How to Make and Maintain 360 Waves for Beginners

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Cutting, washing, and brushing for deep, fresh waves

Co-authored by Courtney Foster and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: September 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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Refreshing Your Hair

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Training Your Waves

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Maintaining Waves

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Video

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

There’s nothing quite like unwrapping that durag to find the start of a fresh spiral of 360s. "Waves" go by many names, and are essentially a hairstyle that consists of uniform ridges in short, curly hair. Rocked by rappers, football players, and talk show hosts alike, a set of spinners is priceless, and the satisfaction of your hard work paying off is equally rewarding. It takes some care and dedication (and several weeks) to get the kind of waves that’d make your friends seasick, though. That’s why we’ve come through with a simplified guide on how to get waves, including refreshing your hair, training your waves, and maintaining the classic look.

Things You Should Know

Grow out your hair for 4-6 weeks.
Cut it back to about 0.125 in (0.32 cm).
Wash and exfoliate your scalp to reset your hair’s oils and other buildup.
Use a moisturizing conditioner and pomade.
Use a wave brush to brush your hair away from the crown of your head 5 times a day.
Wear a durag any time you’re not washing or brushing.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Refreshing Your Hair

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1
Grow out your hair for 4-6 weeks to start training your waves. One way to kickstart your waves is to do what’s known as “wolfing,” where you let your hair grow long while washing and brushing it to encourage the formation of waves. Once you get it cut (and if you’ve taken good care of it), you’ll find that your waves are already coming in.
- While wolfing, follow the waves maintenance routine outlined below. Think of this as your prep period where you start training your hair. You’ll follow the same routine after you get a cut, but this time it’ll be for real.
2
Cut your hair to about 0.125 in (0.32 cm). It’s best to start with a fresh head of hair so you can train your new hair as it grows in. Visit a barber and ask for a #1 trim, or cut your own hair with a #1 clipper guard, moving the clippers down along the grain of your hair as you cut.^{[1]
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- You might also ask your barber what length of hair they recommend for your waves. A #1 is a good general cut, but different curl types will thrive with different trim lengths.
- If you’ve been wolfing, cut your hair a bit longer to preserve the waves that have already come in. The length you cut will be different for each hair type, so we recommend visiting a barber in this case.
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3
Wash and exfoliate your hair and scalp. You want a solid foundation to build those waves, so go ahead and scrub your scalp with an exfoliating shampoo and a clarifying conditioner. This will refresh your scalp, scrubbing away excess oils, dandruff, and other buildup.^{[2]
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Research source} If your hair is long enough to get curls, your hair will be long enough for waves. Make sure your hair is healthy so it will grow nice and long.
- It helps to clear dandruff and other scalp problems before attempting waves.

Part 2

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Training Your Waves

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1
Wash and condition your hair with sulfate-free shampoo twice a week. The most important part of getting waves is keeping your hair moisturized and nourished, so stay away from shampoos with sulfates, which can dry out your hair.^{[3]
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Research source} Use about a dime-sized amount, and always follow shampoo with at least as much conditioner, which restores and locks in moisture.
- Consider picking up a wave shampoo, which is shampoo specially formulated for anyone looking to achieve waves. These are generally gentle on the hair and heavily moisturizing.
2
Apply a dollop of pomade or hair wax. After you get out of the shower, use your hands to distribute a small scoop of pomade throughout your hair. This goes even further to lock in moisture and keep your hair shiny and wave-ready. Go for a pomade made without petroleum jelly, which can clog your pores and stunt hair growth.^{[4]
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3
Brush away from the crown of your head. The crown is the point on your head where your waves will originate; it sits up high and a little back on your head. When you brush, start at this point, and move the brush away. At this point, when your hair is short, start with a soft wave brush, and count out about 50-60 strokes.^{[5]
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- Be sure to brush evenly, hitting every section of your hair, and getting each section about the same number of strokes. This will help make uniform, pronounced waves.
- Your waves may come in as soon as a few weeks into the brushing routine, or as late as a few months. Every scalp is different, so stay persistent!
4
Put on a durag to protect your hair. A durag does double duty, retaining moisture and protecting your emerging waves with a physical barrier. Tie your durag so that it’s snug but not too tight or constricting, and wear it any time you’re not washing or brushing, and especially while sleeping.^{[6]
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- We recommend either satin or velvet durags, which are comfy, stylish, and effective.
- You’ll be able to wear your durag less often once your waves have fully formed, so don’t worry about having to cover up those hard-earned waves.

Part 3

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Maintaining Waves

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1
Get a cut every 2-3 weeks. Once you’ve got those deep, slick waves, hit up a barber to get a slight trim, which will keep them fresh and sharp. Your barber will know how much to take off, which depends on your hair texture and wave size.^{[7]
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Research source} While you’re at it, go ahead and get a clean lineup, or even a fade to level up your waves.
2
Brush it whenever you can. This is the most laborious part, but there’s no skipping it. Any time you sit down to watch TV, wait for the bus, or just have a spare moment, whip out that brush and get to work. Once your hair gets a little longer and your waves come in, ditch the soft brush and pick up a medium or hard brush.^{[8]
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- Aim to brush about 5 times a day, with about 50-60 strokes (or more) each session.
- If you have relatively straight hair, stick with a soft brush.
3
Cut back shampooing to once a week and moisturize often. Now that you’ve got your waves, it’s important to keep them hydrated. From this point, only shampoo once every several days, but keep conditioning every other day or so, and especially on wash days.^{[9]
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Research source} Then, drink plenty of water every day, and don’t neglect the pomade routine. Remember to don the durag before bed, as well as any time you don’t need to make a totally fresh public appearance.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you use sportin' waves?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You should warm the product in your hands and apply it to damp hair. Then use a brush to sculpt your hair into the desired style.

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Question

What is a du-rag used for?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

It holds the hair in place and keeps it from being disturbed. It also keeps you from messing up your style by running your hands through it.

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Question

What is the best way to get 360 waves?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You need to brush your hair regularly to create the wave pattern. It is also helpful to wear a du-rag to keep the waves in place.

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Tips

Try wrapping a hot, slightly damp towel around your head for 5-10 minutes after applying pomade to help it settle and absorb into your follicles.

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Remember to stick with it. Your waves won’t come in overnight, but with some persistence and practice, you’ll get those 360 spins.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Brushing hair in the shower with conditioner also helps. Try brushing hair almost dry before you add any chemicals then tie down with a du-rag.
Be sure to be consistent with your brush strokes, meaning that you have to brush your hair in a particular direction every single time.
Take a hair cutting guard and just run it through your hair. It's a shortcut if you don't have the time for tending to hair.
The curlier your hair, the smaller your waves will be. People with straight hair can't really get waves.
After playing sports wash your hair out with co-wash. This does not take all the oils from your hair.

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