How to Manage Thick, Coarse, Wavy Hair

If you have naturally coarse, thick, or wavy hair, you have to put more effort into your hair; however, the end product will come out all the more impressive! You have options with your thick hair, you can go the natural route and pull off waves better than anyone, or you can style your hair and come out with big luscious locks. Whichever the case, learn about cuts and styles that suit your hair type. You can then pick and choose styles and methods to tame your hair naturally, or you can go for a style using the right product and hair tools for your hair type.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Going Naturally Wavy

Download Article

1
Read the ingredients on your shampoo. When you change your washing and hair care routines you will bring out your natural curl. The detergents found in shampoos dry out cuticles and produce frizzy hair, so many people with wavy, thick, or coarse hair have started cleansing their hair without shampoo. Avoid shampoos with sulfates which will dry out your strands and create more frizz.
- Skip the shampoo altogether. Wash your hair with a no-poo, low-poo or a co-wash instead of using a shampoo. ^{[1]XResearch source}
- Use the co-wash method. Co-wash means cleansing your hair with conditioners that use oils instead of detergents to cleanse your hair.
- You can buy sulfate free and no-poo shampoos at stores like Target (L’Oreal Ever Creme Sulfate-Free Moisture System) as well as stores like Sephora (DevaCurl).
2
Wash your hair less often. Because wavy, coarse, and thick hair has a spiral shape, the natural oils produced by the scalp take longer to get to the tip than with normal hair and should, therefore, be washed less often.^{[2]XResearch source} If you wash your hair every day, try cutting back to washing 2-3 times a week, and see if you notice that you have more curl and less frizzy hair.^{[3]XExpert SourceChristine George
Master Hair Stylist & ColoristExpert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
- Keep track of your washes on a calendar to make sure you are not over washing your hair.
- Consider using a clarifying shampoo once a week to wash if you are noticing build up in your hair. Everyone's hair texture and oil level is a little bit different, so experiment and see what works for you. It might take a couple weeks before you figure out the best balance of shampoo and no poo washes.
Advertisement
3
Keep your hair well moisturized. This will keep your coarse hair more flexible and manageable. Use a moisturizing conditioner and a leave-in conditioner. Use conditioners for wavy or curly hair, because these conditioners add extra moisture and shine. Evenly spread your conditioner in your hair if you have less than 3 inches (7.6 cm) of hair. Apply your conditioner to the midsection and ends of your hair if you have long hair.
- If you are co-washing, only apply your conditioner to the midsection or tips of your hair. Avoid the roots of your hair with your conditioner, because it may lead to build up in your hair.
- Look for a conditioner that does not contain silicone. Silicone over time will leave residue that will dull your waves and weigh them down.
4
Create curls in your hair with a styling product. Make sure you use a thick cream that moisturizes instead of a mousse with alcohol. For women, TIGI, AG Cosmetics and Kerastase have great products that are both a styling cream and a leave in conditioner and some products that even protect against heat damage, too. For men, there are great styling creams that are advertised for you, for example, Malin and Goetz and Fellow Barber sell creams to make your hair less unruly and more manageable.^{[4]XResearch source}
- After you get out of the shower, blot your hair at the roots with a microfiber towel. Wait 15-20 minutes if you have shorter hair and 30-40 if you have longer hair. Once your damp hair is half dry, apply the cream to your hair and create your curls.
- If you have short hair rub the cream in your palms and then evenly distribute through your hair. Do not squeeze your hair but gently rub your hands through your hair, twisting your hair in small chunks to give it wave.
- If you have long hair, rub the cream in your palms, and create curls with your fingers by gently twisting your hair and lightly spreading the cream around the curls with your hands.^{[5]XExpert SourceChristine George
  Master Hair Stylist & ColoristExpert Interview. 10 January 2020.} Start at one side of your hair and methodically create the curls around your head. ^{[6]XResearch source}
5
Air dry your hair or use a diffuser to dry your hair. Drying your hair without the diffuser will blow out your curls, so make sure you use the attachment. This will make your hair more wavy and less frizzy. The best diffusers are concave in the middle and not flat. The wide shape will help your curls dry in their more natural shape because the curls rest inside the round diffuser. ^{[7]XResearch source}
- Attach the diffuser to the barrel of your blow dryer. Most blow dryers come with a diffuser attachment that you can put on the barrel of your blow dryer.
- Dry the roots of your hair first. At medium heat, start drying at the nape of your neck and put the diffuser directly at your roots. Gently hold the ends of your hair away to let them start to dry naturally. Go around your head, drying the roots until they are dry. Once your roots are dry, let your hair dry naturally. ^{[8]XResearch source}
- Apply a light hairspray to your curls after your hair has fully dried. Dove and Garnier have great light hold, anti-humidity, and shine enhancing hair sprays that will keep your curls in place.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Choosing Cuts and Styles for Thick Hair

