Hate to break it to you, but heat damage is real. All that hair straightening, blow-drying, and curling is stressing TF out of your hair. So why not let your hair chill for a sec and try a wet hair look instead? Whether you're looking for a cool summer hairstyle that intentionally looks ~beachy~, or for a technique to style your wet hair until it dries, I've gotchu covered with the seven best wet hair looks and no-heat hairstyles to copy ASAP.
Just a heads up, though: You want your hair to be slightly damp for these looks (so, either towel-dry your hair or wet it down with a spray bottle). But know that the wetter your hair is when you start, the longer each look will take to dry and "set," BUT the better your hair will actually hold the style. K? Now, on to the looks!
1. The wet look hairstyle
1. Start with damp hair that's mostly dry. You don't need to start with soaking-wet hair for it to look like it's soaking wet, so don't feel the need to run your head under the faucet. Just wait 15-30 minutes after showering (depending on how thick your hair is), or just lightly wet your hair down with a spray bottle.
2. Pick your products. Pomade (yep, the stuff dads swear by) works wonders for giving your hair that slick, wet look without the crunchy feel, but a hair oil-slash-serum can also work for a beachier look, and for those with curly or coily hair, YouTubers swear by a combination of leave-in conditioner and styling gel, FWIW.
3. Part your hair. The way you part your hair and style the ends can change the vibe of your wet look completely, so before applying any product, first decide if you want your hair in a deep side part, a middle part, all tossed to one side, or totally brushed back. Keep your part and the finished look you're going for in mind when you section your hair to apply the product.
4. Work your styling product into your hair. Work in smaller sections starting from the back to thoroughly distribute the formula. Massage a generous amount of product to the roots of your hair and work it through with your fingers or a Denman brush toward the ends of your strands. If you like a sleek look at the roots with loose, airy ends, apply the product to just the first few inches of hair. Or, for a wet look all over, apply the product evenly throughout your strands.
5. Do your finishing touches. Depending on your hair type and the look you're going for, you might need to do a few extra steps to complete your wet hair look: Use an edge control product to lay your edges, spray your strands with hairspray for extra hold, smooth a hair oil through the ends of your strands, or wrap your hair in a satin scarf while it dries.
2. Pineappling wet hair
1. Throw your wet curly hair into a high ponytail. Use a scrunchie—not an elastic hair tie—to loosely (emphasis on the loose) hold your hair in place on top of your head. Only pull your hair through the scrunchie once or twice so you don’t end up with an awkward-looking crease. If your hair need a lil extra hydration, spritz a leave-in conditioner spray all over before you put it in a ponytail.
2. Wrap your hair in a silk or satin scarf. It's not just for looks, FYI—silk keeps the moisture in your hair and helps prevents dryness and flyaways. If you're using this technique as a way to style your curls, do steps one and two before bed and take out your scrunchie in the morning for defined, full curls. Or wear the look as a style on its own.
Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
Design Essentials Design Essentials Detangling Leave-In Conditioner
Creme of Nature Strength & Shine Leave-In Conditioner
3. Braid outs for wet hair
1. Divide your hair into four sections (they don’t have to be perfect, so don’t worry too much about making them exactly even). Then, rake a palmful of curl cream through each section, making sure to saturate each strand to keep your hair defined. Brush through with a Denman brush to distribute.
2. Starting at your hairline, create a Dutch braid (i.e., a three-strand braid where you cross the strands under, rather than over each other, to create that popped-out effect). Braid down to the ends. Repeat on the other side of your head, then create two more Dutch braids in the back of your head until you have four braids total.
3. Once your hair is dry, unravel the braids gently. Use your fingers to separate the braids and style your curls however your heart desires. Smooth a dab of curl cream through any undefined pieces or through the ends to polish them.
Bread Beauty Supply Elastic Bounce Leave-in Conditioning Styler Hair Cream
Shea Radiance Maximum Curl Defining Cream
Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Cream
4. Heatless sock braids on wet hair
1. Start with damp (but mostly dry) hair. Part your wet hair how you want it, then place a pair of stockings or tights on top of your head with one leg on each side, almost like you're wearing a headband.
