How to Use Hair Cream on Longer, Wavy or Frizz-Prone Hair

Hair cream is a styler and a conditioner in one

Hair cream is a lotion-textured product that gives light hold while softening the hair, which is why it suits longer and wavier styles that stiffer products flatten. It contains more water and conditioning oils than wax or clay, so it smooths the outer layer of each strand while holding the shape loosely.

That makes it the right choice when you want hair to look like it has not been styled at all. A bro flow, a grown-out curtain cut or loose waves all look better with movement, and cream lets hair move without going limp or puffy.

How to apply hair cream to damp hair

Cream works best on hair that still holds some water, because the water helps it spread thin and even. On bone-dry hair it tends to sit on the surface and feel tacky.

1. Shower, then squeeze the water out with a towel. Press rather than rub, so the cuticle stays flat.
2. Dispense a large pea of cream for hair of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in), or a small coin for hair covering the ears.
3. Rub your palms together and spread it over your fingers as well as your hands.
4. Start at the mid-lengths and ends, which are the driest part, then run your fingers up through the roots.
5. Shape the hair with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb: back and to the side for a flow, or scrunched upward for waves.
6. Leave it to air dry, or use a dryer on low heat with a diffuser, and avoid touching it until it is mostly dry.

Using cream to control frizz

Cream is one of the most effective everyday fixes for frizz, because it seals a thin layer of moisture onto hair that would otherwise pull water out of humid air. In a sticky Ontario July, that is the difference between waves that hold and a halo of fuzz by the afternoon.

The key is placement. Frizz sits on the outer surface and at the ends, so smooth any remaining cream from your palms over the top layer once the rest is done. For more on what causes frizz, read our guide to fixing frizzy hair.

How cream compares with other light products

Cream sits between a leave-in conditioner and a paste. It holds more than a leave-in but far less than wax, and unlike gel it never dries into a cast.

• Leave-in conditioner: more moisture, almost no hold. Use it under cream on very dry or curly hair.
• Hair cream: moisture plus soft shape. The daily choice for longer, wavy or thick hair.
• Paste or wax: firmer, piecey hold. Better for short crops that need definition.
• Gel: firm hold that sets. Useful to lock curls, but can feel stiff.

Common hair cream mistakes

Most problems come from using cream like wax, on dry hair and in large amounts. The result looks damp and heavy rather than natural.

• Too much on fine hair: it lies flat and separates at the crown. Halve the amount.
• Starting at the roots: the scalp gets greasy by midday. Begin at the ends.
• Combing it while drying: this breaks up waves and invites frizz. Shape once, then leave it.
• Expecting height: cream will not hold a quiff or pompadour up. Use clay or a blow dry for lift.

Cuts that suit hair cream

Cream suits cuts that rely on natural movement: longer tops with a soft taper, medium-length haircuts, curtains, flows and wavy crops. It also helps thick hair that puffs out at the sides, since it weighs it down just enough.

Short fades with a tight top rarely need it. If you want to start wearing your hair longer, we can plan the grow-out and show you how cream changes the shape on your hair type during a scissor cut.