Learning how to get wavy hair for men means understanding that results come from structure—not shortcuts. With the right cut, targeted products, and smart technique, any man can create waves that look natural but stay defined.
At Beard Beasts, we believe great grooming is a matter of strategy—not guesswork. If you’re ready to elevate your hair with shape, texture, and refined control, this is where it starts.
The Foundation: Cut, Length, and Clean Hair
Before you can style waves, your hair needs the right structure. Medium length—around 3 to 5 inches—is ideal for shaping defined waves without adding weight or frizz. A layered cut encourages movement and prevents the hair from sitting flat.
Avoid blunt ends or heavy bulk at the sides. Ask your barber for soft texture and natural flow—this gives waves space to form without looking forced.
Start with clean, product-free hair. Use a lightweight shampoo regularly, and a clarifying one weekly to remove buildup. Hair should be damp—not dripping—before applying product or styling.
How To Get Wavy Hair For Men: The Most Effective Techniques
Wavy hair doesn’t happen by chance—it’s the result of choosing the right technique for your hair type, length, and desired look.
These five methods are time-tested, effective, and designed to give men structure, shape, and natural movement without unnecessary complexity.
Scrunching for Natural Texture
Scrunching helps activate texture in damp hair by encouraging natural wave formation through motion—not heat or tension. It’s one of the easiest ways to introduce movement without overstyling.
Best for:
Men with straight to slightly wavy hair who want a relaxed, effortless look. Ideal for medium-length styles where volume and light texture are the goal.
How to do it:
Towel-dry hair until just damp. Apply a sea salt spray or lightweight styling cream throughout. Then, use your hands to scrunch upward from the ends toward the roots in sections. Let your hair air-dry or use a diffuser on low heat to lock in the wave.
Sea Salt Spray Styling
Sea salt spray builds texture, adds body, and enhances separation—giving flat or lifeless hair a defined wave structure. It’s ideal for creating that lived-in, natural finish without weight.
Best for:
Men with fine, straight, or flat hair who struggle with volume or shape. Also great for oily scalps, as salt adds a subtle matte effect.
How to do it:
Start with towel-dried hair. Spray evenly from mid-length to ends. Scrunch sections upward or use your fingers to twist and shape the hair. Let it air-dry or use a diffuser if you want stronger hold.
Pro recommendation: For best results, use Beard Beasts Sea Salt Spray—formulated for men who want clean texture and wave definition without residue.
Heat Styling with a Diffuser
A diffuser disperses heat gently, encouraging wave formation without disturbing the natural pattern. It creates more controlled, longer-lasting texture than air-drying alone.
Best for:
Men with slightly wavy or thick, straight hair who want consistent definition and volume. Particularly useful for managing frizzy hair and shaping layers.
How to do it:
Apply a curl-enhancing cream or wave foam to damp hair. Attach a diffuser to your blow dryer, set it to low or medium heat, and dry hair in sections, cupping the diffuser upward toward the scalp. Avoid touching the hair until it’s dry to prevent frizz.
Twisting Your Hair to Create Waves
Twisting shapes damp hair into soft, uniform waves without using heat or tools. It creates consistent, natural-looking movement and is ideal for overnight wave setting.
Best for:
Men with medium to longer hair lengths looking for a low-effort, heat-free technique. It also suits dry, coarse hair types that need structure without frizz.
How to do it:
After applying a light styling cream or leave-in conditioner to damp hair, divide it into sections. Twist each section tightly from root to tip, then let it air-dry completely or leave them in overnight. Once dry, gently separate the twists with your fingers.
Flat Iron or Curling Wand Waves
This method offers precision and control—great for styling sharp, intentional waves with structure. It’s ideal when natural techniques don’t hold or for moments that demand a cleaner finish.
Best for:
Men with stubborn straight hair or those looking to refine their style for a formal event, shoot, or night out. Best used sparingly for style-specific situations.
How to do it:
Start with dry hair and apply a heat protectant. Take small sections and use a flat iron to glide down the strand, angling slightly at the mid-length to create a soft bend.
Alternatively, wrap sections loosely around a curling wand for a more relaxed shape. Finish with a matte product to hold the wave in place.
Each of these methods offers a reliable, expert-backed approach to how to get wavy hair for men—the key is choosing the one that fits your hair type, styling routine, and personal standard of grooming.
Best Products for Creating and Holding Waves
The right technique means nothing without the right products. Building waves that last requires formulas that enhance texture, reduce frizz, and offer control without weight or shine.
These are the essentials every man should have on hand when shaping a defined, wavy style.
Sea Salt Spray
Sea salt spray is the foundation of wave creation. It adds grit and separation while lifting the roots for volume.
Use Beard Beasts Sea Salt Spray to create clean, natural waves with zero stickiness and a matte, lived-in finish.
Styling Cream or Mousse
These lightweight products shape the wave without making it stiff. They provide soft hold and moisture, allowing the hair to move naturally while staying in place. Ideal for men who want touchable texture without shine.
Matte Hair Clay
For more defined waves and controlled texture, matte clay offers the hold you need without the gloss you don’t. It’s perfect for finishing a wavy look with clean edges and low-maintenance structure.
Use Beard Beasts Matte Hair Clay to give your waves a natural finish with medium hold that lasts all day—without weighing the hair down.
Leave-In Conditioner
Frizz is the enemy of clean wave definition. A quality leave-in conditioner hydrates the hair, smooths the cuticle, and maintains softness throughout the day. It’s especially effective when used before twisting or scrunching techniques.
