Copying the Curly Girl Method, but with wavy instead of curly hair? That's the classic mistake: waves (type 2) aren't mini curls. They need less, not more. If you take over heavy creams and overnight routines from the curly world, you often end up with flat, greasy roots instead of defined waves.
3 things that actually help wavy hair
1. Light textures instead of heavy creams. Gel or mousse instead of a thick leave-in cream. Waves usually have less spring than curls — heavy products press them flat instead of shaping them.
2. Less product, more water. Instead of slathering on a lot of conditioner at once, use a little and work it in with a few splashes of water ("squish to condish" works on waves too — just with a lot less product).
3. Scrunch, then hands off. Press your wet hair upward with your hands (scrunch), then don't touch it again until it's completely dry. Every touch in between destroys the wave shape before it has a chance to set.
2 things you can skip
1. Heavy "curl cream" in large amounts. Often simply too much weight for type 2A–2B. Test it instead: start with gel only, use cream only on very dry lengths and sparingly.
2. Overnight plopping as standard. What gives curly hair definition often leaves waves crinkled and fuzzy rather than swept. For wavy hair, a short plop of 10–15 minutes right after washing is usually enough — or skip it entirely and let it air-dry.
1 concrete step for today
Next wash day: half your usual amount of conditioner, gel instead of cream, scrunch, hands off. That's it. Then compare how much volume stays at your roots.
Who this applies to most
Everyone with wavy rather than curly hair (type 2A–2C) — not sure which type you are? The article "Waves or curls?" helps you figure it out. If you're also fighting flat roots, there's more here: "Fine curls, flat roots".
