Umberto Giannini Dream Waves Review: Testing the Complete Natural Waves Kit

ad. It’s been four weeks since I last straightened my hair. Four weeks. That might not sound like much, but I’ve straightened my hair almost every day for most of my adult life.

I didn’t really know how to deal with my natural texture, and I’ve always been self-conscious about how frizzy it gets. There was so much marketing and products about getting smooth, sleek, straight hair, with hair like mine often in the ‘before’ pictures. It sometimes feels like straight hair and curly hair are acceptable, but if you’re anything in between, it’s just frizzy and wild! I also used to get bullied for having frizzy hair at school. I still remember someone pointing and laughing at me, shouting ‘bush’.

I’ve tried to embrace my wavy hair before, but I often give up before I find the right products. I feel a bit more motivated this time around, though. And so many people have complimented me on my hair! I’m not great at taking compliments, and it often leaves me feeling a bit embarrassed. But after some of the horrible comments I’ve had about my child, I cannot tell you how healing it’s been to have so many people say they like my hair. It’s probably what has kept me motivated to stick it out!

The past few weeks, I’ve been using the Umberto Giannini Dreamy Waves collection, and I think it’s a brilliant starting point for anyone with hair like mine. I’ve seen such great results that I’ve had loads of questions about it on Instagram. So here’s everything I’ve learned so far.

What’s in the Umberto Giannini Natural Waves Kit?

The Dreamy Waves Wash & Style routine is a complete Type 2 hair system from Umberto Giannini. Inside the kit, you get five products designed to work together for wavy hair:

• Dreamy Waves Peptide & Chia Seed Wave Enhancing Shampoo
• Dreamy Waves Peptide & Chia Seed Wave Enhancing Conditioner
• Wavy Whip Wave Enhancing Styling Mousse
• Natural Waves Wave Enhancing Air Dry Cream
• Glazed Waves Shine Serum

The total price for the kit is £38.06 (down from £50.75), which works out at about 25% off if you buy them together. You can grab them individually, but the hair kits are brilliant value if you want to try the full regime, then you can just re-buy when you run out.

First Impressions: Sweet Dreams Scent

Before I even opened the products, I noticed the packaging. Clean, minimalist with a pink colour scheme. Then there’s the scent – their Sweet Dreams fragrance is so lovely, it’s soft florals, vanilla and sandalwood.

I’m usually sensitive to strong fragrances in haircare products, but this one’s quite subtle. It lingers just enough to be pleasant without giving me a headache during my morning routine (I can be quite sensitive to smell). I feel like hair products often have a smell that makes you think ‘that’s a haircare product!’, but this smells great.

The Dreamy Waves Shampoo

Let’s start with the chia seed wave-enhancing shampoo. The formula contains hydrolysed wheat protein, salvia hispanica seed extract (that’s chia seed), and avena sativa peptide. Basically, a lot of ingredients that sound like they should be doing something good.

I applied it to wet hair as directed, massaged it through my scalp and lengths, and rinsed. The lather was decent.

What I noticed: my hair didn’t feel squeaky clean (which is a good thing for wavy hair, trust me). The sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine provide the cleansing action, while the xanthan gum and hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride help with that slip you need for detangling.

The shampoo also contains citric acid to balance pH, plus panthenol for moisture. It’s got benzoic acid and sodium benzoate as preservatives, and salicylic acid for scalp health. Full transparency, I appreciated knowing what was going into my hair.

The Chia Seed Wave Enhancing Conditioner

After shampooing, I smoothed the dreamy waves peptide conditioner through my mid-lengths and ends. The texture is quite rich – you can feel the cetearyl alcohol and behentrimonium chloride doing their conditioning work.

The conditioner contains shea butter, which I was dead pleased about. My wavy hair loves shea butter. There’s also butylene glycol, hydrolysed rice protein, and that chia seed extract again. The stearamidopropyl dimethylamine helps with detangling, which I definitely needed.

I left it on for a couple of minutes (sometimes longer if I’m shaving my legs), used a wide-toothed comb to detangle, then rinsed. My hair felt soft and manageable, which isn’t always guaranteed with my texture.

The conditioner also has glycol distearate, which gives it that pearly appearance, and trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate as a chelating agent. There’s lactobacillus ferment in there too, which is interesting – I’ve seen that ingredient pop up in more quality haircare products lately.

