The Five-Minute Wavy Hair Routine I Swear By As a Picky Beauty Director
Great hair days are possible with the right combination of conditioners and creams.
In summary: Marie Claire Beauty Director Hannah Baxter describes her five-minute hair routine for her 2B fine, thick waves. She uses a hydrating shampoo from RŌZ or Dove, followed by a leave-in conditioner by Crown Affair or LolaVie to keep her hair moisturized and defined. Then she goes in with an air dry gel or cream, followed by a curl gel. For the last step, she smooths out frizz with an oil or styling cream.
Like many young women who grew up in the ‘90s, I had no idea I had textured hair until high school. My best friend had the type of stick-straight baby blonde hair that hung down her back with barely a whiff of frizz. I, on the other hand, tried to mimic her hairstyling routine (which consisted of brushing it before bed… and nothing else) and wound up with a poofy, cloud-like ‘do that levitated off my scalp. It took until I was firmly in the throes of puberty for the concept of using products suited to my texture to cross my mind, and it was still another year or two after that to understand that perhaps my hair would never be naturally straight—and to finally put down the flat iron. My hair was wavy and remains so to this day. 2B, fine, thick waves that require a little more love than the stroke of a boar bristle brush.
Now I’m incredibly grateful for my wavy hair. It emanates that bed-head Olsen twins vibe all on its own—no heat necessary—and only needs a handful of products to satisfactorily style. Finding the right products, however, has taken a bit of trial and error over the years. Thick creams, which are so nourishing for tighter curl patterns, are too heavy on my hair, but watery serums don’t pack enough punch to keep my S-wave texture smoothed and defined throughout the day. Luckily I’ve found a lineup of tried-and-true formulas to style my wavy hair and keep it looking its best from day to night. Even better? It takes less than five minutes to accomplish.
Hannah Baxter takes a selfie of her wavy hair.
Start With a Hydrating Shampoo
Textured hair requires more moisture than straight hair, especially if you get regular highlights like me. I always reach for a hydrating formula to kick off the wash day routine, and follow up with the corresponding conditioner to replenish and restore.
Without fail someone will comment about how delicious my hair smells when I use this formula. It helps define my waves and removes dirt and buildup from my scalp with ease. I keep the jumbo size stocked in my shower at all times.
Since textured hair is so fragile, I pray to the altar of this hydrating and repairing shampoo. It smoothes out any lingering knots and leaves my scalp happy and deeply cleansed. You will not be disappointed with either the formula or the price, trust me.
Reach for a Leave-In Conditioner
Hannah Baxter applies leave-in conditioner to her wavy hair
It’s not enough just to use a conditioner in the shower with textured hair. That’s why I always start my styling routine with 3-4 pumps of leave-in conditioner (and comb it through) to keep my hair moisturized and defined before going in with more products. If I skip this step (the horror) because I’m traveling or just ran out of formula (as if) I can feel a noticeable difference in my hair—it becomes rather straw-like. Not cute.
My hair drinks in this cream like it hasn’t seen water in decades. It’s light enough that it doesn’t weigh down my relatively fine hair but it still leaves my waves hydrated and defined. I think I’ve gone through about two bottles each year for four years… just saying.
I know, I know, a celebrity beauty brand isn’t always noteworthy, but in this case, Jennifer Aniston understood the assignment. I adore this formula to nourish my waves, and the added bond-repair benefits help to refresh my bleach-fried blonde with each styling session.
Don’t Skip the Air-Dry Gel/Cream
I’ve yet to find a curly or wavy-haired person who only uses one singular styling product, and I’m very much the same. This step keeps the definition sleek and adds hold, before scrunching with the next product to bring out the full shape of each curl. These are usually lighter formulas meant for looser textures, like type 3A-3C hair, so keep that in mind if your curls are on the tighter side.
I was taken completely off-guard by how much I love this air dry cream. The soft, medium-weight formula is ideal for my fine texture, and since I air dry 99 percent of the time, it helps to hold onto the definition until the end of the day (and then some). It also doesn’t leave my hair crunchy or greasy the way some styling creams can.
Ingredients in this formula, which is a major plus, but it also is one of the absolute best styling formulas to hold onto curl and wave definition I’ve ever tried. I use prayer hands to apply it from the ears down to the ends, smoothing and stretching my hair ever so slightly. Don’t crunch yet!
There's truly an embarrassment of riches in the air-dry product space right now, and this Crown Affair cream is my latest obsession. It's super lightweight while still offering spectacular hold, and it leaves my waves super soft throughout the day. Truly so exceptional.
Befriend a Curl Gel
As I said, curl creams are too heavy for my texture, so I’m fully on team curl gel to keep my waves bouncy and weightless. I use a quarter-sized amount and divide it between my two hands, then scrunch it into my hair on each side. Then I lift at the roots and smooth any flyaways before tucking the front pieces behind my ears to air dry.
When people compliment my hair texture, I immediately credit this product. I’ve used it ever since it launched and it will always remain a staple in my routine to help define my 2B waves.
Sometimes the frizz gets a teensy bit out of control, which is where this unique foam comes into play. It offers all day hold without the crunch, and my flyaways are at a minimum.
Smooth It Out
Flyaways are a fact of life with wavy or curly hair, and while I generally embrace them, I do try to smooth the seriously rogue ones at my temples so I don’t look like I’ve been electrocuted. A lightweight cream or oil can work here depending on how dry my hair is (I typically use a cream when it’s almost 100 percent dry and an oil if I’m running out the door at 50 percent dry).
This formula is a beauty-editor favorite for a reason, y’all! It leaves your hair seriously shiny while banishing frizz in just a few drops. I also love that it’s a heat protectant if you decide to give your roots a blast with a diffuser before you leave for work.
Wow this formula absolutely dazzled me when it launched earlier this year. It smooths away frizz instantly and keeps your style free of flyaways all day long. Even as a relatively new addition to my routine, I can already tell it’s going to be a staple for years to come. Just use a pea-sized amount, rub it between your hands, and lightly smooth at the crown and on the ends to finish out your look.
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