TikTok's "Get Waves" Phrase Is Centered Around a Popular Hairstyle for Men
Published Sept. 13 2021, 3:01 p.m. ET
if you consider yourself to be a TikTok regular, you’ll agree that not a day goes by without a new trend, joke, or challenge gaining tons of attention. From creators using the term “sneaky link” in their TikToks to the Silhouette Challenge that promotes body positivity, there are plenty of ways to create content on the social media platform. And now #getwaves is the newest sensation.
The term "get waves" may have you thinking about catching some waves via surfing, but it’s not sports-related. Contrary to what you may think, “get waves” is centered around a popular hairstyle. Read on to get all the details.
So, what does "get waves" mean on TikTok?
We can all agree that it’s easy for things to get lost in translation on TikTok. The video-based platform always has new slang terms or phrases that circulate on the app. And most of the time, the actual meanings are different than what you would expect.
With that in mind, "get waves" on TikTok means for men and boys to style their hair to emulate the look of waves. The look is achieved by thoroughly washing and brushing short hair with a wave brush. Once complete, you’ll then place a du-rag or head scarf over damp hair to create the wavy look.
It’s important to note that this hairstyle is not suited for all hair types. It’s considered to be ideal for curly hair textures, since this hair type can easily be sculpted into a wavy look.
"Get waves" has become a joke on TikTok at the expense of male creators with long hair.
According to Urban Dictionary, there are multiple meanings for the saying "get waves," but the meaning on TikTok is pretty clear-cut.
The site shares that telling someone to "get waves" can be all about "asking a video creator in the comments section to get the waves hairstyle, regardless of the video topic.”
However, a browse through the hashtag #getwaves on TikTok reveals that many of the male creators who are being asked to get waves have long hair.
While some of the creators have refused to try the hairstyle, others have documented their journey with a TikTok video.
In a duet video with @Ricothewaver and @Jamar_hall6, Jamar shows his followers the process of creating waves while Rico shares his reaction. Jamar starts by using an Afro pick to lift his hair without fully detangling it.
Next, Jamar applies conditioner to his hair and uses an Afro pick to detangle. Then, he uses a comb to ensure his hair is smooth. Jamar goes on to rinse out the conditioner and applies shampoo. He follows up by using a detangling brush to brush his hair from back to front to create a wavy pattern.
After smoothing a bit more shampoo on his hair, Jamar then wraps his hair with a du-rag. Jamar then washes out the shampoo with the du-rag covering his head. In a follow-up video, Jamar removes his du-rag and shows off his fresh new waves.
It’s clear that the hairstyle is not for everybody, but it has taken on a life of its own. The hashtag #getwaves has garnered 75.5 million views at the time of this writing.
Like most TikTok trends, the "get waves" trend will likely stick around for some time. It’s trendy and a great way for men to show off their grooming routines.