2. French-braid the stocking into your hair. Working with one side at a time, divide your hair into two sections, then use one leg of the stockings as the third section for braiding. Begin French braiding your hair without adding any hair to the stocking section. It's okay if your braid looks a little funny—imperfections will help your waves look more natural (and you'll just be wearing it to sleep anyways). Braid down to the ends, secure with a hair tie, and repeat on the other side.
2. Undo the braids. In the morning, unravel the braids and remove the stocking. Use your fingers to separate the clumps and comb through your hair at the roots to loosen the waves. If you want your waves to look more defined, spritz on a sea-salt spray and scrunch up your hair.
Sachajuan Ocean Mist
Rahua Enchanted Island Salt Spray
L'ange Salt + Sea Texturizing Spray
5. Twist-outs on wet hair
1. Section your wet hair into four equal parts. Start with freshly washed, deep-conditioned, and detangled hair. If your hair is extra prone to shrinkage or dryness, smooth on a leave-in conditioner then brush through to make sure your strands are evenly coated.
2. Two-strand twist small sections of hair. Starting with one of the back sections, take a small subsection of hair, smooth a dollop of styling cream through the strands, then split it into half. Two-strand twist the sections down the ends, then use your finger to coil the ends in place. Repeat on all the sections of your hair.
3. Switch to a flat twist in the front. If you want to change it up for the front section of hair, switch to a flat two-strand twist. Just start with a small sliver of hair, split into two parts, and, as you twist, incorporate another small section of hair from your head so that the twist lays flat to your head. Continue all the way down to the ends. Use bobby pins to secure the twists and keep them tight.
4. Let the twists dry. Depending on how much time (and, let's be honest, patience) you have, you can either let your twists air dry throughout the day, or wrap your hair in a silk scarf while they dry overnight, or quickly dry with a hooded dryer attachment.
5. Untwist and style your curls. One your hair has dried and the style has set, use your fingers to separate the twists. Wrap the curl around your finger if you need to guide or reshape it. Use a wide-tooth comb to lift the roots and then lay your edges to finish.
Beija Flor Naturals Creme Brulee for Kinks, Curls and Coils
The Mane Choice Ancient Egyptian 24 Karat Gold Twisting Gel
6. No-heat robe waves
1. Start with damp hair. Let your wet hair dry about 80 percent before you start. Why? Because damp-dry hair will actually have a chance of fully drying while you sleep and will also keep your waves loose and natural-looking, instead of tight and artificial.
2. Grab a bathrobe sash. Part your hair how you want it, then place the middle of the robe sash (the fluffier the robe, the bigger the waves, FYI) on top of the middle of your head so that one side of the sash is on your right and the other is on your left, like a headband.
3. Wrap your hair around the robe sash. Working on one side of your head at a time, grab a section of hair from the top of your head and wrap it away from your face and around the sash. As you continue wrapping hair around the sash, add new sections of hair from your head to the previous one to gradually incorporate all of your hair. Have no idea what I'm talking about? Follow the heatless waves tutorial for reference.
4. Coil the twist into a bun. Once you've twisted your hair down to the end, take the robe sash and twist it into a bun on the side of your head. To avoid creases on your ends, use a large scrunchie to hold the bun in place. Repeat steps three and four on the other side.
5. Untwist. Carefully unravel each section to remove the robe belt. Then use your fingers to separate the curls. If you need more volume at the roots, flip your hair over and spray it with hairspray.
7. Heatless sock bun waves
1. Start with damp hair. Yup, this wet-hair look is going to start with mostly dry hair, so either wait until your hair mostly dries after showering, or spray your clean, dry hair down with some water until it's just barely damp.
2. Rake your hair into a loose, high ponytail. Like, super high on the very top of your head (flip your head over to make it easier to gather). Secure your high pony with a spiral hair tie (they won't leave creases, which is key here), and don't tie it too tight.
3. Wrap your ponytail around a sock bun. Slide a rolled-up sock or a hair donut around the base of your pony, then grab the tail and wrap or weave it around the hair donut until you get to the ends. Pin the ends in place to secure them, and the use claw clips to hold the bun in place if it still feels wiggly (if you're totally lost, follow this sock bun tutorial).
4. Unravel your hair and remove the sock. In the morning or once your hair is dry, remove the clips and unwrap your hair to let it down. Use your fingers to separate the curls, and you get soft, heatless waves.
