Advice for thick, wavy hair, please!

[Abitlosttoday]

I have very thick, wavy hair. It's shoulder-length. My hair looks its best when it has just been washed, I've conditioned it heavily with both in-shower conditioner and leave-in, (plus an oil serum, sometimes) and it's two thirds dry. I finger-comb it, scrunch it in my fists lots and leave it in a muslin on my head for an hour or so. I take it out, it looks great, then it finishes drying off and it looks too big, the waves are uneven, there's frizz and it's just a bit unpolished.

It's kind of nice, a bit wild, OK for day-to-day. However, I can't help thinking that there must be some product that would help me keep the 'almost dry' look that suits it best.

Another annoying thing is that the underneath forms better, glossier waves, while the top seems to lose them - maybe because I have some bleach (not loads at all) through the top so it's a bit dryer.

I only wash it once a week, usually. It would be good to know what to do with it between washes too. I tie it back lots because it's so unwieldy! Then I get the big bobble kink and don't want to wear it down. Life is so hard for me... I realise this is very much a first world problem.

My hair can take a lot of product. It's very thick, and reddish in tone, if that makes a difference!? Help and advice please!

Is your hair in good condition? I think salon quality shampoo and conditioner make all the difference - my very thick, slightly wavy hair definitely needed this when it was longer.

I have never found a way to keep the "almost" dry look so instead, put more effort into actually drying it. I tended to let it mostly air dry then blow dry at end, blast with cold, and then some serum or product (hair spray, on hands like a serum, is seriously underrated in my opinion).

Also, layers and thinning were hugely important to keep it from being HUGE.

Thanks SavBlancTonight. I think it is in reasonable condition because I have rarely dyed or bleached it, and I don't use much heat because I don't know what I'm doing. It's definitely strong!

Layers are vital, but thinning has never worked for me. It always leaves the shape a bit odd.

I'll try the drying at the end route. Maybe the hairspray would help hold the waves?

I think I have similar hair to you. I recently had it cut shorter (chin length when dry) and with layers and have received quite a few compliments.

I brush it, wash it, scrunch in some Cantu curl cream (smells incredible) then just comb through with fingers each day.

It looks great on day 1 and then on subsequent days is still a bit wild but just about ok for work. If I want it to be a bit neater I dampen it and scrunch with curl cream again to redefine the curls.

I don’t brush it again until I’m about to wash it.

Oh and I also have straighter hair on top and curls underneath.

Although the whole lot is curlier now that it is shorter, I try to enjoy the benefits of having a ‘straight/wavy’ look with it all down and a ‘curly’ look if I tie the top up.

Not many people get to have both types of hair!

My hair is the same. Looks amazing when damp, frizzy and knotty when dry even though I use good products on it.

I tend to tie it up most days. Mine is wavy, but it has great waves wet and just frizz when dry.

I'm contemplating layers.

I have similar hair I use gel and then blow dry it, scrunching the gel out once it's dry and it leaves it frizz free and defines the curls while still being soft and touchable.
I do this after washing once a week and in between I just run wet fingers through my hair each morning and it revives the gel enough to leave it frizz free.