No secret or trick will teach you how to get waves in one day.
Because...
Waves are natural, but your effort is the force that brings them out. Even after getting waves, you need to groom your hair consistently to stay dapper.
But it’s not rocket science. I’ll show you how to get waves fast on any type or texture of hair - coarse, brittle, or soft.
And while it’s a trend set among black men, folks from other races can also spot 360 waves, with the right direction and dedication on their part.
So let’s get to it.
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The Magic Of Consistency
As I noted earlier, you need to put in some effort if you want waves, especially for a first-timer.
It took over a year of trying before I started seeing signs of 360 waves in my hair. Don’t panic. It won’t take anywhere as long as that if you don’t make the same mistakes.
The single thing I did wrong was not being consistent. Brushing and tying the durag seemed like a chore every other day, oh, and my friends made a joke or two about my purple hair during this time. 🙂
After just a few weeks of just brushing consistently this year, I finally got 360 waves. But I lost all the excitement and wasn’t exactly motivated to continue.
While the end product – waves and complements - is impressive, so is the work that goes into it. With consistency, you can see remarkable progress in less than three weeks.
Are you ready to put in the wave-work for your hair?
Anyone Can Do It
Are you a female? Hispanic? A Caucasian? Asian? Or have thick and coarse hair that hardly ever brushes straight?
And wonder, how do you get waves and how long does it take to get waves?
Well, almost anyone can do it.
The pass is to have curly hair that you can efficiently run a brush through. You don’t have to cut down your hair to the scalp or anything. Once it curls a bit, you’re good to go.
Prepping To Get 360 Waves
Before you start the procedure, you should address any scalp issues. One of the reasons I struggled during my first try at waves was also because I also had recurring fungal infections and a flaky scalp.
But hair issues like dandruff and dry scalp are much more common. Fortunately, you can treat any of them in a few weeks with the appropriate over-the-counter shampoo.
Again...
There’s no point trying to get waves if your scalp isn’t healthy. Aside from the aesthetic value, waves are typically the face of well-groomed hair.
Getting 360 Waves: The Process
That’s enough prepping on things you should do before learning how to get waves in your hair. Now let’s learn how to get waves fast!
Get A Haircut
Although wave experts argue you can get waves with full hair – which is true - the standard is to go for a haircut when you’re just starting. We’ll talk about the best way to get waves with fuller hair or afro deeper in the article.
For now, go to your barbershop – or do it yourself if you can - to get your hair wave-ready. A short crew cut seems to be the favorite for most people, but a simple low cut is okay.
This way, you can work around getting 360 waves, not just atop or no connection on the sides.
Note: you don’t have to cut your hair so low till you see the scalp.
Wash And Set
When I set out to get waves, the first thing I did was buy a Wave Builder Pack consisting of a relaxer and pomade. I’ll tell you right off the bat that it isn’t a necessity.
On the first try, I burnt my scalp with the relaxer, and the pomade was gooey and uncomfortable, especially outdoors.
While I may have messed up this process despite the fancy package, you don’t need all that.
Nonetheless, you can use trusted natural Wave Shampoos like the Wavebuilder Wash In Waves Shampoo.
Shampoo cleanses dirt, pollutants, and oil from your hair, leaving it dry and untenable. To counteract this inevitable effect, a conditioner supplies vital botanical extracts and oils that soften and replenish lost essential oils in your hair.
Applying Shampoo
- Wash out your hair after the haircut with shampoo
- Brush your hair over the shampoo lather
- Reapply shampoo if your hair wasn’t foamy on the first round
- Rinse thoroughly
Applying Conditioner
- Massage a small amount of conditioner in your hair (excluding the scalp)
- Brush the conditioned hair for about 3 minutes, longer if you have coarse hair
- Rinse your hair thoroughly
Carry out this process at least once weekly or bi-weekly, so you don’t strip your hair of essential oils.
Constant Brushing
Brushing is a crucial part of the wave-building process. You can buy all the best products for 360 waves, but anyone that makes a habit of brushing his hair correctly and regularly will get 360 waves faster.
Before you go ahead brushing, here are some “don’ts” of how to brush waves you should know:
- Don’t brush your hair when it’s dry
- Don’t use a brush for waves with worn out or smudged threads
- Don’t brush how your friends brush
To brush your hair for waves, you need to find the crown of your head. It’s typically at the center, but that varies because some people may have it higher up or lower on their head.
Once found, brush the four-directional split of your head – top, sides, and the back of your head downwards.
Again, I found this knowledge a little late into my wave game. So my waves weren’t connecting in a full circle and were particularly only visible at the top of my head.
360 Wave Tips: Use A Hot Towel Before Moisturizing
I trusted my wave relaxer and pomade so much that I ignored other crucial wave techniques.
Using a hot towel to moisturize my hair stood out the most. Soak a hot towel in boiling water, squeeze out nearly all its liquid, massage it over your hair.
Your hair instantly absorbs moisture from the towel, putting it at a vulnerable state to get waves if you brush correctly.
Add Some Lustre
As good as it seems, brushing can damage the scalp and hair follicles, so you need to use moisturizers. In extreme cases – and it gets extreme fast if you have naturally dry hair – bits of dried-out scalp fall off as you brush vigorously.
