How to achieve natural wavy hair

Wash your hair. No matter which method you choose from the ones below, wetting your hair first is an essential step. Waves will look better on clean hair.

• Shampoo your hair to ensure it's thoroughly cleaned.
• When using conditioner, avoid applying it to your scalp and focus only on the ends. This will prevent the conditioner from weighing your hair down.

Dry and comb your hair. Remove excess water by gently squeezing your hair or blotting it with a towel so it remains slightly damp. This will help the curls last longer.

• If you have thick hair, you can use a blow dryer to dry your hair a bit. Your hair should be damp, not soaking wet.
• Detangling your hair will help create smooth, wavy curls without any knots that might ruin the look.

Apply leave-in conditioner. Leave-in conditioner makes your hair softer, stronger, and more elastic. Start with a small amount, about one teaspoon, and apply it to your hair. Using too much can weigh your hair down.

• Apply the conditioner section by section to ensure it coats your hair evenly from roots to tips.
• Avoid using leave-in conditioner or regular conditioner if your hair is fine.
• You can apply more leave-in conditioner if needed.

Consider using a curl-holding product. If your hair is too straight and difficult to hold curls, try using a small amount of mousse or hairspray to help maintain the curls longer.

• It's best to apply the product on the lower sections of your hair to avoid making the roots look greasy or heavy.
• Bend forward to prevent the hair from flipping upside down, and use your fingers to apply the gel evenly.

Divide your hair into sections. Your hair should be damp when braiding. The size of the braids will determine how tight or loose your waves are. The bigger the braid, the fewer the waves.

• If you want finer curls, divide your hair into many small sections for braiding.
• If you want loose waves, simply divide your hair into 4 or 5 sections.

Braid each section of hair. Take a section of hair and divide it into three equal parts. Hold the left section with your left hand, the right section with your right hand, and use the fingers of your dominant hand to hold the middle section. Cross the hair over the middle section.

• Start by crossing the right section over the middle one. Now, the right section is in the middle.
• Next, cross the left section over the middle one. Now, the left section is in the middle.
• Continue this process until the entire section is braided.

Secure the braid. Once you reach the end of the braid, use an elastic band or butterfly clip to hold it in place. Make sure to tie it tightly so the braid doesn't unravel while you sleep or when drying your hair.

Braid the remaining sections of hair. Repeat the steps above for each section of hair. Remember, only the sections that are braided will form curls.

• Start from the top of your head to ensure the curls form from the roots, not just the middle.
• Braid as close to the ends as possible to ensure the tips of your hair don't stay straight when you release the braids.

Blow-dry your hair. To set the curls, make sure to fully dry the braids before undoing them.

• Use a blow dryer to dry the braids.
• You can also leave the braids in overnight and undo them in the morning.

Unbraid the hair. Gently undo each braid to reveal soft waves. Carefully run your fingers through the strands to separate them. Avoid using a comb, as this may frizz your hair or undo the curl you've worked to create.

Use hairspray. If your hair tends to fall flat, you can mist it with a light layer of hairspray to hold the style in place. Choose a flexible hairspray to avoid making your hair stiff or sticky.

Divide damp hair into sections. The more sections you create, the more defined your waves will be. A good technique is to divide your hair into two layers: one around the crown of your head, and the other beneath.

• If you want a part after curling, make sure to secure your part before dividing your hair into sections.
• Start by dividing your hair into 10-12 sections. After experimenting, you can adjust the number of sections depending on the length and texture of your hair.

Choose a section and twist it. You'll twist each small section of hair. Start with the front sections near your face so you can see what you're doing. Then move to the sections at the back.

• Begin with the section closest to your crown. If you start with the lower sections, the top layers might not curl as expected.

Twist the section tightly. Twist the hair in one direction to form a tight coil. When you pull the hair out, it should resemble a rope.

• Tightly twisted hair will result in firmer, more defined curls.
• Be careful not to twist too tightly, as it could cause breakage or discomfort.

Create a curl. Wrap a section of hair at the roots so it forms a shape similar to a waffle cone or a spiral shell.

Secure the curl. The size of the curl depends on the length of your hair and will determine how you secure it. You may need to use an elastic band to hold larger curls in place.

• Use bobby pins to secure smaller curls. Place two bobby pins at right angles to hold them evenly.
• For tighter curls, consider using duckbill clips instead of bobby pins.

Set the curls. The curls need to dry completely before you can remove them. Sleeping with damp hair is often the best way to achieve this. You can also lightly blow-dry, but the heat may not penetrate deeply into the curls.

Unwrap the curls. Once the curls are fully dry, gently remove each curl one by one. Use your fingers to separate the waves, but avoid using a comb to prevent frizz.

• Use hairspray or a styling gel to maintain your curls throughout the day.

Finish up.

Cut fabric into strips. To make fabric strips for curling your hair, you’ll need small pieces of fabric, approximately 10-12 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. The number of strips you need depends on whether you want tighter or looser curls.

• Start with 12 fabric strips, 6 for the top layer and 6 for the bottom layer.
• Old pillowcases or shirts make great, budget-friendly fabric options.

Section your hair. You’ll have 6 sections of hair around the crown of your head and 6 sections underneath. This gives you two sections on each side of your head and two sections at the back of the first layer.

• Pull a small section of hair away from your face. If you divide one side of your head into 4 parts, this section would be one-quarter of that side.

Wrap a section of hair. Place the fabric strip at the ends of the hair and begin wrapping it. It may feel tricky at first, and the ends might want to unravel. Tuck the ends back in and continue wrapping upwards.

• Using a mirror can make it easier if this is your first time.

Tie the fabric strips. Tie the ends of the fabric strips to secure each curl. Make sure the tie is tight enough to hold the curl in place overnight, but not so tight that it’s difficult to remove the next day.

Set the curls. Let your hair dry overnight by going to bed with damp curls wrapped in fabric strips. In the morning, remove the strips to release the curls.

• Use your fingers to gently separate the curls into waves. Avoid using a comb to prevent frizz.
• Use hairspray to set the curls if your hair tends to straighten easily.

Try using foam rollers. If fabric strips are too tricky, consider buying foam rollers. The curling process is similar to using fabric strips, except that instead of tying the fabric, you secure the rollers in place.

• Some people find it uncomfortable or difficult to sleep with foam rollers in.
• Remember, the size of the foam rollers will determine how tight or loose the curls are. Larger rollers create wavy curls.