How to Set Your Natural Waves Free with a Haircut

Learn what type of haircut may unleash your wavy hair.

A razor cut is a popular hairstyle created with a straight razor instead of regular cutting shears. The tool is much sharper, so the razor cutting results in feathery, wispy strands and textured style. It makes the hair seem more lightweight, adding extra volume and movement. But there’s even more to it. The razor technique may actually set your natural waves free by taking the weight out of the straight hair.

A professional hairstylist and razor cut expert, Jayne Matthews, gets her client’s hair to be fully wavy with only a haircut, no styling. Some might say it’s magic. Because how else can straight hair end up wavy, right? Our thoughts exactly until we saw a jaw-dropping hair transformation ourselves.

It’s Not Straight, Just Heavy

“Many of my clients think they have straight hair, but actually the waves are just hiding under all of the weight of the hair,” the hair pro explains. It means that your natural waves are weighed down by your own hair. So, all they need is just a little shaping. The hairstylist goes for bangs with layers to set her client’s waves free.

The razor cut is a perfect technique to achieve this because it creates a smooth transition between the layers while keeping the length. The razor carves the edges in a clean manner by carefully getting rid of the weight. The locks instantly get that flippy and wavy texture, making the ends look as light as flower petals.

Hey, Waves!

Jayne Matthews calls this hairstyle ‘wraparound layers’ since the wispy ends become naturally wavy after drying. The hair expert admits this cut works really well on her clients because the hair grows out seamlessly, leaving no chunks in its wake. What’s more, the razor cut is easy to style and play with. The hairstylist just diffuses her client’s hair and scrunches it gently with her hands to enhance the wavy texture. The same styling method can be used at home. The idea is to apply some texturizing spray all over the length and scrunch the hair to define those soft waves.

Pro Tip: Ditching a traditional shampoo and opting for a no-poo method instead might also help set your natural waves free. The hairstylist suggests switching to the hair cleansing cream that brings out natural hair texture while smoothing and moisturizing frizzy locks at the same time.

Need some hair advice for curly or wavy locks? Check Curl Care: Top Tips for Low Porosity Hair and My Modified Curly Girl Method for Wavy Hair in 12 Simple Steps.