27 Wavy Hairstyles for Men: Let the Waves Do the Work

A wavy flow is medium-length hair, usually three to five inches on top, swept back and left to fall naturally toward the collar. The waves give it movement, so it looks styled even with very little product.

Cut a little shorter, at two to three inches, it becomes a short flow haircut that’s easier to manage.

The sides are usually left longer than a typical short cut, tucked behind the ears or falling just over them. That length is what lets the hair “flow” from front to back.

Expect an awkward stage while you grow it, around the two-to-three-inch mark, when the hair sticks out at the sides. Small trims at the neckline keep it tidy until the length catches up.

Products make a big difference with waves. Sea salt spray goes on damp hair before drying for texture and lift, a cream calms frizz and gives a soft, natural shape, and powder goes on dry hair only, at the roots, for lift.

If you use more than one, the usual order is cream first and powder last. Start with less than you think you need.

A short wavy crop keeps about two inches on top, pushed forward into a messy fringe. Even at that length, the waves add texture, so it never looks flat.

Styling it takes about a minute:

Skip the comb. Combing pulls the waves straight and leaves the top looking puffy rather than textured.

A low taper cleans up only the sideburns and neckline, leaving the sides fuller. With a short wavy top, it looks neat and natural rather than freshly faded.

This is one of the lowest-maintenance wavy cuts. The taper grows out softly, so it still looks tidy a month after a cut.

A mid fade takes the sides short from around the temple down, which puts all the attention on the waves on top. It’s a sharper, more modern look than a taper.

Choosing between a taper and a fade changes how the cut grows out.

If you’re new to fades, a mid fade is a safe middle ground. It’s sharp without being as extreme as a skin fade or undercut.

Layers remove weight from the top and sides, so short wavy hair lies down and shows its shape instead of puffing outward.

Ask for layers cut with scissors or point-cutting rather than clippers. Clipper-cut layers can leave a blunt, uneven finish on wavy hair.

At medium length, wavy hair needs layers to keep its shape. Without them, it grows into a heavy triangle, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.

Face-framing layers at the front also help the waves fall naturally around the face, rather than hanging straight down.

What ruins waves is usually habit, not the cut. Brushing dry hair is the biggest cause of puffiness, followed by too much product, washing too often and skipping conditioner.

Rubbing your hair hard with a towel and forcing it straight every day don’t help either. Scrunch the water out and let the waves form on their own.

A middle part splits wavy hair evenly so it falls to both sides of the face. The waves soften the line of the part, which makes it look more relaxed than a middle part on straight hair.

Set the part while the hair is damp, then let it air-dry. Parting dry wavy hair usually leaves a zigzag line.

A side part with the hair swept across and back gives wavy hair a more structured, classic shape. It’s a smarter take on the flow.

A deep side part, starting above the outer corner of one eye, looks more deliberate than a part near the centre. It gives the waves a clear direction to fall.

Use a light cream rather than a heavy pomade. Heavy products flatten the waves and make the side part look slick instead of natural.

The European or Italian flow is a looser, slightly longer version of the wavy flow, pushed back with fingers rather than combed. It looks relaxed and a little undone, like it was shaped by the wind.

The finger-styling is what makes it look natural. A comb flattens the waves and gives it a stiffer, more formal finish.

A professional wavy cut keeps the waves but tames them, with a medium top, a neat side part, and tidy tapered sides. It looks polished without hiding your natural texture.

A small amount of medium-hold cream keeps the waves in place through the workday. Apply it to damp hair, comb it to the side, then let it dry.

The old money look favours soft, natural hair that looks good without obvious styling. A gentle side sweep on wavy hair fits that perfectly.

Keep the edges tidy with a trim every five to six weeks. The look depends on hair that seems effortless, but the neckline and sides still need care.

Instead of a tight, glossy slick-back, this version pushes the hair back loosely and lets some waves break free. It looks relaxed and a little rugged.

Apply it to damp hair, push it back with your fingers, and let it dry. Touching it while it dries makes it frizzy.

Wavy hair holds a pompadour well because the waves add natural volume at the front. The front is blow-dried up and back, with the sides kept short.