One thing to note: it contains tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes and acetyl cedrene (fragrance components), so if you’re sensitive to those, maybe test it first.

Styling Time: My Actual Method

This is important – if you’re just getting started with wavy hair, don’t go in all guns blazing with creams and gels and mousse! Start with just a leave-in conditioner and see how your hair is, then add one product at a time. Not all hair needs all these products.

I actually think my hair does better with just leave-in conditioner and a mousse, then setting spray before diffusing and scrunching out with oil when dry. Generally, curly hair is better with more products than wavy, and often we wavy girls put too much on, and it looks too stringy or dry.

I’ve failed in the past because I haven’t given myself the opportunity to try different methods and find which works for me. There are so many variations of doing this, but you don’t need all the products to start.

My Usual Wash Day Routine

After shampooing with the Dreamy Waves shampoo, I apply the conditioner and comb my hair in the shower with a wide-tooth comb. I use this as a chance to get any hair that’s falling out (satisfying, right?). I wash it off, then turn the shower off.

While I’m still in the shower, I flip my hair and apply the Dreamy Waves Air Dry Cream. I scrunch it into my hair, then use a microfiber towel to get rid of excess water, and pop it all in a microfiber towel turban.

Next comes the Wavy Whip mousse. I flip my hair and scrunch it in. Fair warning: this stuff grows and grows! I definitely put way too much on the first few times. Learn from my mistakes – less is more. Then I remove excess water and product again with the microfiber towel.

I then use the Waves for Days anti-frizz setting spray (which is also a heat protector). I spray it into my hands and try to coat all my hair. This stuff is brilliant.

The Diffusing Method

I diffuse by plopping my hair onto the diffuser before turning it on – this helps prevent frizz. I dry it about halfway and then leave the rest to air dry.

When it’s fully dry (and I mean fully – don’t rush this bit), I use the Glazed Waves shine serum to scrunch out the cast. The ‘cast’ is that crunchy feeling you get from the mousse and spray – scrunching it out leaves soft, bouncy waves. I sometimes add the Frizz Oil as well for extra shine.

If I wash my hair in the evening, I do the same, but I don’t scrunch the cast out straight away. I put my hair in a pineapple (that’s a loose bun on top of your head) and sleep with it in a silk bonnet, then scrunch it out in the morning. This seems to work really well.

Between Wash Days

On days when I’ve not washed, I sleep either in a bonnet or on a silk pillow to prevent frizz. Then I wet my hair with a spray mist bottle and scrunch it a few times. I’ll reapply the Waves for Days setting spray and diffuse until almost dry, then finish getting ready and come back 30 minutes later to scrunch out with oil.

This refresh method means I can go 3-4 days between washes, which is brilliant for my hair health and my time. The only reason I wash my hair as often as I do is that I like to run or go to the gym a few times a week.

The Glazed Waves Shine Serum: The Cast-Scrunching Hero

This product deserves its own section because it’s absolutely crucial to the whole process. Once my hair is fully dry (and I mean bone dry – I can’t stress this enough), I add the Glazed Waves shine serum to scrunch out the cast.

The serum contains wheat germ oil, chia seed oil, and tocopherol (vitamin E). Just a few drops worked through the hair made such a difference. It also has ceteareth-20 and dicaprylyl ether, which help smooth the hair cuticle and add that glossy finish. There’s also hydrolyzed rice protein and avena sativa peptide for strength.

Scrunch, scrunch, scrunch. Your hair goes from crunchy and defined to soft, bouncy, and actually touchable. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of the Frizz Oil too for extra shine and softness.

This step transformed how I feel about my waves. They look properly done instead of my usual “I woke up like this but not in a good way” vibe.

My Results After Four Weeks

After using the full Dreamy Waves routine consistently for about a month, here’s what I noticed:

My waves are more defined. Not perfect spiral curls (although sometimes my hair does try to get into loose ringlets), but actual S-shaped waves that hold their shape throughout the day, with the odd ringlet here and there.

The frizz control is real. Even on humid days, my hair stays relatively smooth. The chia seed extract and all those conditioning ingredients genuinely seem to help.

