When you’re working with medium-length wavy hair there are two main issues to keep in mind: moisture and weight. Wavy hair is one category of curly hair, which always needs more moisture than other hair textures, especially in Denver’s dry environment. Dry wavy hair tends to lose its curl pattern and look limp and frizzy. At the same time, the longer your hair gets, the more weight it will have. That weight pulls on your waves and makes them straighter, with less volume. Medium-length is often the sweet spot for women with wavy hair. It gives you enough length to really enjoy your waves but not too much weight. To keep the body and motion in wavy hair, you’ll want to concentrate on products for medium-length wavy hair. Look for serums and shampoos with a lot of nourishing moisture and styling products with lightweight, curl-friendly hold.
Maintain Moisture to Protect Your Waves
Keeping your hair healthy and your waves bouncy starts with cleansing and conditioning. Many people with wavy hair find that shampooing every other day helps maintain their hair’s wave pattern. Depending on your hair texture, you can even go as many as three days between shampoos. Just rinse your hair on the “off” days. When you do wash your hair, a mild shampoo and conditioner, such as Repair-Me.Wash and Repair-Me.Rinse from Kevin Murphy will gently clean your hair without stripping moisture, while adding strength and moisture.
After you wash your hair, avoid drying it with terry cloth towels. Toweling your hair dry can rough up your hair’s cuticle and lead to frizz. Instead, blot your hair dry gently with a microfiber towel. For an extra dose of smoothing support, try a scalp serum such as Initialiste by Kérastase. Apply it to your scalp when your hair is damp to boost strength and softness, reducing breakage by 93%.
Look for Lightweight Styling Products
The ideal styling products for medium-length wavy hair have rich ingredients that support the health of your hair without being heavy. To support the entire wave pattern, you’ll want to apply your styling product to the whole length of your hair. Without a lightweight, flexible hold, this can either leave your hair limp and weighed down, or give you crunchy, stiff waves. We love Kevin Murphy’s Easy.Rider, a styling creme that activates curl while fighting frizz. The flexible hold gives your hair natural body and motion.
No matter what, avoid brushing your hair when it’s dry. This will break up the wave pattern, leaving your hair frizzy and your waves irregular. Try finger-combing to gently smooth your waves. If you’re not shampooing every day and second-day waves seem a little limp, Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray is an excellent alternative to dry shampoo. Polymers absorb scalp oils at the roots, while it gives texture and lift for a freshened, energized look.
Repair Your Hair with Special Treatments
Protecting wavy hair from getting dry and brittle can be difficult, particularly during Denver’s dry, harsh winter months. The longer wavy hair gets, the more at risk it is from getting dehydrated and fragile. So even medium-length waves sometimes need extra attention. Regular deep conditioning treatments will drench your strands with moisture to keep your waves glossy and soft. Gold Lust effective Masque from Oribe has restorative extracts, including white tea, baobab, and jasmine, and powerful conditioning to leave your hair soft, brilliantly shiny, and full of body.
For times when you might need a daily boost of extra protection, such as a ski weekend, a leave-in treatment is a good idea. It will add moisture and create a barrier against the elements. Kevin Murphy’s Leave-In.Repair is free of sulfate and parabens. It is lightweight, yet it reduces breakage and keeps strands silky. Professional gloss treatments can give your hair a deep, healthy shine.
Medium-length wavy hair requires a little extra attention, but it will pay you back with flattering, soft, shiny waves. One of the fun things about wavy hair is that each person’s waves look a little different. With the right products to pamper your unique wave pattern, you can enjoy your hair at its beautiful best.
Deseo Salon & BlowDry has products and professional hair care advice for all hair types, not just products for medium-length wavy hair. Read our tips for short, curly hair here or book an appointment for customized care and advice.
Is medium-length, wavy hair not your hair? Find the right guide for your hair’s length and texture:
- How to Style Short Straight Hair Through Thick and Thin
- 7 Easy Tips and Products for Medium-Length Wavy Hair
- Smooth Your Curls with 7 Sleek Products for Long, Curly Hair
- The Quick Guide to Styling and Products for Short Curly Hair
- Keep It Sleek with 6 Products That Help Style and Maintain Long, Straight Hair
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two main challenges of caring for medium-length wavy hair?
The two primary concerns for medium-length wavy hair are moisture and weight. Wavy hair belongs to the curly hair family and naturally needs more moisture than straight hair, especially in dry climates like Denver’s. Without adequate moisture, wavy hair loses its curl pattern and becomes limp and frizzy. At the same time, as hair grows longer, the added weight pulls the waves down and reduces volume. Medium length is often ideal because it provides enough length to enjoy the waves while minimizing the weight that straightens them out.
How often should I wash medium-length wavy hair?
Many people with wavy hair benefit from shampooing every other day or even every three days. Washing too frequently strips the hair’s natural oils, which are essential for keeping the wave pattern intact and preventing frizz. On days when you skip shampoo, rinsing the hair with water alone is enough to refresh it. Using a gentle, moisturizing shampoo, such as Kevin Murphy’s Repair-Me.Wash, when you do wash helps clean without over-drying the hair.
What is the best way to dry wavy hair to prevent frizz?
Avoid drying wavy hair with a standard terry cloth towel, as the rough texture roughens up the hair cuticle and causes frizz. Instead, blot or scrunch the hair gently with a microfiber towel. Finger-combing through damp hair, rather than brushing, also helps maintain the wave pattern and avoids breaking up the curl. Brushing dry wavy hair is one of the fastest ways to disrupt the wave pattern and create unwanted frizz.
What styling products work best for medium-length wavy hair?
The ideal styling products for wavy hair are lightweight and flexible, rich enough to nourish the hair without weighing down the waves or creating stiffness. Kevin Murphy’s Easy.Rider is a recommended styling cream that activates curl and fights frizz with a natural, flexible hold. For second-day refreshing, Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray is a great alternative to dry shampoo, it absorbs oils and restores texture and lift without the heavy residue of traditional dry shampoos.
Do wavy and curly hair types need deep conditioning treatments?
Yes, regular deep conditioning treatments are especially important for wavy and curly hair, which is naturally drier and more prone to damage. Oribe’s Gold Lust effective Masque is specifically recommended for this purpose, containing restorative extracts of white tea, baobab, and jasmine to leave hair soft, brilliantly shiny, and full of body. For extra protection in harsh weather, such as Denver’s dry winters or a ski weekend, a lightweight leave-in treatment like Kevin Murphy’s Leave-In.Repair provides added moisture and a barrier against the elements.