Download Article

1
Choose a haircut that is long on the top and short on the sides. This hair style works well for men with short hair, and can work just as well for women with short hair. If you have short hair, this will flatter your hair type, because it gives you a clean look while showing off how thick your hair is. With this cut the back and sides of your hair are cut down closer to your head but not quite as short as an undercut. This cut will give you lots of styling options:
- You can do a trendy updated pomp. With this style, your hair is styled upward from the forehead and gives you a taller look. Apply gel to your damp hair and style up with a round barrel brush and blow dryer. Apply a clay based finishing product, like a pomade, to give your hair a matte look instead of a shiny finish.
- You can go for a messy style with your new cut. You can use a matte hair product from Sebastian, Axe or Bed Head. Once your hair is mostly dry, rub the workable wax in your palms, and give your hair the beginning of a side part by styling your hair more to one side. Grab smaller pieces of hair and gently twist them in different directions. Do this around your head, and it will give your hair a piecey, messy look.
2
Select a cut with long layers for women. If you have medium, shoulder length hair, this could be a great cut for you. Long layers can frame your face while giving your hair more motion and less poof. You can start the layers around your cheekbones and have them continue down your hair. This hairstyle is great because it can be low maintenance, and you can easily go the natural wavy route following method 2 with this hair style. ^{[9]XResearch source}
- This is a great haircut for people with long face shapes. However, avoid extremely long haircuts with the long layers and this face shape.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Wear your hair half up and half down. Leave out the layers in the front that frame your face. Pull half of your hair back into a barrette or ponytail. This is a very flattering style for people with thick, wavy hair, because it will show off your hair’s natural volume. Use this hairstyle on a day that you don't want to thoroughly style your hair.
3
Try blunt cut bangs if you are a woman with long hair. This cut could be very flattering for your thick, coarse hair. Your hair is a great match for this cut, because when you have thick hair the strands will hold better. However, consider your face shape before you get blunt cut bangs:
- Go with this cut if you have a long face shape. Blunt cut bangs will shorten a long face if it is paired with long hair. ^{[11]XResearch source}
- Be careful with blunt cut bangs if you have a round face shape. If you get this cut, tell your hair stylist to cut the bangs longer on the sides and shorter in the middle. This gives your hair some angle. ^{[12]XResearch source}
- Avoid getting blunt cut bangs if you have a heart shaped face. Consider getting long layers instead.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Blunt bangs do a great job framing square face shapes.
- Put your hair in a thick side braid if you have blunt cut bangs. This is a good option on a day that you don't have much time to style your hair. This will flatter your thick hair and at the same time tame it in a braid.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Straightening Your Hair with a Blow Dryer

Download Article

If you have short hair, you can wait 15-20 minutes. If you blow dry your hair when it is wet or damp it will be more apt to poof up. Because you have thick hair, you should be patient with the time it takes to do your hair. Find ways to make the process work while you work. For example, make breakfast, or do chores while you are waiting for your hair to dry.^{[14]XResearch source}
When you blow dry your hair, make sure your hair is completely dried before you go out, especially if it is humid out. ^{[15]XResearch source} A high powered blow dryer will help you dry your hair more quickly. Good examples of blow dryers for thick, coarse, and wavy hair include the BaByliss Pro TT Tourmaline costing approximately 100 dollars or the Conair 1875 Ceramic Quiet Styler for around 30 dollars.^{[16]XResearch source}
3
Use a large barrel brush to style your hair. The best kinds of brushes for thick hair have reinforced bristles or boar bristles.^{[17]XResearch source} These brushes have thicker bristles that are spaced wider than a regular brush and are able to get into your hair, and all the way to your scalp.
- You can also buy cushion brushes with thick bristles for brushing that isn't styling.^{[18]XResearch source}
4
Blow dry your hair in sections if you have long hair. This will help you thoroughly dry all of your hair. Split up your hair into four sections or quadrants. Clip up the first quadrant of your hair on top of your head, and blow dry the bottom section. Using your round brush, curl your hair in toward your face. Then unclip the top section and blow dry your hair in the same way. Repeat the process on the other side of your head.
- Depending on how soft and curved you want the ends of your hair to appear, spin your brush and curl your hair more or less.
- Avoid using a paddle brush, they have shallower bristles and create more frizz.
Set the blow dryer to cool, and blow dry your hair for a minute or two until all of your hair has cooled. The cool air can also make your hair less poofy after a couple of minutes.^{[19]XResearch source} Most blow dryers have a cool setting. Other blow dryers have a button that you push while you blow dry that makes the air cool.
6
Wait 10 minutes and then spray your hair with a light hold hairspray. You will want to give your hair time to cool and settle even more before you spray your hair. Use a hairspray that does not make your hair stiff or crunchy. Make sure the hairspray has a low/flexible hold. ^{[20]XResearch source} You can find hair sprays that add strength and shine to your hair, and keep it tamed. Depending on your hair or desired look you can do different things:
- If you have short hair, hold your spray a six to eight inches above your head and spray once or twice on both sides.
- If you have medium length hair, flip your hair over and spray lightly throughout your hair to give it a tousled look. Flip your hair up, and spray once on each side.
- For long hair, spray lightly around the ends of your hair to help hold the style in place.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question
What can I do to reduce frizzy hair?
Community Answer
You can start by changing the way you dry your hair. Towel drying can result in more frizz. Products that have coconut oil or argon oil are good for reducing frizz. Apply these products to damp hair or dry hair for a sleeker look.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 3 Helpful 14
Question
I have long, thick, hair with wavy curls that's also frizzy. How can I tame it quickly for school?
Community Answer
After you shower, apply serum or coconut oil, then sleep with braids on. In the morning your hair will be tamed. If you haven't showered, in the morning wet your hair and apply a bit of product.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
Question
I'm having trouble tying up my hair. It's really thick and I always have someone to tie it for me. How do I keep it up neatly?
Community Answer
Try getting someone to make it into a tight bun at the beginning of the day for you, this way it will stay out of the way and also look cute.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 14 Helpful 6