How to Get Wavy Hair for Guys: From Straight to Textured

7 min read · Glowmaxx

How to get wavy hair for guys depends on where you're starting. If your hair goes a bit bendy when it air-dries, you probably have hidden waves and just need to stop brushing them out. If it's pin-straight, you can fake texture with a twist-and-dry method or sea salt spray, and if you want waves that last months, a perm is the only real "permanent" option.

Not sure if your hair is actually the thing holding your photos back? Glowmaxx scores your hair as its own lever from one selfie and tells you what to change today. Start my glow-up

Do you have hidden waves?

Loads of guys with "straight" hair actually have 2A or 2B waves (the loose S-shape end of the hair-type chart). They never see them because of three habits: short cuts, brushing dry hair, and towel-scrubbing.

Quick test to check if you have wavy hair:

1. Wash your hair and put in conditioner. Rinse with cool-ish water.
2. Squeeze (don't rub) the water out with a T-shirt.
3. Don't touch it. No comb, no hands, no hat. Let it air-dry completely.
4. Look in the mirror.

Length matters too. Hair under about two inches on top doesn't have room to bend. If you're rocking a short crop and want waves, you may need to grow the top out for a couple of months first.

Bringing out natural waves

This is how to get wavy hair men naturally, with basically zero effort once it's a habit.

Stop the wave-killers

• Ditch 2-in-1 every day. Harsh daily shampoo strips the oil that helps waves clump. Shampoo two or three times a week; condition every time.
• No brushing dry hair. Brushing breaks up the wave pattern into fluff. Use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb in the shower only.
• No towel-scrubbing. Rubbing roughs up the hair and gives frizz instead of waves. Squeeze with a T-shirt instead. (Full breakdown in our guide on how to fix frizzy hair for guys.)

The natural wave routine

1. Shampoo (if it's a wash day), then condition and leave it in for a minute.
2. While hair is soaking wet, rake a pea-sized bit of leave-in or light cream through the lengths.
3. Scrunch upward: cup the ends in your palm and push up toward your scalp a few times.
4. Air-dry and don't touch it until fully dry. Touching wet waves is how you get frizz.
5. Once dry, "scrunch out the crunch" if a product made it stiff.

That's how to get wavy hair men without products too, honestly: steps 1, 3 and 4 with no cream still work on a lot of heads. The product just makes waves hold longer.

Making straight hair wavy

If the test showed straight hair, you can still get wavy textured hair. You're making the shape, not revealing it, so it lasts until your next wash.

The twist method (no heat)

1. Start with damp hair, not dripping.
2. Mist on sea salt spray or a texture spray.
3. Grab one-inch sections and twist each one away from your face.
4. Let them dry fully (a diffuser on low heat speeds it up).
5. Break the twists apart gently with your fingers.

This is the easiest way to make wavy hair men with straight hair. It works best with at least three inches on top.

The overnight method

Want to know how to get wavy hair overnight, guys? Twist damp hair into three or four big twists, or put it into a couple of loose buns if it's long enough. Sleep on it, unravel in the morning, add a bit of cream, done. It's a lazy method for Monday mornings before school or a shift.

What about heat?

Flat irons and curling wands can make waves, but daily heat without protection dries hair out fast. If you do it, use a heat protectant and keep it to special occasions (formal, prom, a wedding), not every weekday.

Products that help (and cheap swaps)

You don't need a 12-step shelf. One or two of these is enough:

Keep product amounts tiny. Too much makes waves look greasy or stiff in photos. A pea to a small coin size is plenty for most guys.

Wavy hair for Black men and 360 waves

If you're searching how to get wavy hair black men, you probably mean 360 waves, which is a different technique: short hair, a pomade or wave cream, brushing daily in a pattern, and a durag at night to "lock in" the pattern. People call the dedicated grind "wolfing" and "wave sessions." It takes weeks of consistent brushing, and a barber who knows waves can give you a cut that sets you up for it.

Should you get a perm?

A perm is the answer to how to get wavy hair men permanently. A salon uses rods and a chemical solution to reshape the hair, and the wave grows out with your hair over a few months.

Worth it if:

• You've tried twists and sea salt spray and your hair still drops straight in an hour.
• You want the "effortless flow" or textured crop look every day without styling.
• You're 18+ or have a parent on board (it costs real money and many salons want consent for minors).

Not worth it if:

• Your hair is damaged, bleached or very thin.
• You just want waves for one event.
• You haven't found a stylist who's done guys' perms before. Ask to see their work first.

"Texture perm" (looser, messier) is usually what guys want over a classic tight perm. Say the word "loose" a lot during the consultation.

Keeping waves overnight

You got the waves. Now keep them to day two:

• Silk or satin pillowcase. Less friction means less frizz and flattening.
• Loose "pineapple." Longer hair can go up in a loose top knot so you don't crush it.
• Durag or wave cap for 360 waves or short textured hair.
• Morning refresh. Mist with water, scrunch up, let dry. If it's a disaster, see our bed head fix.

The tricky part with waves isn't the routine, it's knowing if it's working. Mirror you says "fire," the group chat pic says "mid." Glowmaxx scores your hair from the same kind of daily selfie, 1-10 with a one-line note, and the same photo always gets the same score, so you can compare sea salt week vs cream week instead of guessing. Start my glow-up

Your waves, tracked from day one

Now you know how to get wavy hair for guys, whatever you're starting with. In the next minute, Glowmaxx can score one selfie on hair plus four other levers you can change, give you a glow score out of 100, and hand you three moves for today aimed at your weakest one. Keep a day-one photo and in a few weeks you'll get a day-one vs today card that shows whether the waves were worth it.

Start my glow-up

FAQ

How to get wavy hair men from straight hair?

Use the twist method: damp hair, sea salt spray, twist small sections, let them dry fully, then break them apart. It lasts until your next wash. For waves that last months on straight hair, a perm is the only real option.

How to get wavy hair men short?

Short hair needs about two to three inches on top to show a wave. Ask your barber to keep length on top and take the sides shorter, then scrunch in a bit of cream or sea salt spray while damp. For very short hair, 360 waves are a different route with brushing and a durag.

Can boys get wavy hair naturally without products?

Yes, if you have hidden waves. Condition every wash, squeeze water out with a T-shirt instead of a towel, scrunch upward and let it air-dry without touching. Plenty of guys see waves just from dropping the brush and the towel-scrub.

What does Reddit say about how to get wavy hair for guys?

The same advice keeps coming up in threads: stop shampooing daily, condition, try sea salt spray, and grow it out longer than feels comfortable. The mistake people admit most is giving up during the awkward in-between length.

How long does it take to get wavy hair?

Twist and sea salt spray methods work the same day. Bringing out natural waves usually gets better over a few weeks as your hair recovers from daily shampoo and brushing. 360 waves take weeks of daily brushing.