Hair help - weirdly wavy

[SansaClegane]

Hi all,

I need some help with what to do about my hair. It's like I have two types of hair - underneath (around ears and neck) it is quite wavy, almost to the point of curly, but at the top it's straight.
As a result I feel like it always looks a bit shit. I brush it all out, but then I get that bushy Hermione-effect. If I don't brush it to keep the waves, it looks unkempt and straggly. Not to mention it's also very frizzy, especially in the rain!
Any ideas or products I could use? I don't really want to go down the straightening route, as some parts are very dry and prone to breakage anyway.
Attached pictures of washed, unbrushed, air-dried hair.

If you don't want to straighten I'd suggest trying curly girl method. If it's wavy/curly underneath that's likely your 'natural' hair and the top is probably more affected by things like brushing/weather/general exposure which is quite typical of most people's hair (not specifically talking about yours btw!- Lorraine Massey talks about this in her curly girl book). When I first started, the top/back probably looked the least wavy/curly so I'd curl/wave the odd section (I used straighteners) just so it looked a bit more uniform/intentionally wavy. I don't need to do this anymore though as it's generally wavy all over now. With naturally wavy hair there will be a lot of variation in your curl/wave pattern which takes a bit of getting use to compared with "styled waves". I've read the book and on a couple of Facebook groups but I'm not a total slave to the method though - general avoiding silicones, scrunching in gel, diffusing etc

I use the silicone free Alberto balsam conditioner which is cheap and chips, the Umberto Giannini curl jelly and/or shockwaves volume 5 mousse (the green one). All cheap or reasonably priced!

Thank you Blueberry, may I ask what you actually do with the mousse / jelly? I've never used anything and feel like I need a bit of a step-by-step guide.
Will look up curly girl method, I've heard of it before but didn't think it would be useful for me as my hair is only wavy, not curly.

Yes second curly girl. Switch to a silicone free low poo (shampoo without harsh cleaning agents) and curly girl safe conditioner (for example garnier ultimate blends oat variety or almond variety). Low poos are a little more difficult to find but if you join a curly girl fb group they will have suggestions. There's one in Holland and Barrett Dr organics, it's not cheap though compared to many other brands of general shampoo.

My hair is definitely more wavy than curly - don't let the name put you off! Some of the groups/advice is a bit errrr.... intense shall we say! So just keep that in mind I am more guided by it now.... I am sure my hair could be wavier/curlier but I balance it again how long I actually have to spend on my hair (I have small DC) 😂 With the gel some people apply to soaking wet hair in the shower, or I tend to squeeze some of the water out and either smooth the gel through sections of my hair with flat palms and then scrunch it in with fingers and a microfiber hair towel (I use one of those turbie wraps), or just scrunch it in with fingers and then scrunch the curl/wave into my hair with the towel/wrap. It's a bit trial and error with what works. I then scrunch a little bit of mousse on top as I find I get a bit more 'hold' using both. I diffuse, partly because my hair is thick and just never naturally air dries. Once it dries it goes a bit crunchy (called a cast) so I scrunch my hair with either my hands or an old cotton t shirt. If it's a bit frizzy, lube (!) actually works quite well as a kind of serum and is curly girl friendly. Something like KY would work or I use Boots own brand lube as I like the fact it comes in a pump bottle and I can pull the label off so look less like there's bottles of lube on my dressing table/in my wash bag if I'm visiting people

The lube is hilarious! I might go with the more inconspicuous products you listed earlier.
I've found a good "basic guide to CGM" so I think I will definitely give it a go. Still unsure if it wouldn't just look an unkempt mess on me 🤔 but I'll try!

Btw, op. Your hair is a gorgeous colour!

Your hair is similar to mine. Learn to love it as it is.

Get a good haircut from someone who understands wavy hair.

Stay away from the well-known hairdressers. They are expensive and it depends on who cuts it.

Your ideal hairdresser/hair stylist is likely to be older, and will probably have wavy or curly hair.

I'm not being ageist, it's just that straightened hair has been the trend for decades.

Get a diffuser and some curl creme and put it in soaking wet hair and scrunch then diffuse .. practice practice practice , your hair is curly !

Thank you everyone! Just returned from Boots with a load of products I can't wait to try left the lube on the shelf though. Also got a hair turban drying thing and a wide tooth comb. Let's see how this turns out!
Re hairdressers, I only ever get an inch taken off at the ends anyway. I once had one telling me that while my hair was straight, it had the structure of curly hair; but I thought she was mad at the time!

I don't see anything wrong with it, it's quite lovely and a nice natural wave pattern.
usually if I want to alter the 'shape' of my waves I put in two even twists whilst wet.
I think straightening yours would make is dull, I hope you can grow to like it, we are so brainwashed into desiring flattened cardboard hair and shunning anything remotely natural.

Curl Cream and a bit of Gel would give your hair more definition if that's what you are looking for. I have wavy hair myself and like the Flora & Curl range, they are available in Superdrug too. Scrunching really helps too and adding products into your hair when it's wet.

@Pheasantlysurprised

I don't see anything wrong with it, it's quite lovely and a nice natural wave pattern. usually if I want to alter the 'shape' of my waves I put in two even twists whilst wet. I think straightening yours would make is dull, I hope you can grow to like it, we are so brainwashed into desiring flattened cardboard hair and shunning anything remotely natural.

How do you put in two even twists while wet, exactly, please?

My little girl has the same texture, I quite often put it half up half down (so the straighter hair is tied back) to show off the wave. You have lovely hair!

Gorgeous colour.
My texture is the same. I've got some zhoosh foam on the way so will let you know if it's the miracle cure I am after.

You willl need a diffuser to get curls , the normal hairdryer will blow them out .. hope to see how it turns out !

I have simi, but slightly curlier, I use an SLS free shampoo, a solid one, and a silicon free cond. I also do a hair mask once or twice a month. I also have a curl cream from superdrug but I only use that when I go out out.
I never dry my hair, I just let it dry naturally.

Mine would still be next week if I didn't dry it but it is super thick .

wet