My hair feels healthier. The hydrolyzed wheat protein and hydrolyzed rice protein have added some strength without making my hair feel stiff or coated.

The shine is gorgeous. My hair looks glossy without looking greasy or weighed down.

Other Products I’ve Tested

Umberto Giannini sent me some other products to try, including:

• Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly (Limited Edition Vanilla Gelato)
• The Frizz Oil
• Curl Whip
• Curl Jelly Smoothie

I’ve experimented with adding gel to my routine, and while it gives great definition, I think I get better results without it for my hair type. I’ve yet to try the gel on its own with no mousse, though, so I’ll give that a go next. I’m still very much on my journey so I may change my mind after a few times.

I love the Frizz Oil and the Jelly Smoothie, but I need more time with the mousse and gel!

The thing is, there are so many variations of doing this wavy hair method. What works for someone else might not work for you. I’m still experimenting and learning what my hair likes best.

My advice? Start simple. The Dreamy Waves shampoo, conditioner, and air dry cream are your foundation. Then add the mousse. See how you go. Add products gradually, not all at once.

Here are my results with the products below:

The Ingredient Deep-Dive: What’s Actually in This Stuff?

I know some of you are ingredient nerds like me, so let me break down what’s actually in these products and what they do.

In the Shampoo:

The Dreamy Waves shampoo contains sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine for cleansing, hydrolyzed wheat protein and salvia hispanica seed extract (chia) for strength, and panthenol for moisture. There’s citric acid to balance pH, xanthan gum for texture, and hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride for that slip you need for detangling.

It also has benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, and salicylic acid for preservation and scalp health. The fragrance components include tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes and acetyl cedrene.

In the Conditioner:

The conditioner is where the heavy conditioning happens. It contains cetearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, and shea butter for deep conditioning. There’s also butylene glycol, hydrolyzed rice protein, and that chia seed extract again.

The stearamidopropyl dimethylamine helps with detangling, glycol distearate gives it that pearly appearance, and trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate works as a chelating agent. The lactobacillus ferment is interesting – I’ve seen this ingredient pop up in more quality haircare products lately.

In the Air Dry Cream:

This contains coconut oil, chia seed oil, and hydrolyzed wheat protein. The polyimide-1 helps with humidity resistance (brilliant for Yorkshire weather). There’s also brassicamidopropyl dimethylamine and polyquaternium-37 for conditioning and definition, plus corn starch modified for that lightweight feel.

In the Wavy Whip Mousse:

The mousse contains polyquaternium-11 for hold, plus avocado oil and argan kernel oil for conditioning. There’s panthenol and cetrimonium chloride too.

In the Glazed Waves Serum:

The serum has wheat germ oil, chia seed oil, and tocopherol (vitamin E). The ceteareth-20 and dicaprylyl ether help smooth the hair cuticle, while hydrolyzed rice protein and avena sativa peptide add strength.

Complete ingredient groupings across the range:

Cleansing agents: Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate (shampoo), cocamidopropyl betaine (gentle surfactant), sodium lauroyl sarcosinate

Conditioning ingredients: Cetearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, shea butter, coconut oil, argan oil, avocado oil

Proteins for strength: Hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed rice protein, avena sativa peptide

Moisturizers: Glycerin, butylene glycol, panthenol

Frizz fighters: Polyquaternium-7, polyquaternium-11, polyquaternium-37, polyimide-1

Plant extracts: Salvia hispanica seed extract (chia), lactobacillus ferment

pH adjusters: Citric acid, sodium hydroxide

Preservatives: Benzyl alcohol, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, ethylhexylglycerin, caprylyl glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, salicylic acid

Thickeners: Xanthan gum, hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride

Chelating agents: Trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate, sodium phytate

Emollients: Glycol distearate, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, brassicamidopropyl dimethylamine

Fragrance components: Tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, acetyl cedrene, coumarin

Other functional ingredients: Sodium chloride, caprylyl glycol, tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate

That’s a proper ingredients list. For those who care about these things, it’s worth noting that Umberto Giannini is cruelty free and committed to making quality haircare products in the most planet-friendly ways possible.

Is It Worth the Money?

Let’s talk about value. At £38.06 for the complete kit, you’re getting five full-size products that’ll last ages. I’ve been using them daily for a month, and I’m nowhere near finishing any of them.

