We’ve all been there… you do a cute twistout, braidout or updo and those first few hours are magic… but as the darkness falls, you know you’ll have to lay on your pillow and risk the dreaded “bed head”. Here are some tips to help your curls survive the night.
1. Make sure your hair is set well to start
Making a sloppy style last more than a day is near impossible. Whether you’re rocking a straw set, twist out or updo, make sure the style is set well with good styling products. You shouldn’t have excessive frizz or loose hairs. A good styling butter or non-alcoholic gel will go a long way towards helping your style last through the night.
2. Moisturize before bed
Dry hair leads to stiffness and frizz. Moisturized hair is more likely to stay in place and set nicely. If applying a water-based plus oil/cream moisturizer will destroy the style, try a light spritz instead. Just make sure it contains both oil and water (for moisture and seal). Oyin’s juices are great for this.
3. Satin Scarf
The scarf is your main line of defense against your pillow. It will help keep loose hairs in place, while retaining moisture in your strands.
4. Pineapple your hair
Pineappling (pulling your towards the crown or base of your head then tying with a soft, loose scrunchie) is a great way to preserve long styles. If you are pulling your hair to the crown of your head, make sure to tie your satin scarf to the front. If you are pulling your hair to the base, then tie it to the back. And if your hair is too short to fit in one
4. Modify the pineapple
Try dividing it into smaller sections and pulling those into scrunchies. Just make sure you section appropriately. For example, if you’re rocking a full twistout with a bang, you should pineapple your bang, a section by each ear, a section in the middle of your head and one at the base of your neck. This way when you take the scrunchies out, the hair will take a full shape.
5. Re-twist or bantu knot in large sections
If you’re not keen on the pineappling method, try taking large sections of hair, and put them into bantu knots and large twists. Again, pay attention to how you section, so that the hair hangs how you want it to once you take the twists/knots out.
6. Don’t stretch your curls too far
A smushed curl can be revived, but a stretched curl will have to be re-moisturized and re-set. When pineappling, twisting or knotting, be sure that you aren’t stretching your curls too far.
7. Spritz and revive in the morning
Moisture can do a lot to revive flattened curls. Spritz your hair and use your fingers to fluff your hair. Ot may be all your hair needs to return to it’s first day glory.
8. When all else fails plan on a second-day adjustment
If your hair succumbs to bed head, then have a backup plan. Try pinning your hair to the other side or add an accessory.
Ladies, how do you maintain your styles into the second day?
Thanks for this post. I needed tips.
I am not a huge fan of the scarf. I get around that by using a pure silk pillocase. It doesn’t pull at the hair as other fibres do & doesn’t strip it of natural oils. I also lightly wet my hair in the shower the next day instead of spritzing. Seems to revitalize the curls much better!
Great advice, but I can’t spritz in the morning, it will ruin my curl definition and just leave my hair frizzy.
http://www.KinkyCurlyCoilyMel.com
i spritz, moisturize the ends and braid/twist my hair every night.
in the morning, i mist again while braids/twists are still in.
Super interested in trying the “pineappling”!
For my braid-outs, I make sure my hair is moisturized and air-dried for ~24 hrs so it’s well set (#1) and I wear a satin bonnet to bed(#3). In the morning, I wear a shower cap (with a satin bonnet underneath) in the shower and fluff out my hair with my hands before leaving the house. I don’t re-moisturize unless necessary and then I have to re-braid (16 braids). I don’t spritz unless I want to lose the set. Pineappling doesn’t work for me (ruins the overall shape of my hair) neither does re-braiding in larger sections (changes the pattern of… Read more »
I don’t do many out styles but I’ve found that I need to spritz my hair then moisturise with my homemade mix then I replait, flat twist or two strand twist but in bigger sections then scarf and bed.
Pineapple does not work for me as I thrash about in my sleep. I also try not to expect too much of my hair or I will be disappointed the next day.
Great tips, however because of my hair texture, i will never spritz with water in the morning, because my style would totally be ruined.
I moisturize with aloe vera juice, retwist/rebraid or I may part my hair in sections and do a pineapple if I’m really busy and tired. in the morning all I have to do is take it out, fluff or style and I’m ready for the day.
I hate pineappling with a scrunchie, since it leaves a dent in my hair. Instead I use a pair of clean pantyhose with the legs and middle cut open. Sliding it over my head, I look like a cone-head but it streatches my curls out less.
This is super helpful! I think I might actually stop spritzing my hair with water unless i’m re-braiding or just doing another style because I think it actually dries out my hair and makes me lose the style. I have such a hard time holding anything in for more than a day or two…!
Thank you so much for this! I have short and really soft curly hair. After a satin bonnet my curls are usually flat but still shiny and moisturizer. Spritzing with water did the trick ^_^ I put a little olive oil on hands to move them around a but but there is minimal frizz..next time I might try putting some leave-in in my bottle with the water..