Heat Protectant Spray
If you’re using a flat iron, curling wand, or diffuser, heat protection is non-negotiable. A proper protectant shields the hair from damage and ensures the wave sets cleanly without dryness or breakage. Use it every time you apply direct heat.
With the right product routine, you don’t just learn how to get wavy hair—you learn how to make it last.
How To Maintain Wavy Hair Daily
Waves don’t stay sharp by accident—they require daily attention that preserves shape, prevents frizz, and keeps texture intact.
With the right habits, your style stays defined from morning to night without unnecessary rework.
Avoid Overwashing
Frequent washing strips away the natural oils that give waves flexibility and hold. Stick to washing two or three times per week using a sulfate-free or lightweight shampoo. This helps your wave structure stay intact while keeping the scalp balanced.
Always rinse with cool water to tighten the cuticle and reduce unwanted puff or frizz after washing.
Refresh, Don’t Restyle
There’s no need to rework your hair from scratch every morning. Use a water mist or leave-in conditioning spray to rehydrate the existing shape. Lightly scrunch or twist sections to reactivate wave definition, then let it air-dry or finish with low diffuser heat.
This approach maintains style memory without adding weight or product buildup.
Comb with Caution
Brushing dry wavy hair destroys the pattern and invites frizz. Instead, detangle only when hair is damp using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. This keeps the wave structure clean and controlled without breaking up the flow.
Be intentional—groom to preserve shape, not flatten it.
Sleep Smart
How you sleep has a direct effect on how your waves look the next morning. Cotton pillows create friction that causes frizz, breakage, and flattening. Swap to a silk or satin pillowcase to minimize tension and preserve texture.
For medium to longer hair, loosely tie it back at night to avoid tangling and maintain wave alignment.
Style with Control
Daily styling is about maintenance, not overload. Apply a small amount of sea salt spray, matte clay, or styling cream to redefine areas that need structure. Avoid stacking fresh product over old buildup—reset your hair every few days for a cleaner finish.
Consistency is key. Control comes from understanding how much is enough.
With the right habits in place, your waves will stay defined, controlled, and consistently sharp—no matter the day.
Common Mistakes That Prevent Waves
Getting waves is one thing—keeping them sharp is another. Missteps in product use, technique, or daily care can flatten your progress and leave your hair looking undefined or unruly.
These are the mistakes that quietly undermine even the best styling routines.
Using Too Much Product
Overloading your hair with product weighs it down and kills texture. Waves need space to form, not heaviness to fight through. Start light and layer only if necessary—less is usually more when defining movement.
Skipping Heat Protection
If you’re using a diffuser, flat iron, or curling wand without heat protection, you're damaging your hair structure every time. This leads to dryness, and a reduced ability to hold shape. A single layer of protectant makes all the difference.
Styling on Soaking Wet or Bone-Dry Hair
Your hair should be damp—never dripping wet or completely dry—when applying product or shaping waves. Too wet, and the product dilutes. Too dry, and nothing sets. Damp hair is the sweet spot for hold, structure, and shape memory.
Brushing After Styling
Brushing or combing dry, styled waves breaks the pattern and leads to frizz. Once your waves are set, keep the brush away. Use your fingers to adjust or separate sections without disturbing the overall form.
Ignoring Build-Up
If you’re refreshing daily without rinsing or cleansing between, product will accumulate and dull your results. Build-up flattens texture, attracts oil, and leaves your waves lifeless. Clarify weekly and reset your styling base as needed.
Wrong Haircut for Texture
Heavy weight lines, blunt ends, or bulky sides work against wave formation. If your cut isn’t built to encourage movement, even the best technique will fall short. Always opt for a layered, textured cut that creates space for waves to form naturally.
Waves aren’t built on effort alone—they hold their shape when every step, cut, and product is used with intention.
FAQ: Wavy Hair For Men
These are the most common questions men ask when trying to build and maintain wavy hair. Clear answers, smart grooming logic—no fluff.
How can I make my hair wavy as a guy?
Start with a layered cut that supports movement, then use a technique like scrunching, sea salt spray, or twisting on damp hair. Consistency, not guesswork, is what creates lasting results.
Can guys with straight hair get waves?
Yes—with the right method, even naturally straight hair can develop controlled waves. Sea salt spray, diffuser drying, and twisting are all effective strategies for introducing texture.
How do I train my hair to be wavy?
Waves form through repetition. Regularly use a wave-setting technique on damp hair, avoid overbrushing, and use light hold products to shape and lock the pattern.
How to get wavy hair naturally?
Let your hair air-dry after applying sea salt spray or styling cream, and scrunch lightly to encourage bend and movement. Avoid heat tools if you’re focusing on a natural finish.
Can you get waves by just brushing?
Brushing alone won’t create waves—and may actually flatten them. Texture forms through moisture, product, and shaping techniques, not traditional combing or brushing.
Can men get a wavy perm?
Yes, a perm can create permanent waves—but it’s a chemical process and requires commitment. It’s best for men who want long-term texture without daily styling.
Getting answers is the easy part—what matters is how you apply them to build a style that looks deliberate, not accidental.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to get wavy hair for men isn’t about following trends—it’s about applying smart grooming strategy with precision. The right cut, the right products, and a consistent technique create waves that are controlled, clean, and intentional.
What separates temporary texture from lasting definition is consistency and care. When you approach your style with purpose, your waves don’t just look better—they reflect a higher standard of grooming that sets you apart.
