14 Very Best Products for Styling Wavy Hair

Finding a shampoo that effectively cleanses without stripping waves of their natural moisture is essential in any shampoo, especially for wavy hair. This one from OurX is formulated to not only avoid stripping the hair, but also to replenish and deliver moisture in the form of squalane and peptides.

Wright loves that it "cleanses the hair while providing moisture, which preps the hair for styling," he says. With 4.9 stars, most online reviewers also love the shampoo, but one does note that it irritated their sensitive scalp, so take caution if your skin is sensitive or easily reactive.

Our experts recommend a lightweight conditioner for waves so they don't look and feel too heavy. Cavalcante likes this one from Tracee Ellis Ross's beauty brand in particular, sharing that it's "perfect for thin wavy hair, offering excellent moisturization without weighing down the hair," he says. He also likes the light, fresh, floral fragrance, though some online reviewers find the floral scent a little overpowering.

Formulated with vegan squalane, you can trust this mask will leave your hair feeling smooth and hydrated after use. Though there are few products created specifically for wavy hair, "this mask hits it out of the park," raves GH Beauty Director April Franzino. "It leaves my waves so soft, flowing and defined after I air dry that I can get away without using styling products." However, a few online reviewers disagree, sharing that their hair felt stringy and straw-like after.

For those looking for a more flexible hold, this styling spray is a great option: Wright even calls it his "new favorite product for wavy hair." It can be used as a scrunching product if you apply it after leave-in conditioner and scrunch your ends after use, but Wright also likes using it as a finishing hairspray.

"It helps enhance wave and reduces frizz," he says. But if you're using it as a hairspray, he loves that "it has a flexible hold without the crunchy feel." Some online reviewers wish it worked better in humid weather, but if you're looking for a humidity-proof product, an anti-frizz or stronger hold hairspray may be the best choice for you.

Infused with coconut oil, hibiscus flower extract and more delectable ingredients, this tropical-scented "smoothie" is widely-loved.

GH Commerce Editor Jacqueline Saguin incorporated the styling cream to repair her natural wave pattern. "Its creamy consistency isn't heavy, but I still use a light hand when scrunching it into the ends of my hair — a little bit goes a long way," she says. "It has enhanced my waves and has made it easy for me to embrace my natural hair texture." Take note that some online reviewers complain of a greasy feeling in their hair after use.

Add a little extra oomph to your waves with this three-in-one texturizing, volumizing and refreshing (read: can act like a dry shampoo!) spray from Drybar. Offered in three scents, Franzino reaches for the brand's classic, creamy Blanc option when her waves go limp.

"It boosts bend and fullness, yet leaves no residue or crunchy feel like others can," she raves. One of our other editors also loves the long-lasting fragrance this leaves on her waves. Online reviewers note that it's pricey, but many feel it's worthy of the investment.

A true multitasker, Pantene's deep conditioner can do it all, from boosting shine to restoring smoothness — even in the winter. Thanks to added lipids and antioxidants, it claims to help make hair stronger and healthier too. One of our beauty editors swears by this product, using it after every shampoo.

"I cannot tell you how many compliments I've gotten on my hair since I started using this deep conditioner," she says. "I have thick, wavy, frizzy hair and this makes it more manageable, shiny and smooth. Plus, it fights off static in the winter months." Some online reviewers find it weighs their hair down, but our editor didn't experience this.

Zhuzh up your hair and extend your blowout with this innovative dry shampoo powder from Odele. Rather than an aerosol, the powder can be applied at the root of your hair and massaged throughout your strands. Cavalcante recommends this product "despite an initial adjustment to the pump dispenser," he says. He appreciates that it "adds volume to roots without leaving white patches on dark hair," he adds.

Spray this easy-to-use, lightweight leave-in conditioner on your waves. It contains conditioning, hydrating ingredients like vitamin E and panthenol to quench even the thirstiest of strands. Saguin also enjoys using this product on her damp hair to "help detangle texture while drying." The spray bottle design makes it easy to evenly distribute product, but do take note that a few Sephora reviewers complained that it left behind a strong flowery scent they didn't love.

Smoothing argan oil is featured in Garnier's styling cream, a GH Beauty Lab anti-frizz test winner that also provides heat protection up to 450°F. Developed to smoothly blow dry hair, it performed well for keeping users' strands polished with no greasiness or stickiness.

The price-friendly buy scored high with testers, who found it smoothed hair and fended off frizz immediately after application. Despite its effectiveness, one tester with thick, wavy hair noted that it's so lightweight that "you wouldn't even know I had product on." Because this product is designed specifically for blow drying hair, it won't work very well if you're air drying.

Fekkai's leave-in cream is both a top performer in the GH Beauty Lab's anti-frizz product testing and one of Franzino's all-time favorites for smoothing her wavy, damaged hair. It scored well in Lab evaluations for both minimizing frizz and softening hair. "Not only was my hair frizz-free, it was soft, manageable and looked healthier," a tester shared. However, some online reviewers feel that the formula is heavy and leaves a greasy residue on hair.

Created specifically with textured hair in mind (making it great for curls and waves), this lightweight, airy foam earned a GH Beauty Award and was loved by both testers and experts alike. "It didn't make hair feel crunchy," one tester noted.

Another remarked that it "really accentuates your natural curl pattern while keeping it volumized and less frizzy." Experts loved it as well, with a professional hairstylist panel rating it best at defining and holding curls in place and for enhancing hair’s movement. While some online reviewers love this product's scent, some of the stylists disagreed, stating that it was overly floral and too strong.

The name John Frieda has become synonymous with anti-frizz products. This extra-strength anti-frizz serum, a GH Beauty Award winner, gets an upgrade from the original with advanced ingredients and packaging that doesn’t sacrifice its proven performance, our Beauty Lab evaluations found. "It defines and smooths my frizzy waves and baby hairs," says GH's former Beauty Lab Executive Director Birnur Aral, Ph.D. One downside: online reviewers report that it leaves their hands feeling greasy, so you may want to wash your hands after application.

A favorite of GH Editorial Assistant Adrianna Freedman, Garnier's well-priced product doubles as a leave-in conditioner and smoothing styler. "My hair texture is an odd mix of both wavy and curly hair, meaning it frizzes like crazy and I have a hard time controlling it," says Freedman. "This product saves me every time I use it with wet or dry hair.

"The drugstore buy proved to fight frizz, with Beauty Lab data evaluation finding that among women with frizzy hair, 84% reported their hair felt smoother and 80% felt that it did not look frizzy after use. Freedman notes that the product is a thicker cream, which she likes, but if you prefer a more lightweight consistency, you won't find that here.