20 Low-Maintenance Short Wavy Hairstyles for Inspiration

Short Shag

Jenna Ortega’s short shag has become the 21-year-old actress’s signature cut. “To achieve Jenna’s look, prep damp hair with UNITE 7SECONDS Detangler ($38) all over, UNITE BOOSTA Volumizing Spray ($33) section by section only at the roots, and finish with UNITE BOOSTA Thickening Creme ($33) from roots to ends,” says celebrity hairstylist Gabi Lopez, who is a UNITE ambassador.

After prepping your hair, she says to blow dry your hair upside down, in the opposite direction of where it will lay, so that you can build significant volume. Once your hair is dry, she says to use a 1” barrel curling iron (such as the ghd Classic Curl - 1” Curling Iron, ($205) to create a polished-yet-tousled shag style.

“To create a more relaxed wave, you’ll want to make sure to gently pull the end of the wave before it cools and sets,” she adds. “Continue this around the head leaving some curls tighter and more defined than the rest.” If your hair tends to fall flat, she says to finish with a spritz of hair spray.

Tousled Pixie

Halsey’s textured pixie cut is a great low-maintenance short wavy hairstyle for people who want to spend as little time as possible on their hair. 

To achieve the look, celebrity hairstylist and UNITE ambassador Eduardo Ponce says to prep hair with a heat protectant and blow it out. “Once dry, use a flat iron to smooth each section and apply UNITE SECOND Day Finishing Cream ($31) to create a piecey definition and texture,” he adds. “A little goes a long way, so use sparingly.”

Wavy, Textured Pixie

Kate Mara’s pixie cut with textured waves is low-maintenance but high-impact. The side-parted style looks bold and edgy but takes very little time to recreate. To do so, celebrity hairstylist David Lopez says to start with freshly washed and towel-dried hair (we recommend using an Aquis Flip Hair-Drying Tool, $50, as the microfiber material is less likely to snag strands and trigger frizz). Once mostly dry, he says to apply a curl-enhancing mousse (such as Rizos Curls Curl Defining Mousse, $22). “Use your fingers to scrunch and tousle your hair while blow-drying on a low heat and speed setting,” he instructs. “Finish by using a small curling wand to add definition to specific sections if desired.” (Need a slim curling wand? Thousands of Sephora shoppers love the ghd Thin Wand - 0.5” Curling Wand, $205).

Curly Updo

Whether you have waves or curls, a pineapple-inspired updo is never not a good idea, as it mimics the look of long hair but can be created with lobs and shoulder-length strands alike. 

“If this isn’t already your natural hair texture, you can still achieve this look with any curl pattern,” Gabi exclaims, noting that you’ll need a .5” curling wand for this look. To get the look, she says to start with damp hair, detangler, and curl cream—unless you have naturally curly hair, in which case just let it air dry. After prepping and drying your hair, she says to use a .5” curling wand to add more texture to your wavy hair or to define your pre-existing curls. “Wrap small sections of hair tightly around the wand and hold for three to five seconds,” she instructs. “Release the curl, and let it cool.” Her pro tip? Touch your curls as little as possible. “The more you touch the curls, the more frizz and the more likely they are to fall,” she warns. 

After curling your hair or touching up your natural texture, Gabi says to pull your hair into a loose mid-height pony (leaving a few face-framing tendrils out) and twist it upwards. “Use an elastic with two bobby pins, like a bungee, to secure the at the top of the head,” she instructs. (Alternatively, you can use the Kitsch Hair Bungee Elastics, $6.) “From here, you can fluff your curls and pin to make sure they’re sitting how you like them.”

Bob With Beachy Waves

Rachel McAdams seems to always be having a good hair day but of the many styles she’s worn, her bob with beachy waves stands out. To recreate the low-maintenance short wavy hairstyle, David says to apply a texture spray (like Bumble and bumble's Surf Spray, $32) to damp hair. “Create two or three braids and let your hair air-dry or use a diffuser attachment on your blow dryer,” he instructs. “Once dry, gently undo the braids and use your fingers to separate the waves. Finish with a light mist of hairspray for hold and a lightweight oil for shine.”

