breaking the waves
My hair is prone to frizz, the season and temperature make little difference to my strands.
I have my parents to thank for my thick and wavy hair that has managed to endure disastrous balayage and ombre styles over the years. Until the discovery of hair oil and layered hairstyles some 14 years ago, I figured my hair was a burden. I didn’t bother with brushing or styling my hair, I thought I had nailed the “cool, undone” hair look in middle school. Long story short: no, it was a disaster and no, I won’t post pictures. It took many hair product flops till I found a selected few that I rely on to yield a tamer, yet still “undone” look.
After shampooing and conditioning, I brush my damp hair and rub a quarter size of Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil throughout from top to ends. Since my hair is prone to frizz and humidity isn’t necessarily my best friend, I’ve been relying on this oil to keep my hair in line for 3 years now. It also has UV protection and is heat resistant so it’s perfect to use to style with heat styling tools. I let my hair air dry completely and gently wrap sections of my hair on a curling iron. I like the Hot Tools Professional 24K Gold curling iron in the 1 ¼ inch size. I try to focus on creating loose waves rather than tight curls so I forgo the clamp. I leave my hair wrapped around the wand for about 15 seconds and continue the process around my head.
After 10 minutes, I lightly mist on a wave activating spray to softly hold waves. I have yet to find a great hairspray, if you have recommendations then drop them below. My favorite wave spray at the moment is the Ouai Wave Spray. My first time trying it, I don’t notice any crunchy, gritty residue on my hair which is typical of these types of sprays. I did notice it left a soft sheen and no matter what the San Francisco wind threw at my hair, I was able to fix it with a quick toss and finger comb. The smell is also amazing, not a faux coconut and sea salt tanning lotion scent. I would recommend starting lightly and a good 8 inches away from strands. It’s a bit easy to go heavy handed, at least that’s my experience with sprays.
During the week, if I notice my hair a bit limp or flat around the roots then I reach for Drybar’s The Kicker Finishing Spray Wax. I spray from afar and mist where I need a boost. I focus mostly on pieces that frame my face and a hit a dash on my roots. It refreshes waves during the week and greats volume if a ponytail is in order. I also like to use the spray wax if my hair is a bit (a lot) oily, it adds a matte finish to my hair. It makes my classic “undone” style a bit more put together and less greaseball extraordinaire whether grabbing a tea with my friends or grabbing multiple pints of ice cream from Walgreens in sweatpants.
