If you have naturally long wavy hair...

[FlatteredRhubardFool]

...how do you dry it? Style it? What products do you use? Mine is slightly wavy and prone to looking tatty as I'm usually windswept when not in lockdown. I love to make the most of it when I eventually get to a hairdresser and have something more polished or at least less tatty. My hair is quite fine but there's lots of it. Photo attached of it brushed to within an inch of its life by dd but gives the idea on the paucity of wave when brushed. Diffuser and mousse equals 80s extravaganza by the way it's about halfway down my back in length.

This photo has also failed to show the actual colour and looks washed out matches my face!

Personally I would cut off quite a bit, 4-5 inches. That would tidy it up & encourage the wave as it won't be so heavy

Do you have layers at the front? You may benefit from using a tong at the front

Have a look at the curly girl method online and give that a go. You hair may surprise you!

My hair is very similar, game changer for me was getting it cut into a bob, between chin and shoulder length (although it’s sitting in my shoulders now because I’ve not managed to get to hairdressers). I was so unsure about getting it done but the difference in the curl and how much neater it looks is incredible. I wash most days and then just scrunch and leave to dry.

I agree with @gasgig. I think a trim would really help.

My hair is similar and I do very little to it. I air dry and brush through while damp but not sopping wet. I use argan oil occasionally and dry shampoo (on clean hair) for a bit of volume.

I agree a trim is probably needed, mine is bra length and layered.

For nicest waves, I brush before washing, wash with a gentle shampoo, use Kind Natured atm, use conditioner then leave to dry naturally (if I have time). If I have to I very gently blow dry (as little as possible).

There's no layers anymore but I used to have them. Yes, a cut would be great but as far as I know the hairdressers are all shut. I'm Shielded too so won't be getting it cut for a long time by the looks of things. Sometimes I straighten it but not overly so. If I do it's very smooth and soft but I like it wavy too.

I have been cutting my own hair for nearly 20 years... I had a rush of blood after this thread and decided to cut a few inches off... after 3 glasses of gin. My god 😂 thank goodness we’re locked down. I was going to suggest you do it yourself op, but now I’m not so sure.

Have you tried Boots Curl Creme? I have wavy hair and this works really well to enhance them. Use a pea sized blob of it and warm it up in your hands, then finger comb it through wet hair and you can also scrunch in some gel on top for extra hold.

I put some argan oil on when wet and comb it through then air dry, or dry in a plait.

@Starlight39 I have very similar hair to the OP and have been doing similar to you for the last 4 years, my hair is massively improved, so much less frizzy. It only looks really curly straight after washing though. Also, I dry mine in an outsized cotton t shirt as you’re meant to avoid terry towels, and that too seems to help.

@Starlight39 which leave in conditioner do you use? I've found it hard to find one that isn't too heavy.

CWC with Curly girl approved products- fit me that’s Faith in Nature Coconut Conditioner then Faith in Nature Coconut shampoo then Faith in Nature Fragrance Free conditioner.
I use an Urtekram leave-in spray conditioner after each wash, one of the ones with hyaluronic acid in to hydrate the hair (so Rose or Winterberry) , and seal the mid-lengths/ends with prickly pear oil.
Each week I do one deep treatment, a rotation of the following:
Olaplex 0 and 3 -brushing can break bonds in fine hair even if it’s not coloured.
Rhatma Anti-Shock-for protein
Christophe Robin Prickly Pear Oil mask for moisture.
For a while I used Christophe Robin Hyrdrating mask as part of that rotation (so ai had bond repair, protein infusion, hydration and moisturising steps) but now I just use the Urtekram Spray daily between washes (again sealing ends with prickly pear oil).
Every few months I do a deep hot oil soak with Prickly Pear oil.
Wash every 3 days, sometimes 2, sometimes 4, depends how it feels.
Air dry only.
Brush when damp/wet with tangle teaser shower brush.
Brush when dry with tangle teaser finishing brush.
Hundred strokes each night with large natural and nylon bristle brush, and also use same brush to style/finish hair.
Space buns to accentuate waves if that’s what I want.
Get a trim very infrequently, I get razor cuts on ends if I want those little spirals curls at the bottom, but retain enough weight to pull most of hair straight is most of time.

Oh and the Long Hair Community Forums
forums.longhaircommunity.com/forum.php
are pretty much the font of all knowledge as regards hair care.

I wash and condition with Herbal Essences Bourbon and Manuka at the moment. (This is my acceptable one at the moment - have yet to find a perfect one).
Blot the water out gently with a towel and apply Argan Oil on hands and comb through.
Then I dry the fringe and twist the rest into spirals and let it dry, then run my fingers through with a bit more Argan oil if necessary.

I find the central heating really takes its toll this time of year.

curly girl method would be dreamy on your hair op. have a look at @powerdomi on instagram - her hair texture in the photos of before she started the curly method is very similar to yours now, and in her story highlights she has some really good tips on styling product application techniques and diffusing.

I agree that a cut wouldn't go amiss, I don't know if it's just the photo you put up, but on the back view of your hair it looks like there has been a fair bit of breakage on your right side, possibly from handbag strap or seat belt damage. But that's not something that you can address until after lockdown.

the long hair forum linked above is very good. lots of ideas for easy updos that won't damage your hair or give you tension headaches. If you don't mind using animal products, horn hair forks/sticks are very good once you get the hang of using them. you can get wooden ones too, but the horn ones are best because horn is made of keratin and so is hair so they glide in nicely and cause less damage.

@XazieRose I have found my way after years of experimentation to a similar routine to yours, I likeFaith in Nature and I have discovered Shaeri products ( Christmas present) , I use the prickly pear mask, I like it so far. My hair is so much better since I ditched the silicones.

Oh gosh, so many ideas and products to try!
I do have some John Frieda curl creme I can try for a start.

I've ordered some Noughty hello waves shampoo and conditioner. I've been putting argan oil and curling creme on snd twisting it in sections when wet and leaving to dry which has improved the waves significantly. It's far from great but it is much better.

I have some long layers. When it's wet I use Aussie 'Work That Curl' serum which I just scrunch in and it dries nice and wavy and smooth. When I haven't washed my hair, I wet it a little by running wet fingers through, then again scrunch with the serum. It looks even better when I do that. I often think it's not probably a real method but it's cheap and easy and gives the results I want.

I really don't like the smell of the noughty. It's far too strong. I'm hoping it does wonderful things though as wasn't cheap.

Your hair is very similar to mine, although mine is a few inches shorter, but also fine with lots of it and a natural wave.

The best product I found was Garnier Banana Hair Food dabbed onto dry hair. Amazingly it didn’t make my hair greasy or weigh it down but it gave great definition to the waves and stopped it frizzing. You can also use it as a regular conditioner or a mask, although neither of those worked for me, but it’s so cheap it could be worth a try.

That said, in the end I went for a keratin blow dry as the highlights I had really dried my hair out, so now it’s super shiny and sleek with just a hint of a wave which I love.

I like the banana stuff. I've never put it on to define though. I'll try that, thanks.

I discovered it by accident one day as I’d run out of serum, but it worked really well, especially if I scrunched slightly.