Curls With Bangs

Zendaya forever slays the hair game but one of her most effortlessly stunning looks has to be her wolf-like bouncy curls with bangs. To get the look, Ponce says to prep hair with curl cream and diffuse on low heat. (Need a diffuser? The Dyson Sephora Exclusive Supersonic™ Hair Dryer in Ceramic Pop, $429, comes with one, as does the Shark FlexStyle™ Hair Blow Dryer & Multi-Styler for Curly & Coily Hair, $299). “Once dry, define the curls with a small curling iron,” he says. Then, to perfect the look, he says to separate the curls and finish with texture spray and dust (we love the Davines This is a Texturizing Dust, $31) to really pump up the volume and establish hold. 

Shaggy Lob

David recommends Ciara’s shaggy lob for anyone looking for a low-maintenance wavy hairstyle. To get the look, he says to start with air-dried or blow-dried hair. “Use a curling iron or wand to add loose waves directed toward the face,” he instructs. “Run your fingers through the waves to create a tousled, shaggy look, and apply a small amount of styling cream or texturizing wax (Like Kenra Professional Platinum Texturizing Taffy 13, $24) for added definition and hold.”

Wet-Look Wavy Bob

Rihanna’s curly, wet-look bob is head-turning and easy to achieve. What’s better than that? To get the look, David says to apply a curl-enhancing product to damp hair. “If your hair is prone to frizz, add product to hair that is more wet and gently glide your fingers through, clumping sections together,” he instructs. “Gently scrunch your hair upward using your hands to encourage natural curl formation.” After doing so, he says to let your hair air-dry or use a diffuser attachment on low heat and speed settings. (High heat and speed can encourage frizz.) “Once dry, gently separate and fluff the curls with your fingers by massaging your scalp,” he adds.

Flat Iron Waves

S-waves have been in style for years and once you nail the technique, you’ll realize just how easy they are to create day in and day out. 

To illustrate their low-maintenance nature, Gabi points to Margot Robbie and reveals how to get the look. “Notice this is more straight than curly—cool, effortless off-duty model hair,” she says. 

To achieve the look, start with dry hair spritzed with heat protectant and texturizing salt spray. “Then you’ll need to master the flat iron wave,” Gabi says. (Need a flat iron? The Drybar Tree Press Digital Styling Iron, $169, is a popular pick.) “In sections the size of your flat iron, hold your hair out horizontally from the head (starting the wave around the eye line) and turn your wrist away as you pass through the section, then quickly bend your wrist back toward your hair for a soft bend, leaving the ends mostly straight or softly bending them out.”

Gabi admits that the S-wave takes some practice to perfect. “It can be intimidating, so don’t be afraid to practice the hand movements with the iron off,” she encourages. “These waves are just a quick flip of the wrist. Once you’re happy with the soft texture you’ve created, you can finish with UNITE TEXTURIZA Spray ($40) for some added volume, fullness, and definition. The end goal is a cool-girl tousled, matte finish.”

Wavy Blunt Bob

Even Beyoncé has rocked a low-maintenance short wavy hairstyle. What makes her look stand out is the non-uniform, piecey definition, which you can achieve with a slim curling wand.

Tousled Shoulder-Length Tresses

Can we take a second to appreciate Vanessa Hudgens’ high-shine, almost wet-look style? To recreate the look, prep your hair with shine cream and heat protectant before blowing it out. Then, use a flat iron to create loose waves before finishing with a high-shine spray, like the Color Wow Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray ($29).

Wavy Lob

Lily Collins is the queen of the cool-girl wavy crop. To get the look, David says to start with air-dried or blow-dried hair. “Use a flat iron to create loose ‘S waves’ by rocking your flat iron over and under as you work down each section,” he instructs. “Once all sections are waved, run your fingers through the waves to loosen and soften the look.” Then, to lock your look in, he recommends finishing with a light mist of hairspray or texturizing spray.