Old school wave guys swear by petroleum jelly pomades that work, no doubt, but make many people uneasy. Meanwhile, constant use of pomades causes acne and seals moisture out of the hair pores.
A better option is a moisturizer or pomade with aloe vera, shea butter, avocado oil, and/or other essential oils.
Still, you should limit the use of moisturizers or creams to about twice or thrice a week if your hair is healthy. Increase as necessary if you see signs of dehydration or scaling.
Wear A Durag, Fam
A durag isn’t just a fashion accessory but an effective tool to grow waves and in growing an afro, too.
After completing the preceding steps in our wave journey, wearing a durag keeps and enhances their results. It is easy how to put on a durag but it will give your hair more benefits than you expected. It will surely be a surprise on your next wave check.
It holds in the moisture and waves you are able to gather at the time.
It’s even more important during sleep because you are more likely to halt any progress you’ve made when you turn around in bed.
You should wear the durag to sleep, moving around the house, or if you’re out where headgear is accepted. It’s funny because you’d only get to show off the waves you work so hard to maintain on special occasions.
In general, you’d wear this headgear for over eight hours every day. It’s hard at first but becomes routine.
Types Of Durags To Wear To Get Waves
Silk durags do the best job of compressing your hair to get 360 waves and, to some extent, are excellent as a fashion statement. But I recommend them for indoor use.
Velvet durags have a better aesthetic than silk and other types of durags. The outer part is made of more presentable velvet, while the insides comprise a smoother and lighter material.
They sell like hotcakes now, so they can be hard to find.
Maintaining Your New Found 360 Waves
After following the preceding 360 waves tips and techniques, you should see impressive results in a few weeks. But it doesn’t stop there.
You need to set up and follow a maintenance routine if you want to keep your 360 waves intact.
Only Wash From Time to Time
Washing your hair with soap or shampoo regularly – daily, for instance - gives results at odds with your intention. Dermatologists, for one, posit that washing your hair daily takes a toll on not just the hair but the scalp as well.
I recommend washing your hair only once a week for waves, although some experts say three days is okay in general. Even if you have greasy or sweaty hair, you’re better off washing every other day but never daily.
Rinse your hair with water alone. Get over the unsanitary feeling that comes with knowing you’re only doing your hair good. You can even throw on a shower cap if you must, but rinse your hair after you shower.
Regular Brushing Is Inexcusable
As you already know, getting 360 waves is all about brushing. So when they finally come, you should stick to your brushing routine.
Just a reminder, wearing a durag keeps the curl of your waves, but also stops you from having to brush every minute to keep it.
It’s advisable to brush around three times daily but twice is just fine. After your bath in the morning, after a shower at night, and maybe during the day when you’re free.
Keep Your Hair Prim And Fresh
Get your haircut done every three to four weeks, depending on the hairstyle you like to keep. As you can see, maintaining waves is only a rinse and repeat of the initial procedures at regular intervals.
Of course, you should let your barber know you want to keep your waves. If he’s savvy, he’d cut your hair with the grain or direct him/her if otherwise.
How To Get Waves In Your Hair By Wolfing
The wolfing process simply involves taking the traditional steps to get waves, except without a haircut for four to ten weeks. Some folks could take this step a little, but it’s unnecessary, especially if you’re just starting out. So many people did this at the crux of the pandemic because they were no places to go anyways.
Only thing is, you need to start with full hair, about four inches from the scalp, to a wolf.
Extreme brushing. Hard brush to make it penetrate the thicker hair. Forms fresh patterns rather than broken waves that never seem to connect.
Honestly, it’s nothing to worry about. Besides, you’d be wearing a durag almost always, plus the improvements you’d see after the first few weeks should get you going. If you’re adamant about being neat, you can line your hair every other week, but nothing more.
Frequently Asked Questions You Should Know (FAQs)
How Effective Is The Wolfing Technique To Grow Waves?
The wolfing technique for 360 waves is insanely rewarding if you want jaw-dropping 360 waves. It trains your hair to lay down from the root, producing deeper and thicker waves.
It takes much more dedication than the traditional way of getting 360 waves since your hair would be longer. But that’s the more reason it produces better results.
Can You Grow Waves With Any Hair?
Yes, of course, you can, as long as your hair has some curl to it. The next step is to figure out what length your hair will stay straight or not curl no matter how hard you brush.
Once you’ve figured that out, you can grow waves following the process: wash, brush, moisturize, and wear a durag.
What Supplies Are Needed To Grow Waves?
You don’t have to spend much or have much to get waves. For many, you’d only have to buy one or two items off the list to get waves. Here’s a list of things you need to get waves even with straight hair.
- Soft, medium, and hard textured brushes
- Organic moisturizers
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Durags
- A mirror
Read Also: How to Get 180 Waves
Final Thoughts
It’s not so hard to groom fresh 360 waves. All it takes is consistency and dedication to the process on your part. Soon, you’ll flex your waves with the knowledge of how much work you had to put in to get them.
Once you’ve successfully gotten waves, it becomes even easier after a long hiatus. It’s after a situation like this you can get waves as fast as one day.
How long did it take you to get your waves? What problems did you encounter?
We’d love to know all about your 360 waves journey.
