If your waves or loose curls fall flat every summer — losing definition by midday, never lasting past wash day — this routine is built specifically for you.

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While I don’t have wavy hair myself, I’ve coached hundreds of clients with all hair types, from 2A to 3C. I’m familiar with the struggles and problems that wavy and loose curls experience, and the patterns are consistent.

In my coaching program, we’ve tested and proven that my Moisture-Hold Balance Framework and Strong Hold Method work.

Both frameworks apply directly to wavy and loose curl hair. They just need specific adjustments — and that’s exactly what this post covers.

This routine uses three to four products. That’s it. The goal is not to make your waves look like curls. The goal is waves that hold through summer humidity.

Why Wavy and Loose Curl Hair Falls Flat in Summer

Wavy hair has less structural integrity than curly hair. The wave pattern is more susceptible to product weight, humidity, and anything that adds softness before the cast forms.

In summer, you’re dealing with all of that at once: sweat, chlorine, salt water, busy schedules, humidity, or dry heat, all of which work against wave longevity. Most wavy routines fail in summer because they were already fragile — summer just exposes the weak points faster.

Step 1: Start With a Strong Shampoo

Wavy adjustment: Waves are susceptible to being weighed down and sometimes becoming oily at the scalp. Avoid conditioning shampoos and mild cleansers.

If you’ve been co-washing or reaching for the gentlest shampoo you can find because you think it’s better for your waves when washing frequently, that’s working against you. Residue from a weak cleanse sits on the strand and competes with your gel before you’ve even started styling.

A strong shampoo gives you a clean slate. Nothing you put on top of buildup is going to hold.

​Maui Moisture Lightweight Hydration + Hibiscus Water Shampoo​

Summer adjustment: Rotate a clarifying shampoo into your routine every two to three wash days. Sweat, sunscreen, chlorine, and salt water accumulate fast in summer — buildup is one of the most common reasons waves stop lasting, and most people never identify it as the problem.

Step 2: Use Less Conditioner Than You Think

Wavy adjustment: Lightweight conditioner, mid-length to ends only, fully rinsed.

The instinct with wavy hair — especially in summer when hair feels dry — is to load up on moisture. But soft is not the goal. Adequate moisture + hold is the goal. Every conditioning agent you apply before gel is competing with your hold.

Wavy hair is easily weighed down. Too much conditioning before the gel step and your waves are already working against themselves.

​Maui Moisture Lightweight Hydration + Hibiscus Water Conditioner​

A note on summer moisture: There’s a common misconception that you need more moisture in summer. You don’t. What you need is adequate moisture for your hair type and more hold. More conditioning before gel means less longevity — in any season, but especially in summer humidity.

Step 3: Prep With Water and One Lightweight Prep Product

Wavy adjustment: Styling with a lot of water will help waves and loose curls clump. Avoid soaking wet styling where your products are dripping out, as this will just over-dilute your products.

Start with evenly, very wet hair, but not dripping. You could not see patchy areas of wet frizz.

Tools needed: Spray bottle or water mister, brush (distribution only), clips (if sectioning).

​Bouclème Flairosol Mist Spray Bottle​

​Tangle Teezer Naturally Curly Detangling Brush​

​Bounce Curl Volume Root Clips​

Apply one lightweight prep product, such as a leave-in conditioner or heat protectant. Avoid heavy products at this step or anything that will make your hair feel super soft and silky.

Best Prep Products for Waves & Loose Curls

When you can skip the leave-in: If your gel already contains moisture or heat protection. The Joico Joigel used in this routine has heat protection built in — which is why it’s skipped here. If your gel doesn’t have it, use a prep product.

After applying your prep product, brush through to distribute the product evenly. This is not a styling step — it’s for even application and to get the hair smoothed out. Keep sectioning simple: two to three sections is enough.

Summer adjustment: Look for a prep product with heat and UV protection, especially if you spend time outdoors. Skip curl cream, mousse, and foam. These add conditioning agents before your cast can form.

Step 4: Apply Gel

This is where most wavy routines go wrong. Curl cream, mousse, and foam are marketed as lightweight and wave-friendly — but they often don’t provide adequate hold, resulting in needing to refresh or touch up daily.

Today, I used the Joico Joigel Firm Styling Gel. This provides a strong hold and some texture while having good slip. This contains heat protection which is why I was able to use it as a one-and-done.

I have noticed that people often have mixed results with this gel. It’s worth experimenting with various gel-to-water ratios. I do not recommend layering anything underneath of it for the best hold.

​Joico Joigel Firm Styling Gel​

How to Choose a Gel for Waves & Loose Curls

What to look for in a gel for wavy hair:

• Strong hold — an essential for longevity
• Texture and grit — this is what gives the wave pattern something to grip
• Adequate conditioning — opt for low conditioning for soft finish hair, medium conditioning for medium to rough finish hair
• Protein (optional) — if your conditioner or prep does not already contain protein, consider a gel with proteins. Proteins can lend structure to fragile waves.

Best Strong Hold Gels for Waves & Loose Curls:

​Click to view table larger & shop​

Summer adjustment: Humidity breaks down hold so waves and loose curls tend to fall out — texture and hold is your defense. A strong cast going into summer humidity means waves survive the day. The more texturizing the formula, the more structure your waves have against humidity.

