Haircuts for Wavy Hair: Medium Lengths That Let Waves Show

What wavy hair needs from a haircut

Wavy hair needs length and a little weight to form its S-shape; the wave only appears once a strand is long enough to bend at least once. Most wavy hair sits in the 2A to 2B range, with looser bends than a true curl and a tendency to lie flat at the root and flick out at the ends.

That combination makes it versatile but temperamental. Cut well, waves give natural texture that most straight-haired clients try to fake with sea salt spray. Cut badly, they flip in random directions. If your waves tighten into ringlets as they grow, our page on haircuts for curly hair will be closer to your needs.

Why cutting waves too short wastes them

Waves cut shorter than about 5 centimetres usually stop waving. Instead of movement, you get a slightly fuzzy, uneven texture that looks like the cut was not finished.

A lot of wavy-haired men end up in this zone by accident, asking for a short textured crop because it looks good on straight hair. It can work if you want low effort, but it hides the one thing wavy hair does well. If you want short, commit to a buzz or crew cut; if you want texture, keep length.

Medium lengths, curtains and textured quiffs

Medium lengths are where wavy hair looks its best, because the weight pulls the wave into a loose, defined pattern without it frizzing up. The styles we cut most often on wavy hair all sit in this range.

• A curtain haircut: a centre or off-centre part with the fringe falling to both sides; waves give the curtains natural shape.
• A textured quiff: 8 to 10 centimetres at the front, pushed up and back with fingers so the waves break it into pieces.
• Medium-length layered cut: 10 to 15 centimetres all over the top, tucked behind the ears, with a clean neckline.
• A longer fringe cut: the front falls forward and to one side, with layers so it does not sit heavy.
• A bro flow if you are growing it out: waves make the swept-back length look deliberate.

How we cut wavy hair

Wavy hair is a scissor cut job, cut partly dry so we can see where each section bends. We avoid heavy thinning, which can break the wave pattern into frizz, and use layering and point cutting to take weight out instead.

1. Look at the hair dry first to see where the waves are strongest and where it lies flat.
2. Taper the neckline and sideburns so the outline stays clean, but leave the sides long enough to wave.
3. Layer the top so shorter pieces sit underneath and longer ones on top, which lets waves stack instead of flattening.
4. Point-cut the ends to soften any blunt lines that would make the waves flip.
5. Finish with a light cream scrunched in, so you can see the natural pattern before you leave.

An air-drying routine for wavy hair

Air-drying keeps waves defined, because a blow-dryer on high heat with a brush straightens them out. The routine takes a few minutes and most of it is about leaving the hair alone.

Towel-dry by squeezing, not rubbing, until the hair is damp but not dripping. Rake a small amount of cream or light gel through with fingers, then scrunch the ends upward toward the scalp and leave it. Do not touch it until it is fully dry, then shake it out gently at the roots.

In summer humidity, waves can puff and lose definition; a slightly stronger hold, such as a light gel, helps them keep their shape. In winter, a toque flattens the top, so carry a little cream to reshape it. Our guide to frizzy hair covers both situations.

Upkeep for wavy haircuts

Wavy cuts grow out gracefully and can usually go five to six weeks between visits. The neckline and around the ears will look untidy before the top does, so a quick tidy of the edges often buys another couple of weeks.

If you are growing out wavy hair, still book a trim every six to eight weeks to keep the layers working. Without it, the top gets heavy and the waves drop.