Hollywood Waves

Emma Stone’s old Hollywood waves is one of Ponce’s favorite low-maintenance short wavy hairstyles. To get the look, he says to prep hair with detangler and shine-enhancing styling cream before blow drying. “Once dry, curl the hair with a 1-inch iron then work [a pump of shine oil] into the palms and distribute throughout to control frizz. Finish by shaping and setting the curls using [volumizing powder] and [flexible-hold hairspray].”

Glossy Wavy Lob

Jasmine Tookes proves yet again that wavy, slightly messy lob haircuts are the ultimate model-off-duty look. The key to snagging her style is to not skimp on the shine. To pump it up, finish off your wavy look with the Amika Top Gloss Hair Shine Spray ($29).

Wavy Layered Lob

Chrissy Teigen’s layered waves are yet another effortlessly beautiful style that David loves. To recreate the look, he says to start with damp hair. “Apply a curl-enhancing product and diffuse,” he instructs. “Then, use a large-barrel curling iron or wand to wrap sections of your hair around the barrel, holding for a few seconds.” When doing so, he says to alternate the direction of the curls throughout your hair for a more natural and dimensional end look. “Once all sections are curled, run your fingers through the waves to break them up and create soft, textured layers.” When your waves look as you’d like, lock them in place with a flexible hairspray, like the Bumble and bumble Spray de Mode Flexible Hold Hairspray ($36).

Wavy Center-Part Bob

Alexa Chung's semi-shiny wavy bob looks like an air-dried masterpiece. To cop her look, prep your towel-dried strands with the IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air-Dry Cream ($29) before going about your day.

Curtain Bangs

Curtain bangs are one of the hottest hairstyle trends of 2023. The beauty of them is that they don't take long to style and can pair just as beautifully with air-dried and second-day strands as freshly-blown out tresses. All you have to do is dampen your bangs to revitalize them while letting the rest of your hair be more low-key.

Half-Up, Half-Down Bob

We love the look of Lana Condor's shiny pompadour half-updo. To mimic her curled-up ends, use a large barrel brush, like the R+Co Vegan Boar Bristle Brush ($65), while blow-drying.

Shiny Side Part Waves

Love Lily Collins’ hair but looking for a bit more length? Gabi recommends recreating her glamorous side-parted waves. To achieve Lily’s glamorous waves, she says to begin with damp hair and prep with a cocktail of detangler, volumizing spray, and root-boosting mousse. “Focus the volume spray section by section at the roots for added volume,” she instructs. “The mousse should be layered from roots to ends.” 

After your hair is prepped, she says to blow dry strands upside down to enhance volume. Once dry, she says to lightly mist hair with hairspray before curling in large sections with a 1.5-2-inch curling iron. “You’ll want to hold the iron vertical to your face and start in the middle of each section,” she says. “Continue this around the head until all of your hair is curled.” Then, to create Lily’s polished, shiny texture, Gabi says to smooth a pump or two of shine oil through your mids and ends. “Your ends can always handle a bit more product than the rest of your hair,” she exclaims. For even more smoothing action, she says to spray a paddle brush with flexible-hold hairspray and comb through each section to manage unruly flyaways while enhancing staying power.

Wolf Cut

Here’s another Ciara look that celebrity stylists recommend. “This is one of my favorite looks at the moment,” Gabi admits. “You can enhance a natural wave or you can mimic it.” To do so, she says to prep hair with detangler and blowout cream from roots to ends. “For the bangs, you’ll want to blow dry first from side to side—this will give you plenty of movement; then you’ll want to part your hair and gently roll the bangs towards the center of your part out, think ‘C’ motions with your brush,” she says. Once dry, she says to pinch your bangs at the part and spray with high-hold hairspray to maintain the lift. (Another option is to use the Kitsch Volumizing Roller Clips, $8.) 

After styling your bangs, she says to dry the rest of your hair and add dimension with a 1.5-2” curling wand. “You’ll want to focus on wrapping the hair from the cheekbone down, leaving the ends out,” she shares. “You don’t need to hold the curl very long because we’re looking for a relaxed wave.”