haircare for thick and wavy hair

Hello thick haired (and potentially wavy haired) girls! Today I am sharing my haircare routine with you all because I feel that the internet doesn’t have enough information when it comes to hair care for thick and wavy hair. My hair seems like such an anomaly compared to youtubers and bloggers talking about how it’s a breeze to style their wavy, thick, or straight hair, etc. Even though I am not an expert in haircare and I’m not exactly telling you that this routine will be the end-all-be-all for your hair, I hope that this gives you an idea of what I like to use and how I use it. So, without further adieu, let’s get started. 

// shampoo and conditioner //

Most people don’t know this about me, but I have several scalp conditions that make my scalp super itchy. Because of this, I like to use Head and Shoulders shampoo and conditioner with pyrithione zinc. I know this is totally TMI, but I thought I should let you know the reasons why I use the shampoo and conditioner that I use! Even though this is “dandruff” shampoo and conditioner, it smells really good (I use the Green Apple scent!) and it makes my hair feel lightweight but also conditioned. Try this out even if you have a normal scalp- it’s actually a really nice shampoo/conditioner combo! 

// brush //

I love using the wet brush on my hair. I am on my third brush because I use them so much and I always break the bristles! I have super thick and tangle-prone hair, so the wetbrush makes it less likely for hair damage and easier to detangle. To make it even cuter, I like to put a monogram sticker on the back of my brush!

// care products //

Many people ask me what hair products I use, but I use very minimal amounts of product in my hair. I don’t need to use a lot unless I’m styling my hair, which I try to do very little of. If I do curl my hair, I usually leave it dry for a couple days so the heat damage on my hair is minimal. These are products I use that don’t relate to styling. I use the Drybar Prep Rally detangler when my hair is super tangled (so not every single time I wash my hair). I use the Garnier Fructis hair oil whenever my hair looks a little dry. If I brush my hair when it is dry and wavy, sometimes it looks super frizzy. So to correct this, I will put some oil on it and wrap my hair in a bun for about 20 minutes. Then I’ll take it down and my hair looks much bouncier and sleeker.
 

// blow-drying //

I am no expert when it comes to blow-drying, so whenver I do blowdry my hair I usually just run a bristle brush through my hair. It takes about 20-30 minutes to blow-dry, so I try not to do it often. A trick I have for no heat damage is to use the cold air setting on the dryer. It adds about 5 minutes, but it’s worth it in the long run! I don’t think the blow-dryer I use is in production anymore, but just look for a blow-dryer with multiple heat settings! For products, I always try to use a heat protectant. If I want to go for a volumized look, I will scrunch some Drybar Southern Belle mousse into my roots before I dry my hair. Sometimes I will use the Drybar half pint brush to make the roots more voluminous.

// curling //

The most common hairstyle I do is curling my hair. It takes very little time and my favorite look on my hair. I have a tutorial in this post on how I curl my hair. I use a different iron depending on the look I’m going for, but I use the same technique. Sometimes I will curl by layer, other times I will just curl randomly. When I want super voluminous curls, I will pin them up on my head while I do my makeup. I use about a 1.5 inch curling iron that has a super long barrel (which comes in handy!) most frequently. I use the Aussie Instant Freeze hairspray and then I will use the Drybar triple sec in my roots to make my hair more volumized. If I need extra-umph, I will take a bristle brush from Revlon and tease the roots.

// some more info //

So before I end this post, I wanted to show you all what my natural hair looks like. I don’t wear my hair natural in my blog posts because I like for my hair to look more polished. However, I wear my hair “natural” all the time because it saves me time in the morning and makes my hair stay healthy. Here are some pictures of my natural texture.

A great thing about having naturally wavy hair is that it can look different any day. Some days it’s super tangled and looks like a mess, other days it looks like it does in these pictures. I love my natural hair but like I said above I do enjoy having curled and polished hair for my blog photos.

But, above all, no matter what hair type you have, enjoy it. Everyone wants everyone else’s hair but the truth is, your hair is made the way it is because it works for you! So enjoy your hair, take good care of it, and bask in all the fun hair can bring.