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Refresh waves and curls between washes

Reshape a few flattened waves or curls between washes with a little water and gentle scrunching. Choose the sections that need attention and leave the rest alone.

Step by step

  1. Woman with dry loose waves and curls gently isolates one disrupted side section with her own hands.
    STEP 1 OF 9

    Choose a section

    • Start with dry, loose hair and clean hands. Bring one flattened section forward without pulling it tight.
    • Leave sections you like alone. If a section is knotted, detangle it separately rather than forcing your fingers through it.

    Choose just one of the next three options to dampen the section, then go to Cup the ends.

  2. A woman aims a clear fine-mist water bottle below her face at the lengths of a supported curl section.
    STEP 2 OF 9

    Option A: mist with water

    • Hold the section loosely and aim a clean fine-mist bottle at its lengths and ends, below your face.
    • Mist lightly, then put the bottle down. Stop when the section feels slightly damp, before water starts to drip.

    Water only. Skip the other dampening options and go to Cup the ends.

  3. A woman glides damp palms over one loose side section of her curls.
    STEP 3 OF 9

    Option B: use damp hands

    • Wet your clean hands with water and shake off the excess. Rest the section between your open palms.
    • Glide your palms lightly down its outer surface without raking fingers through. Rewet your hands only if the section still feels dry.

    Use this instead of misting. Stop at lightly damp, then go to Cup the ends.

  4. A woman sprays a labelled curl refresher at one supported section below her face.
    STEP 4 OF 9

    Option C: use a refresher spray

    • Check that your spray allows use on dry lengths and ends. Follow its directions for amount, shaking and spray distance.
    • Aim below your face at the selected lengths and ends. Put the bottle down before shaping.

    Use this instead of the water options. If your product needs a different starting state, placement or shaping method, follow its complete directions rather than this sequence.

  5. A woman gathers hanging curl ends into her open palms before lifting them.
    STEP 5 OF 9

    Cup the ends

    • Put your empty, open palms under the damp ends. Let the hair rest loosely in your hands.
    • Keep your fingers relaxed and the section gathered together. You are supporting the ends, not combing through them.
  6. Woman cups the ends of her own lightly damp loose curls in both open hands during one gentle reshaping press.
    STEP 6 OF 9

    Lift and gently press

    • Raise your cupped hands toward your head, letting the hair fold into its wave or curl shape.
    • Gently close your fingers around the folded lengths once. Stop short of pulling the roots or squeezing hard.

    This gentle upward squeeze is called scrunching. Work on one side at a time if that is easier.

  7. A woman lowers both open hands away from her freely hanging curls after a gentle scrunch.
    STEP 7 OF 9

    Lower your hands and release

    • Open your fingers and lower your hands until the hair hangs freely. Avoid stretching the section as you let go.
    • Repeat your chosen dampening option and the cup, lift and release movement only on other sections you want to reshape.
  8. A woman rests both hands on the counter while her refreshed curls hang freely to air-dry.
    STEP 8 OF 9

    Leave the sections to dry

    • Let the refreshed hair hang freely while it air-dries. Keep your hands off rather than repeatedly smoothing or squeezing it.
    • If you prefer a diffuser and your product allows it, use the linked diffuser guide for that separate drying step.
  9. Woman checks a dry refreshed outer curl section while lifting inner hair near the nape with her other hand.
    STEP 9 OF 9

    Check before covering or sleeping

    • When the section seems dry, touch it lightly. Lift a small outer section to feel any inner lengths or roots that became damp.
    • If you find damp hair, release it and allow more drying time. Check again before putting on a hat or sleep covering, or going to bed.

About 2–5 minutes to choose, dampen and reshape a few sections, plus drying time and a final check. A separate diffuser session adds hands-on time.

Untimed editorial estimate for a few sections. More sections, pauses and drying add time.

You’re done when…

The sections you chose are reshaped and fully dry. Any inner hair or roots that became damp are dry too, before you cover your hair or go to bed.