1. Start small

Start with a dime-sized amount. Fine or thin hair? Start with even less - a pea size. Using too much is the single most common reason people don't get a first try amazing result. You can always add more.

2. For a softer finish, apply to damp hair. For more texture and hold, apply to drier hair.

Start by applying to towel dried hair after washing so your hair isn't dripping. The treatment absorbs into damp hair - it sits on top of wet hair and coats dry hair. Damp is the optimal window. Apply section by section for even coverage.

3. Massage, scrunch and hold

Work the product in with a massaging and scrunching motion, hold each section for a few seconds before releasing. This encourages your natural wave pattern to set in place while the product absorbs.

4. Waves vs. Volume

For natural beach waves, apply to damp or towel-dried hair and let it air dry. Blow drying builds volume, not wave. Dial in what works best for your hair.

Hair Type: Wavy to Curly (This is the product's sweet spot. Expect definition, volume, and frizz control.)

Amount: Dime size

Hair State: Damp, towel dried

Technique: Apply section by section, scrunching and holding each section for a few seconds. Don't comb through. Let air dry completely without touching. For longer hair, try a loose braid after applying and let it dry that way for even more definition.

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Hair Type: Fine / thin (Less product than you think. The result is volume and texture without weight — not waves from nothing.)

Amount: Pea size - start here

Hair State: Damp, towel dried

Technique: Emulsify in your palms first. Apply roots-up on damp hair, scrunching gently. Hold each section before releasing. Don't touch while drying. For extra volume, flip your head over and diffuse on low heat. If the result feels heavy, use even less next time, fine hair is the most sensitive to amount.

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Hair Type: Straight / thick (Expect body, movement, and texture. Waves are possible with the right method)

Amount: Dime to nickel size

Hair State: Damp, towel dried

Technique: Standard technique

Apply to damp hair using the flip method, flip your head over, apply product, and let hair fall naturally. Massage through, scrunch upward, rake through with your fingers. Let dry. Expect texture, body, and movement rather than defined waves.

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Hair Type: Gray / silver (Works beautifully with natural silver. No heat needed. Enhances texture and makes air drying genuinely easy.)

Amount: Dime size

Hair State: Damp, towel dried

Technique: Apply a dime size to damp hair and scrunch through. Air dry completely, no heat needed and silver hair responds beautifully to air drying with this product. The treatment adds texture and body without weighing silver hair down or leaving residue. If your hair feels dry afterward, try slightly less product next wash.

A lot of our customers discovered on their own that Ocean Hair and Wave Tamer work incredibly together than either does alone. Ocean Hair builds the texture. Wave Tamer kills the frizz and adds softness. Together they give you the full effect.

Use: Ocean Hair Texture Treatment and Wave Tamer Anti-Frizz Balancing Cream

1. Measure both products

A pea-and-a-half size of each. Less than you think. Fine hair go smaller.

2. Emulsify in your palms

Rub both products together between your palms until combined. This blends them evenly so you get consistent coverage.

3. Apply to damp hair, rake and scrunch

Work through section by section. Scrunch and hold each section for a few seconds before moving on. Rake though with your fingers. A root clip on each section while it dries helps hold the shape.

4. Dry

Air dry completely. Run fingers through gently to separate. For a more volumized and less wavy result you can blow dry on low or diffuse.

1. The Overnight Braid: (Best for straight or thick hair): Apply a dime size to damp hair after washing. Braid loosely, not tight. Go to sleep. Wake up, undo the braid, and shake your hair loose. You'll have soft, natural-looking waves with real body that hold all day. Zero effort, no heat.

2. The Diffuser Method: (Best for fine hair wanting volume) Apply as normal to damp hair and scrunch through. Flip your head over and diffuse on low heat, working section by section. The diffuser lifts the root and sets the wave pattern simultaneously without the frizz that direct heat creates. Especially effective for fine hair that wants body without weight.

3. The Day 2 Refresh: (Best for extending results between washes) Don't rewash. On day 2, mist your hair lightly with water, just enough to reactivate the product still in your hair. Scrunch gently upward. Let air dry again. The product reactivates and the waves come back. Most customers get great results on day 2 this way, and some stretch it to day

4. The Flip Method: (Best for straight hair wanting natural movement) After applying the product to damp hair, flip your head over so your hair falls forward. Let it scrunch and fall naturally, don't arrange it. Let it air dry in this position for as long as you can, then flip back. The hair "blooms" as it dries, creating natural movement and texture without any tension from gravity pulling it straight.

5. The Blowout Method: (Best for: straight to wavy hair wanting volume, lift, and a refined finish)

Start with damp, towel-dried hair. Comb or brush through before applying product to detangle and set the natural structure. Apply slightly less than you would for air drying, about 1-3 blueberries worth. Focus on the ends with a little at the roots for lift, working it through in all directions with your fingers.

Blow-dry with a brush or brush attachment to guide the airflow and shape the hair as it dries. The formula may feel slightly resistant as it dries, that's the minerals working. Brush gently and dry fully for a sleek, voluminous finish that holds all day.

Five products, one ritual. Used together and in order, the Montauk Hair Co. system delivers our signature look: defined, volumized, just-out-of-the-ocean texture that's soft, shiny, and frizz-free. Here's how to get the best possible result.

Step 1 — Coastal Wash Shampoo
Apply to wet hair, lather, and rinse. Coastal Wash cleanses without stripping — your hair should feel genuinely clean, but never squeaky or dry after rinsing. A true, gentle clean is the canvas everything else builds on.

Step 2 — Coastal Restore Conditioner
Apply from mid-lengths to ends — not the roots, which keeps your hair light and full of movement. Leave 2–3 minutes, then rinse.

Step 3 — Ocean Hair Texture Treatment
Towel-dry until your hair is evenly damp — past dripping, but still clearly damp. Apply Ocean Hair immediately, working it all through section by section, and scrunch upward toward your scalp as you go — that motion is what activates the wave. Do not rinse. Then air-dry or diffuse/blow dry. This is when the texture forms: the drier your hair gets, the more the texture develops.

Step 4 — Wave Tamer Anti-Frizz Cream
While hair is still damp, smooth a small amount on top of Ocean Hair. Applied damp, Wave Tamer does its work as your hair dries — smoothing the surface, sealing the style, and adding definition. Ocean Hair builds the texture; Wave Tamer keeps it clean and controlled. Use it if you have frizz or want more definition.

Step 5 — Sunset Finish Hair Oil
The final touch, on dry hair. Spray a small amount through your ends and mid-lengths — not the roots. Sunset Finish adds luminosity and seals in moisture without weighing your texture down.

The result: defined, volumized, textured, soft hair that holds into Day 2 with no additional product — effortless, sun-and-salt texture that looks like you just walked up from the water.

Hair is personal. We know that. If you've tried the technique adjustments and it's still not clicking for your hair, here's what to do next.

1. Check the amount first

90% of the time the issue is too much product. If your hair feels heavy, greasy, stiff, or frizzy — try half the amount next wash. For fine hair especially, a pea size is genuinely enough. Start there and work up only if needed.

2. Give it three tries

Most customers who end up loving this product didn't love it on the first try. The technique takes a wash or two to dial in. Try a different amount, a different method, or a different hair state before deciding it's not for you.

3. Email us before you give up

Tell us your hair type, what you tried, and what happened. Jon reads every response personally and will help you troubleshoot. We've helped a lot of people get results they didn't expect — sometimes it's one small adjustment away.

4. Still not right? We'll make it right.

If it's genuinely not the product for your hair, email us for a refund within 45 days of delivery, orders@montaukhairco.com