Download the Anti-Humidity Ingredients Checklist to learn more about what to look for at this step.

Step 5: Smooth First, Then Scrunch

Wavy adjustment: Keep it simple and minimize manipulation. Finger coiling, high tension brush styling, and elaborate sectioning are curly hair techniques. Smooth to tame frizz, scrunch to enhance the wave.

The sequence matters:

• Rake through first — root to tip, every strand. This smooths frizz down before the wave sets so it doesn’t get sealed into the cast.
• Lift — get your hair off your scalp for volume and curl formation at the roots.
• Scrunch last — upward, hold, release. Take your time. This is where waves are won or lost. Wavy hair needs more scrunching than most people give it.

Optional: Praying hands — press palms together around the section and slide down. This is an underrated step for wavy hair specifically. It clumps the wave pattern without disrupting it. Finish with a scrunch.

Summer Adjustment: While you don’t have to spend an excessive amount of time styling your hair, being more intentional with your technique will increase your longevity. Avoid the common mistake of rushing and just scrunching gel straight into frizzy, un-smoothed hair. This will just seal the frizz into the cast.

Step 6: Microplop and Add Extra Gel (optional)

Wavy adjustment: If you styled soaking wet to maximize your wave formation, you need to remove that excess water before drying your hair. Microplop with a microfiber towel or t-shirt, then add a light gel glaze.

Microplopping removes that excess water to significantly speed up your dry time. Scrunch with your damp hair towel gently into sections of hair — do not rub. You’re preserving the wave pattern while removing the excess water.

Don’t skip this: After microplopping, apply a light gel glaze — a small amount of the same gel, scrunched in gently. This is key if you struggle with obtaining a cast or stubborn frizz. Glaze gently, don’t mess up those waves and curls you just formed.

​Hair RePear Premium Cotton Hair Towel, Not Dyed​

Summer adjustment: If you’re struggling with hold, that extra glaze can tame stubborn frizz and increase your hold, protecting your curls from humidity.

👉🏼 Want a cheat sheet for this method?

Download my free Strong Hold Method Guide — a 10-step cheat sheet that covers every decision point in a hold-first routine, built for waves and curls alike.

Step 7: Diffuse — Even in Summer

Wavy adjustment: Non-negotiable if you struggle with your waves and loose curls falling right out, especially in summer. Struggling with wonky waves & curls? Watch this.

This is the step wavy viewers skip most often in summer. Air drying feels easier, cooler, less effort. But air drying in summer humidity means your waves get weighed down by gravity and disrupted by the summer air before the cast has a chance to set.

Heat sets the wave shape and the cast. That’s the entire purpose of this step. If you don’t have time to fully dry your hair, a brief diffuse until you feel your cast is enough to lock in everything you just built.

​Curlsmith Defrizzion Hair Dryer & XXL Diffuser​

Summer adjustment: Walking around in humidity with wet hair is a recipe for frizz and limp curls. Short on time? Diffuse for just a few minutes to set your curl shape and form your cast. Avoid humidity until it’s dry. Never sleep with wet hair.

Step 8: Break the Cast, Skip the Oil, & Add Hairspray

Wavy adjustment: Skip the oils and serums because they overly soften the hair. Hairspray is a great finishing step for added hold, but it is optional.

Once your hair is dry, you can shake out your roots and scrunch out your cast with dry hands.

Hairspray can add texture, grit, and a final layer of humidity protection. This is especially relevant if you used a slippery gel with less texture and grit, such as the Joico gel or AG Liquid Effects.

​AG ULTRADYNAMICS Extra-Firm Finishing Spray​

Summer adjustment: Once the cast is broken, the wave is exposed. Want even longer-lasting waves & curls or plan to head to bed right after styling? Leave your cast in, and it will gradually release.

Day 1 Results

The volume came out really nice with this routine, and the curl definition was there. I do have some normal, natural frizz that I always tend to have.

And even though I don’t have wavy hair myself, this routine still worked beautifully on me, which I think says a lot.

Nothing in my own routine really changed other than the adjustments I was already recommending for longer-lasting results anyway. That’s the whole point — these methods apply across all curl and wave patterns. The tweaks for waves aren’t a completely different system. They’re refinements to the same framework.

Day 2: What to Expect

Despite an extreme heat wave with heavy humidity, my hair held up pretty well. The only frizz I had was in my known problem areas, which I think came down to not applying quite enough product there on wash day. If you’re getting frizz with this gel, increase your gel amount and add the hairspray.

And remember — waves and loose curls are naturally going to loosen over time. That’s not a problem with your routine. Different looks across the week are part of having wavy hair, not a sign that something went wrong.

Need more help?

Every wavy and loose curl pattern is different — what matters is understanding which adjustments belong where so you can troubleshoot when something isn’t working.

This is exactly what I work through with clients inside my Curl Coaching Program — identifying which variable is breaking down in your specific routine and building a system that works for your pattern, your products, and your life. Most clients come in thinking their unique hair is the problem. It almost never is. Inside the program, you learn to think like a curl expert — diagnosing your own hair so you’re never guessing again.