If you bought them separately, you’d pay more, plus you’d potentially deal with shipping taxes depending on where you order from. The kit saves you money and gives you everything you need for optimum results.

For context, I’ve spent way more on single hair products that did less for my waves. This feels like proper value.

The Umberto Giannini Brand: Why I Rate Them

I’ve never used Umberto Giannini products before (but I’ve heard good things about their Curl Jelly from those with proper curls). What I appreciate about the brand is its commitment to being cruelty-free and making products in planet-friendly ways.

They’re also dead transparent about what’s in their formulas. You can see the full ingredient list, they explain what everything does, and they’re honest about results. That instrumental test backing on the website gives me confidence that they’re not just making stuff up.

Who Is This Kit For?

The Dreamy Waves range is designed for Type 2 wavy hair. That’s me. If you’ve got stick-straight hair or tight curls, this probably isn’t your match.

It’s perfect for:

• Natural waves that need definition and frizz control
• Heat-styled waves that need a good base
• Anyone who wants soft blow-out waves without spending hours with a round brush
• People who prefer to air-dry but still want their hair to look intentional
• Anyone fed up with their waves falling flat by lunchtime

My Final Verdict on the Umberto Giannini Dream Waves Kit

This is one of the best discoveries I’ve made for my wavy hair. The complete routine works brilliantly together, the products smell gorgeous, and the results speak for themselves.

My waves have never looked better. They’re defined, bouncy, shiny, and actually stay that way throughout the day. The frizz control is excellent, even in typical British weather.

For £38.06, you’re getting salon-quality results at home. The kit lasts ages, the ingredients are solid, and the brand ethos aligns with my values around cruelty-free and planet-friendly products.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If you’ve got wavy hair and you’re tired of products that promise the world but deliver nothing, give this a try. Take the hair quiz on their website if you’re not sure which range suits you best.

Where to Buy

You can get the Dreamy Waves Natural Waves Wash & Style Routine directly from the Umberto Giannini website. They offer free UK shipping on orders over £25, and there are often free gifts with purchase.

If you’re interested in becoming a UG ambassador or want to see what else they do, their website has loads of info. They’ve also got other hair kits if the Dreamy Waves range isn’t quite right for your hair type.

My Top Tips for Using This Kit (Learned Through Trial and Error)

After a month of testing and plenty of mistakes, here’s what actually works:

1. Don’t skip the conditioner. I know it’s tempting when you’re in a rush, but your waves need that moisture.
2. Apply the mousse to damp hair, not soaking wet. I scrunch out excess water with a microfiber towel first. This is crucial.
3. Less mousse than you think. Seriously, this stuff grows and grows. Start with less – you can always add more.
4. Scrunch everything upwards. This helps encourage wave formation and adds volume at the roots.
5. Use a microfiber towel between stages. I scrunch out excess water after each product. Game-changer.
6. Plop onto the diffuser before turning it on. This prevents frizz from air movement.
7. Only scrunch out the cast when hair is FULLY dry. If you do it too early, you’ll just get frizz.
8. The pineapple method for overnight. Sleep with hair in a loose bun on top of your head to preserve waves. Works brilliantly.
9. Do not brush your hair after washing! This will just make it frizzy. If you need to detangle, wet it with water spray and do it with your fingers.
10. Invest in a silk pillowcase or bonnet. Between wash days, this prevents frizz while you sleep. Check it’s silk and not satin.
11. Be patient with the learning curve. I’ve failed at embracing my waves before because I gave up too quickly. Different methods work for different people. Keep experimenting.

Final Thoughts

Spring is this magical time when I want everything to feel fresh and new, including my hair routine. The Umberto Giannini Dream Waves kit has become my go-to for creating those effortless, beachy waves without spending ages styling.

If you’re on the fence about trying it, I’d say go for it. The kit gives you everything you need, the total price is reasonable, and the results are brilliant. Plus, if you don’t love it, at least you’ll know – but I reckon you will.

My wavy hair has finally found its match. Green carpet aside, this is one change I’m genuinely thrilled about.

Check out my Noughty Wave Hello Review.

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Have you tried the Umberto Giannini Dreamy Waves range? What’s your favourite product for styling waves? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear about your experiences!