I transformed my friend’s straight hair to Australian surfer waves with my routine

After wondering whether her ‘straight’ hair was actually wavy after letting it air dry, beauty writer Eve Rowlands tested out Merwave’s Wavy Hair Kit to see if it would make a difference

As one of the token curly-haired girls in my friendship group – and a beauty writer – I often get friends coming to me for hair advice. From how to handle frizz (dry with a microfiber towel, sleep on a silk pillowcase, and never skip leave-in conditioner, for example) to my opinion on whether their hair could actually be wavey.

Now, it’s important to mention – I am very much an armchair expert and have got all my information from years of research, trial and error and countless bad hair days. One brand I’ve recently tried out and have been delighted with the results of is Merwave, which specialises in wavy hair.

For reference, I have curly hair that’s a mix of 2B waves and 2C curls. But using the brand’s 5-Step Routine left my short, bobbed hair with loose but glam curls. That said, in testing this out, I felt I needed to show results on longer hair for max impact. So when I had the opportunity to wash and style my friend’s lengthy blonde hair with these gorgeous hair products, I jumped at the chance.

READ MORE:

Said friend had always thought her hair was straight but frizzy, but often found it going into loose S-shaped waves after washing it and letting it air-dry, or at the beach. However, after trying out Merwave on her ‘straight’ hair, the results shocked us both.

Merwave is a brand whose 5-step routine has been specially created with wavey – not predominantly curly – hair in mind. Its founder, Abi Reid, explained: “I struggled with hair I thought was straight, unmanageable and frizzy until I found out the kinks, frizz and flicked-out ends were secret signs my hair is wavy. But there was a problem…I found the hair category bundled curls and waves together, with most products loaded with heavy butters and oils that were too heavy for my waves.

“Merwave was born from a passion to create what I wasn’t able to find anywhere else – lightweight, nourishing products specifically formulated for wavy hair. I wanted to help people break free from society’s idea of perfection and embrace their real hair, real texture, and the confidence that comes with it.”

For context, the difference between curly and wavy hair can be distinguished by shape – wavy hair has more of a loose S shape that begins toward mid-lengths of strands, while curls are identified by spirals, ringlets, or corkscrews that start at the scalp.

Welcoming my pal into my curly-haired salon (my bathroom), I got to work with the Wavy Hair Starter Kit from Merwave (£65). The set contains five products: Cleanse Shampoo, Repair Conditioner, Wave Cream, Cast Foam and Protect Gel – all £17 when bought individually.

The products come in incredibly aesthetically pleasing bottles that mirror the waves of hair – they’re so nice to have on display, they were spotted on the shelves of the Love Island villa over the summer. They also have numbers 1-5 printed on the front to indicate which step comes next.

The shampoo and conditioner smell incredible – fruity and fresh but not overpowering. They’re powered by jojoba oil and avocado extract, which cleanse the hair without stripping its natural oils.

The conditioner, which quenches thirsty wavy locks, is a hydrating formula designed to detangle knots, smooth frizz, and strengthen hair to reduce breakage. While I didn’t find it as knot-busting as some other formulas I’ve used (Curlsmith’s Essential Moisture Conditioner, £22, Only Curls All Curl Conditioner, £18, or, more recently, Taylored’s Moisture Conditioner, £18), once a brush had been raked through with the conditioner still on, it was silky smooth.

The third step in the kit is the lightweight Wave Cream. This isn’t as thick as some creams I’ve used for curls, which meant it shouldn’t weigh down wavy hair. It’s formulated with pracaxi oil and flaxseed extract to lock in moisture for a frizz-free finish that doesn’t lean into the typical heavy, greasy, crunchy feel.

Advertisement

Once this was raked through my friend’s hair and scrunched, her waves started to appear – much to my delight. At this stage, to squeeze out any excess moisture after applying the cream, I used a microfiber towel and scrunched it again, which made the waves even better.

While these three steps can be used on their own, finishing off with the Cast Foam and Protect Gel will garner the best results and hold, in my experience. The foam helps lock the waves in without a crunchy cast while banishing frizz, and the gel gives it extra hold.

One thing to note is that the gel feels quite hard when scooping out of the tub and isn’t as watery as I expected. When warmed up between the palms and smoothed onto hair, this hardness softens.

What I found refreshing about this set was that when I dried the hair with a diffuser (we didn’t have time to air-dry), the gel hadn’t set into a hard cast all over, which kept the hair soft and bouncy.

While some strands had a bit of crunchiness, a bit of extra scrunching helped loosen them up. The end result was natural-looking, beachy waves that looked effortless – her partner even said she looked like an Australian surfer – a compliment I’ll take as the stylist.

The only downside to this routine is that, with five steps – not including drying – it may not be ideal for anyone who typically washes their hair in a morning rush and needs quick, instant results. Although for a day when time is no issue, it’s a luxurious treat that leaves our hair feeling and looking its best.

It’s important to note that for anyone who regularly straightens their hair, the waves may not appear quite so defined or neat on first use of this five-step set. This is because, as Merwave explains, “If you have naturally wavy hair, heat styling can sometimes leave your waves looking limp, dry or uneven when you try to bring them back. That’s because straighteners work by breaking down the hydrogen bonds in your hair to change its shape. Over time, this process can weaken your strands, strip away essential moisture and disrupt your natural wave pattern.”

For anyone who suspects their hair is wavy but straightens it regardless, the brand suggests treating it with a Deep Conditioning Mask once or twice a week to revive limp, lifeless waves.

Shop the Wavy Hair Starter Kit here for £65.