Blow-dry the front upward with a round brush before adding product. Styling dry hair without blow-drying first rarely holds the height.

A wavy undercut keeps the top long and wavy, while the sides are shaved short with a hard line. The contrast makes the waves on top stand out.

Who This Isn’t For

If you prefer a soft, natural look, the hard undercut line works against it. It also shows clearly whenever the top is pushed back, so it suits bolder personal styles best.

Shaving the sides removes a lot of bulk, which helps very thick wavy hair sit better on top.

A mod cut is a rounded, fringe-forward shape inspired by 1960s British style. On wavy hair, the fringe looks messy and textured instead of blunt, and a low taper keeps the neckline clean.

Keep the fringe at eyebrow length. Wavy hair springs up a little as it dries, so it ends up slightly shorter than it looks when wet.

Long wavy hair, reaching the shoulders or beyond, shows off the full wave pattern. The weight of the length stretches the waves into longer, looser S-shapes.

Get a trim every eight to twelve weeks to remove split ends. Long hair with frayed ends looks thinner and frizzier.

A low fade underneath long wavy hair removes bulk and keeps the neck cooler. With the hair down, the fade barely shows; with it tied up, it adds a sharp detail.

It’s a practical choice for very thick long hair. Removing hair underneath makes the rest lighter and easier to manage.

Surfer hair looks windswept and a little salty, with sun-lightened pieces through the waves. It’s meant to look undone, so it’s one of the easiest wavy styles to wear.

Scrunch sea salt spray into damp hair and let it air-dry outdoors if you can. The texture it creates is very close to the real beach effect.

Sun and salt dry hair out, so use a leave-in conditioner on the ends to keep them from getting straw-like.

Very thick wavy hair can puff out and look heavy, hiding the shape of the waves. Removing weight from inside the hair lets it lie down and move.

After thinning, thick wavy hair usually looks more defined and needs less product to control.

Hair that sits between wavy and curly, around 2C to 3A, has deep waves with some loose curls mixed in. A medium cut with soft layers shows off that texture.

A light curl cream applied to wet hair defines the texture without weighing it down. Avoid brushing it once it’s dry, which turns the curls to frizz.

Fluffy wavy hair, with soft volume and a loose fringe, is a popular style for teen boys. It’s easy to manage and looks good with very little styling.

A quick trim every five to six weeks keeps the fringe out of the eyes and the shape tidy for school.

A loose wave perm adds waves to straight hair, giving it volume and movement. It’s popular in Korean and Japanese salons, and it suits thick, straight hair that usually lies flat.

A loose perm usually lasts around two to three months before the waves relax noticeably. Use a sulphate-free shampoo to help it last longer.

Wavy hair and a beard balance each other, with texture at the top and bottom of the face. A medium beard pairs well with medium wavy hair.

Keep the sideburns connected to the beard with a fade. A gap of bare skin at the sideburns makes the hair and beard look like separate pieces.

For a round face, add height on top and keep the sides shorter. The waves help here, since they naturally lift at the crown.

Avoid full, wide waves at the sides, which add width and make the face look rounder.

Oval faces have balanced proportions, so almost any wavy style on this list works. You can choose based on your lifestyle instead of your face shape.

The one thing to avoid is a very long fringe that covers the forehead completely. It hides the balanced proportions that make an oval face easy to style.

Blonde hair shows wave texture more clearly than dark hair, since lighter strands reflect more light. Each wave stands out, so the whole cut looks more defined.

Bleached hair dries out easily, which leads to frizz. A weekly deep conditioner keeps the waves soft and defined.

This look keeps short sides and a longer, combed top with a sharp side part, letting the waves sit smoothly. It’s a classic, formal shape with a vintage feel.

Where This Look Comes From

In the 1930s and 1940s, men commonly wore short back and sides with a longer top, combed into a neat side part and set with pomade or hair oil. Natural waves on top were usually smoothed into place rather than left loose.

To recreate it, apply a light pomade to damp hair, comb a sharp side part, and smooth the waves with a comb. A modern version uses less shine than the originals for a softer finish.