of your head to add a bit more texture and pulling the hair back into a ponytail. It’s one of the easiest wavy hair ideas and most stylish looks, perfect for any occasion.
Air-Dried Waves
Having hair with natural body means being able to get away with air-dried waves—we’ll pretend we’re not entirely envious. Since you’re one of the lucky ones, we recommend applying an air dry product like Pureology Hydrate Air Dry Cream to ensure your waves look great all day long.
Windblown Waves
While this look may take you some time, it’s simple to do and perfect for those who are looking to pull off easy, breezy-looking waves. Check out this tutorial by Cesar Ramirez, a one-time Mizani artist, on how to create windblown waves.
The tutorial is a piece of cake to follow along—plus there’s the added bonus of looking like you just stepped off the beach all year long.
French Braid
A French braid is the perfect style for the days you know you’re going to be particularly active and want your hair out of your face. Follow the French braid tutorial from L'Oréal Professionnel artist, Cassi Pinder as she breaks down the process making it so easy you’ll be shocked by your new skills.
Lived-In Waves
The best way to ensure your waves remain manageable and easy to style, start with a killer haircut. At your next appointment, ask your stylist to give you a lived-in hair. The signature technique created by Anh Co Tran, L’Oreal Professionnel artist, is intended for you to be able to achieve an easy wash and go. The cut enhances your natural texture, resulting in minimum styling effort and a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning.
Deep Side Part
If elegance and sophistication are your aesthetic than try doing a deep side part. This look paired with wavy hair gives us Old Hollywood vibes—and we’re obsessed!
For customized pointers about how to style wavy hair, use our salon locator to book an appointment with a stylist near you.
Tecni.Art Next Day Hair Dry Finishing Spray
A dry texturizing spray that creates a weightless, tousled, second-day, disheveled look on all hair types.
Style Link Style Fixer Finishing Hairspray
A strong-hold hairspray that dries super quick and fights frizz.
