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Davines The Present Time demi-permanent hair color products, hanging from a string like clothes

How to Get the Wet Hair Look with the Best Products

Updated on December 12, 2025 | 2 min read

Jaclyn LaBadia, Davines Writer

Key Takeaways

What to Know About the Wet Hair Look

The wet hair look is a sleek, glossy style perfect for hot or humid days.
Start with damp hair and layer gel, oil, and mist for lasting shine and hold.
Works on all hair types and is easy to recreate with Davines products.

What Is the Wet Hair Look?

The wet hair look is the ultimate summer trend that delivers a polished yet effortlessly cool aesthetic. It gives your strands that just-out-of-the-pool, glossy vibe — ideal for warm, humid weather when traditional styling feels impossible. This look isn’t about dripping wet hair; it’s about using the right shine-enhancing products to mimic that damp, fresh finish without any stickiness or crunch.

The Origins of the Wet Look Hairstyle

The wet hair trend dates back to the runways of the early 2000s, with roots even deeper in the ’90s supermodel era. From slicked-back red carpet moments to high-fashion photo shoots, stylists have long used gels and oils to create a lustrous, editorial finish. Today, the look has evolved into an everyday statement that is wearable, modern, and customizable for every texture and length.

Why It’s Perfect for Humid or Hot Weather

When the August heat makes blowouts wilt in minutes, the wet hair look steps in as a savior. The layered shine products not only combat frizz and humidity but also keep hair off your face for a cooler, more comfortable feel. It’s low-maintenance, long-lasting, and transitions seamlessly from daytime errands to evening events.

Who Can Wear the Wet Hair Look?

The best part? This trend looks great on everyone. Whether your hair is poker straight, curly, wavy, long, or cropped — the wet look hairstyle adds instant polish and sophistication.

Best Styles for Straight Hair

For straight hair, the wet look creates a runway-level sleekness. Use a medium-hold gel to slick hair back from the crown, and finish with a shine mist to achieve that mirror-like gloss. Think minimal, modern, and effortlessly chic.

Best Styles for Curly or Wavy Hair

Curly and wavy textures thrive with this style. The gel-and-oil combo enhances your natural pattern while keeping frizz at bay. Define your curls with gel, then scrunch in a few drops of OI Oil for dimension and a hydrated glow.

Short vs. Long Hair

For short cuts, like pixies or bobs, the wet look gives a high-fashion edge that elongates your silhouette. Long hair benefits from contrast — sleek roots blending into softer, glossy ends for a romantic, yet structured finish.

Steps to Get the Wet Hair Look

1. Start With Damp Hair
2. Apply Lots of Gel
3. Gloss Your Ends
4. Lock It In

Start With Damp Hair

Despite the name, this trend is more about using high-shine products, than actual wet hair. If your hair is too wet, your products will have less to grip to and your strands will be too slippery to sculpt. After washing your hair, let it dry half way. This is the perfect amount of moisture to get glossy.

Apply Lots of Gel

Work two to three quarter-size dollops of This is a Medium Hold Modeling Gel through your hairline with your hands, adding extra as needed. The more you apply, the longer your locks will stay sleek. Be careful not to apply gel to the length of your hair — that will make it too crunchy for the wet hair look.

Gloss Your Ends

Lathering your ends with OI Oil will not only hydrate them (your ends are the part of your hair that need hydration most) but it creates a cohesive wet look and blurs the difference between the slicked-back roots and the soft, non-gelled section of your strands.

Lock It In

Once your wet hair look is in place and before the gel is dry, spray your hair with This Is A Shimmering Mist from root to tip. This will give you a glassy finish and prevent any unruly baby hairs from messing with your super sleek effect.

Wet look lengths are the perfect style for staying cool in the heat. Nail this effortlessly easy and totally on trend style in minutes with a few of our favorite Davines high shine strand products.

FAQs

How can I make my hair look wet all day?

Layer your products — start with a gel for hold, follow with oil for hydration, and finish with a mist for shine. Reapply a touch of mist midday to refresh the look.

How do you do wet-looking hair?

Use damp hair, distribute gel evenly from roots to mid-lengths, gloss the ends with oil, and finish with a shimmering spray to lock in shine.

What product gives you a wet hair look?

Opt for medium-hold gels, hydrating oils, and shine sprays like Davines This Is a Medium Hold Modeling Gel, OI Oil, and This Is A Shimmering Mist.

What exactly is “wet look” hair?

It’s a high-shine, sleek hairstyle that mimics the appearance of freshly washed, damp hair using styling products for long-lasting gloss and control.

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