If you have thick hair how can you make it smooth and wavy?

If your thick hair is also coarse hair, you may want to consult a stylist who deals with ethnic hair.

If, however, the texture of your hair is soft their are many tricks you can use to the the appearance of smooth, wavy hair.

First off, DON'T blow dry your hair! This is horrible for your hair for many reasons, mainly that it strips the hair of moisture and leaves it dull, not shiny. Plus, brushing your hair while it's wet is tricky business best handled by a wide-tooth comb. Simply wash your hair at night and let it air dry. If, however, you MUST wash in the morning, use a diffuser and skip the brushing.

Your hair may also need some kind of product to help it out a bit. This really depends on you. If you have frizz, you may need an anti-frizz agent, like a smoothing serum, to help you out (my suggestion: mark. Curl Goddess Silkening Serum). If your hair gets dry, a leave in conditioner is best. I like a light, spray on, as opposed to a leave-in cream. It doesn't seem to weigh the hair down nearly as much (my suggestion: Ion Anti-Frizz Solutions Leave-In Conditioner).

Another treatment you can perform to get thick hair smooth is to use a clear glaze kit, sold at drug stores. It deposits a hint of shine without ammonia or other harsh chemicals, and can hide preexisting damage. Most drugstore brands of hair color also make a clear glaze; it generally has the number "00" on the lid.

To get the wave you want (especially if your hair is in loose curls like mine!) I would suggest using hot rollers as opposed to flat irons or curling irons. They're much, much less damaging to the hair shaft than either and leave the hair much softer. Plus, they're easy to use too! Just make sure you use the biggest size rollers; smaller ones will leave you with smaller spirals. Conair makes a good, inexpensive set, but Hot Tools makes great tools as well. Check out Sally Beauty for a good one. Finish up with a little hair spray and Viola! You have beautiful, soft waves!