How to make selfmade waves stay longer?

[Phalaenopsis]

So I've been googling and it seems the trick is to use mousse before you make your braids and then when you have your waves to bomb them with hairspray.

I was wondering if anyone did something else? I can't seem to work with gel, since I have to touch my heatless waves too much, probably ruining them. I also found some defining curl cream, how do you use that?

Ofcourse I don't want crispy hair :s

Anyway, some other ideas? Tips, tricks? I was thinking about buying the Giovanni hairspray and mousse.

[lapushka]

I was wondering if anyone did something else? I can't seem to work with gel, since I have to touch my heatless waves too much, probably ruining them. I also found some defining curl cream, how do you use that?

My curl cream is applied just like a leave-in, actually. As for defining your waves goes, I'd either go with mousse or with gel, but I reckon mousse is going to be easier if you're a straighty wanting to preserve a set of waves. Much easier to put in on straight hair. I use gel, but I have a bit of a natural wave going on and it's basically just scrunched in. There are mousses around especially for curls or for setting your hair in curls (waves). I have one by L'Oréal, I believe.

[LaFlor]

In the ethnic part of the beauty store you can find a product called "setting lotion". I've used that before to "set" my curls when I use rollers and it worked really well. I imagine it would work well with braids too.

[akilina]

If you were going to go the route of buying mousse I would buy Biolage mousse :).
Biolage is my absolute favorite everrrr. The mousse smells wonderful and isnt drying and doesn't leave you crunchy and you have to use hardly any at all.

[white.chocolate]

I've never used mousse. I've never used gel. I realized that applying a bit more oil than usual to the length makes them stay on longer. And
of course, don't comb the hair.

[ladylowtide]

My braid waves stay longer if I do them on damp hair that is pretty oiled on the ends. I just do them about 5pm one day sleep on them and them out immediately before I leave the house the next day.

[Tisiloves]

AVG and water sprayed on intially seems to hold my pin curls pretty well :)

[catamonica]

I just wet my braid. When I wear it down my hair stays wavy.

[kemacr5]

Wow, Phaleanopsis, your hair is just gorgeous. I think your hair is what my hair wants to be when it grows up.:)