Wavy hair, the land of in-between! It’s not quite straight, but it’s not ringlet curly either. Type 2 hair can often be a mystery, sometimes cooperating and sometimes going rogue. But fear not, wavy warriors! This guide will unveil the secrets to unlocking your hair’s full potential, walking you through 10 essential tips on caring for your type 2 hair, helping you tame frizz, boost definition, and achieve those beachy waves you crave.
So without further ado, let’s get into it!
Ten tips on caring for type 2 hair
1. Use products formulated for wavy hair
Whether you know it or not, every hair type is unique, and therefore requires different types of treatment. Wavy hair products are often formulated to deliver the right amount of moisture to fight frizz without weighing down the waves, and often contain styling polymers to define those natural bends for long-lasting texture.
Using products formulated for a different hair type can often result in wreaking havoc on your waves. The use of harsh shampoos can strip moisture, leaving your hair dry and frizzy. Heavy conditioners can weigh down your waves, making them limp and lifeless. Styling products designed for straight hair might not provide enough hold, while those for very curly hair could be too heavy and cause build-up. Essentially, using the wrong products can leave your waves undefined, frizzy, and unhealthy.
2. Always keep your hair moisturized
Moisturized hair is healthy hair!
Keeping your hair moisturized is a very vital part of your hair care routine, and wavy hair journey as a whole. Though it may look like it, moisturizing isn’t a big task. With your deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner and other moisturizing products you are a step ahead.
Below are few tips to keeping hair moisturized always:
- Use a conditioner every time you wash your hair
- Engage in a weekly deep conditioning treatment
- Apply leave-in conditioner in between washes, or whenever hair is starting to feel dry
- Take advantage of natural oils, like coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, lavender oils and a host of others.
Remember that your hair health should be a priority, and keeping it moisturized is your responsibility.
3. Avoid heat
Avoiding heat styling is the best way to keep hair healthy and to show your hair that you care.
While blow drying may seem like the only way out to quickly get hair dry, it is important to note that excessive use of heat can damage the hair and strip the strands of important oils, making hair prone to dryness and frizz.
There are a few methods of drying hair without using heat which are;
- Drying hair with a microfiber towel
- Making use of a diffuser
- Patting it dry with a soft cotton t-shirt cloth
4. Avoid shampooing daily
While shampooing hair is good, keep in mind that shampooing type 2 hair daily strips the hair of important oils the scalp produces, leaving hair and scalp dry.
For wavy hair it is important to shampoo hair once a week or twice depending on the density of your hair. This gives your hair the chance to retain its natural oil, while also ensuring that your hair and scalp are cleaned regularly. It is important to use a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for wavy or curly hair, this keeps locks healthy and well defined.
Worried on how to keep hair clean without having to shampoo regularly? We bring to you the idea of washing with a cleansing conditioner, also known as a co-wash. This conditioner helps to clean the hair and scalp without having to strip hair off its natural oil.
5. Do not use a regular towel to dry your hair
With type 2 hair, drying your hair with a microfiber towel is the best. This is because a microfiber towel reduces friction and leads to a much smoother hair.
Because of the little loops on them, the regular towel can snag your hair causing unnecessary stretch, strain, breakage, and damage. On the other hand the microfiber towel has a smooth surface that helps your hair to easily glide on there with little stretching, snags or damages.
Unlike regular towels, microfiber towels help to absorb large amounts of water from washed hair, without getting too wet themselves. They are gentle on waves, helping to eliminate frizz and breakage.
6. Never go to bed without a silk bonnet
Sleeping with a silk bonnet keeps your hair moisturized through the night, by preventing hair products from being absorbed by the pillow. In addition to combating dryness, silk bonnets also help in reducing tangles, and preventing frizz, resulting in less breakage overall. Silk bonnets also keep your hair tucked in and protected from overnight friction.
Ready to give your wavy curls better definition when it’s dawn? Get a silk bonnet.
7. Avoid styling with heavy products
Ever wondered why your hair becomes flat and lifeless after styling? The answer to that question is; Heavy product build up!
Using heavier products on your type 2 hair makes your hair greasy and oily, and because your curls are on the looser side, heavy products tend to weigh down your strands, making your hair look dull and lifeless.
For type 2 hair, curl creams, mousses and light gels are preferred for defining curls and smoothing out frizz. Using a light spray can substitute for a gel on certain occasions and help keep your hair firm and well styled throughout the day.
8. Apply styling products to wet or damp hair
Applying styling products to wet or damp hair helps to distribute the product evenly throughout the hair, allowing the hair to dry in the desired shape it was styled, leading to curls that are springy, lustrous and well defined.. This practice also allows the product to penetrate the hair shaft more effectively, providing the nourishment and hydration the hair requires.
Styling on damp hair also makes styling easier, helps to reduce frizz and combat breakage.
9. Scrunching is literally everything
Scrunching is a great way to enhance and define the natural waves in type 2 hair. This can be done by gently grabbing a hold of the hair from the ends, and squeezing it with the roots in an upward motion.
Scrunching after washing or after applying your products helps to enhance definition, boost volume, and reduce frizz on the hair by clumping the strands together, lifting the roots, and smoothing flyaways for a more polished look.
If your goal is to maximize your natural texture and improve definition, scrunching is definitely a must-have in your daily routine.
10. Love and embrace your natural hair texture
The most useful tip for caring for your type 2 hair is loving and embracing all the unique features of your hair. There’s a popular saying that goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day” meaning that it takes a lot of time to build something great, thereby implying that the hair care journey will be quite a long one. The best way to enjoy every step of your journey is to love and embrace your natural hair texture, and be patient with your growth. Love your hair despite all of the challenges that come with the journey, and believe that your hair is unique, because it is.
Conclusion
Caring for your type 2 hair doesn’t have to be a mystery. By incorporating these simple tips into your routine, you’ll be well on your way to achieving healthy, bouncy waves that turn heads.
So don’t sleep on this article! Add these tips in your hair care routine today! Remember to embrace your unique texture, and experiment to find what works best for you.
Thank you for reading till the end!
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Do you think 3A hair can be identified as wavy TNP?
Hello Alexa, thank you for your comment!
The answer to your question is no. Although 3A hair falls in the transition from wavy to curly, it is particularly classified under the curly hair category, and not the wavy.