Last Updated on: September 29, 2022
If you’re new to the 360 wave lifestyle, you might be wondering a lot about what is wolfing.
Well…
Understanding what wolfing is and why it matters to you as a waver will catapult you to the next level of wave culture and lifestyle according to wave experts.
The stages of wolfing can be confusing because, while you may be in the wolfing process, you are not fully wolfing until a month after your previous haircut.
Take the time to scroll down and read the content provided below if you want to learn more about wolfing for 360 waves.
Why Is It Called Wolfing
So, what does wolfing mean?
According to Oxford English Dictionary, wolfing is going without a fresh haircut for unusually long periods. You must remember that wolfing waves is the method that will improve your wave more than nearly every other guy you know that surfs.
Wolfing waves is not the same as cutting your hair, no matter how much you want to.
This wolfing phase is required for creating waves and educating your long hair to follow the 360 wave pattern. You must put in some wolfing time to fully wolf, not just about an hour but more.
The long period you go without getting a haircut to allow hair growth and develop the impression of your desired wave pattern is known as wolfing time. The actual length of time since your last haircut determines how long you’ve been wolfing.
How To Wolf Waves Correctly With Wolfing Time
On how to wolf waves, the point at which your hair was the last cut is referred to as the wolfing time. The amount of extended period spent wolfing is commonly expressed in weeks.
How do you know if you’re wolfing correctly?
The idea that wolfing begins the moment after cutting your hair makes perfect sense because you will be abstaining from haircuts (until, of course, your hair grows and you cut it again, re-starting the wave process). Furthermore, the thought that wolfing occurs just after a haircut allows wavers to correctly characterize wolfing period down to the day, or even seconds if they so like.
This idea of enabling wolfing times to be described down to the day may not sit well with older wolfing concepts. We used to giggle if a waver said they had been wolfing for less than four weeks in the early days of “wave life.” It got to the point where we said you weren’t technically wolfing until 28 days had passed since your last trim.
The concept of wolfing hair for less than a month was amusing and was almost didn’t consider wolfing. This is due to knowing that nearly all wavers, regardless of hair texture and type, are required to wolf for at least 28 days to get the best effects.
Anything less would be a waste of time since it would result in little to no wave outcomes. In the past, mentioning wolfing times of less than four weeks was considered a novice move.
We can state a brief wolfing session to communicate the last time it was chopped or simply put “Wolfing Time” with this common interpretation.
What Are The 360 Waves Wolfing Process
Let us now talk about what is wolfing, wolfing tips, and the whole wolfing process through its different stages:
Stage 1
The starting period begins just after you’ve had your trim.
From that day on, you can start keeping track of how much time you spend wolfing.
Stage 2:
When you have short hair at around 1 length with the grain, you’ve reached the second stage of the process. Examining which guard you use is a simple technique to estimate hair length.
Stage 2 refers to when your hair is around a 0 guard length, around a 1 guard length, and so on.
Keep in mind that the length of your hair will vary depending on the nature of your hair.
If you have straighter hair, you may need to wait longer for the hair prior to creating waves, thus your starting length may need to be different and longer than someone with a coarse hair wavers.
Stage 3
When you reach a guard length of 1.5 to 2 with the grain from the scalp, then you’ve reached the third stage of the wolfing process.
Stage 4
With the grain, the fourth stage of how to wolf is anywhere from 2 to 3 guard lengths.
Stage 5
Fifth, as you achieve longer hair and you require a haircut, this wolfing stage becomes difficult.
Do not cut it, no matter how badly you want to. You can truly claim you’re wolfing at this stage. When wolfing, keep in mind that brushing and laying down your hair are both vital. Washing hair is also a part of the important process. You should train new hair to follow this type of wolfing pattern as it grows in and lay down your hair after you wear a wave cap or durag.
This affects the way your wave is defined as well as the distinction between managed and uncontrolled wolfing.
Controlled wolfing is when you keep up with your brushing regimen and your hair lays down as much as you want it to, but uncontrolled wolfing is when you don’t keep up with your brushing regimen and your waves lack definition. This assures that when you get your final trim following the wolfing process, you’ll be ready to flaunt your 360 waves to the world!
Interval wolfing is a quick and disciplined technique to get your waves on the swim. The term “interval wolfing” refers to the practice of gradually increasing the duration between haircuts.
You start by waiting until you think you need a trim, then wait another 2 weeks. Once you get your next haircut, you wait for it to grow outward, and then instead of waiting 2 weeks. After that, you now wait 4 weeks, gradually increasing your wolfing period between haircuts by 2 weeks until you reach the 12-week mark.
When waiting between haircuts, the intervals are as follows: 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, and 12 weeks. When you get a cut at that time, your waves should be fully on the swim and you’ll be a 360 waver.
Stage 6
Finally, you can now do styling like adding a hair product or a styling creme such as pomade or shampoo or conditioner to make your hairstyle slick and shiny.
You can also finalize with a hard brush with hard bristles used in wet hair for a more accurate wave style.
Wolfing Tip: How To Stop Overcurl
Wavers with highly curly strands wolf for around 35 days on average, medium waves for about 2 months, and few straight hair wavers for anywhere between 2 and 3 months depending on their preferences.
With that established, it’s clear that different wavers will achieve over-wolfing lengths at different times, owing to their curl type, with extreme curl reaching over-wolf lengths considerably faster curl pattern than straighter curl types.
Watch This!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you wolf waves too much?
Yes. Overwolfing is defined as refusing to have a trim past the point where you would typically get one. Not every waver gets their hair trimmed at the same time. In truth, the usual wolfing waves time varies according to the hair type.
What benefit do you get from wolfing waves?
Going weeks without trimming your hair helps you to make tweaks to your pattern and make your medium hair waves deeper. When you wolf your waves, you’re teaching your hair to lay down at the root. Having more hair allows you to use a soft brush to brush your hair down and keep the wave pattern. Wolfing waves is perhaps the most essential step in the process of improving 360 waves.
Is it recommended to comb hair when wolfing?
Yes, it is! Combing is one of the essential keys to achieving more defined 360 waves, as well as addressing issues like forks. Before doing a brush session, use a comb to help distribute the product from root to tip while also detangling your strands.
Conclusion
Congratulations!
Now, you have a thorough knowledge of the topic! When it comes to wolfing — no matter how long you wolf — if you don’t brush your hair every day, then you won’t achieve decent results. Hair care is the most important part of maintaining your hair by washing, brushing, and keeping hair moist so you should be staying consistent with it.
I look forward to seeing the best wave style you can have!