Scrunching your hair can give you beachy, easy waves that look elegant and effortless. But if you have stick-straight hair, you might think you're out of luck and can't get wavy hair. With the help of some styling products and a diffuser attachment for your hairdryer, even those with straight hair can get a scrunched look that's quick to achieve and easy to wear. Scrunching is mostly done with the hand motion and the right products, but you can also cheat and use a few well-placed curls to enhance the look.
Wash your hair. If you can, use a shampoo specifically meant for hair that will be curled; it deposits small amounts of styling product in the hair, and is generally lighter weight than regular shampoo. Use a conditioner on the ends only. Conditioner is moisturizing, but it can weight hair down, making straight hair harder to style.
Towel dry your hair by flipping your head upside down and using the towel to squeeze the water out of your hair. Don't rub your hair; it will cause the hair shaft to become frizzy, ruining the effect of smooth, sleek waves.
Place a golf-ball sized amount of mousse, or a quarter-sized amount of hair gel in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, and then cup a section of hair and squeeze it gently to infuse the product into the hair and give it some shape. Continue this action with small sections until your entire head has mousse or gel on it.
Attach the diffuser to the end of your hairdryer. Use it to gather a section of hair and hold it in the cup while you turn it on. Don't move the diffuser around, because that straightens your hair. Allow the diffuser to do the work for you by holding it in one place until the hair is dried. Complete the whole head in this manner until your hair is dried.
Scrunch another small amount of mousse or gel into your hair for extra hold. If you still find that your hair looks more straight than wavy, use a large-barreled curling iron to add a few well-placed curls on your head to fake the scrunched look or enhance a scrunch look that needs extra body.
Spray your hair with a flexible holding spray, scrunching and fluffing to make sure you coat the hair entirely.