Unless you’re a new natural in the honeymoon phase, or just really in love with your hair, then you probably hate spending long periods of time in front of a mirror styling it. It’s tiring on your arms, and if you’re a curly with really long or thick hair then your styling session probably lasts upwards of an hour. Whilst most of us will never get our routine down to a mere five minutes we can implement some changes that can help to shed a few minutes off our styling time.
Cut Down Styling Time
Double Duty Products
Most of us are accustomed to a routine of layering multiple products onto our hair for different purposes like moisturizing, detangling etc. The problem with this is that it can take forever plus one day. Whilst you may think that you need a separate product for every step of your routine it is possible to find some that can perform multiple functions.
For example a good leave in can provide enough moisture to act as your moisturizer, your moisturizer could have enough hold to also be your styler and your conditioner could be left in as your leave in etc. Not only will this help to save you time but also money as you will have to purchase less products.
MORE: 5 Double Duty Oils
Style When Damp
Whilst this may seem like an odd way to lessen styling time it really does work. Styling on soaking wet hair can be tricky. Constantly having to wipe water that’s dripping down your face and back and wringing excess water out of your hair can all take up valuable time.
Also nothing is more infuriating than watching your products foam and slide off your hair because it is too saturated with water. After washing your hair try taking a few minutes to apply your toiletries etc before starting on your hair. Just make sure it is in twists or braids to keep it stretched and prevent tangles.
Twist It
If your hair is like mine then as soon as you exit the shower it has the audacity to start drying and tangling immediatey. It may seem like if you don’t act quickly enough you have to spend additional time detangling your hair before your styling session has even begun.
To avoid this make sure that when you detangle in the shower you twist or braid each section after detangling it then rinse your hair with the twists or braids still in. This will help to keep your hair stretched and make styling easier and therefore faster.
Stretch It
For some women shrinkage and tangling is no laughing matter becasue it can make detangling and styling an all day affair. Even when it is not wash day a simple task like remoisturizing can become arduous. If this seems like your struggle then keeping your hair stretched may just be the way to go.
After cleansing your hair you could either, roller set, tension blowdry, band, or use curformers on it to stretch your hair. Then whenever you need to remoisturize and style it should be alot easier and faster because of the lack of shrinkage and tangles.
Trim It
Those dry rough ends that you’re holding onto are adding several minutes to your styling routine. They require more product to stay moisturised, they tangle easily and those single strand knots make smoothing your hair near to impossible. This begs the question, why hold onto them?
If your ends have started to feel raggedy lately then its time for a trim so book an appointment with your hairdresser or DIY it.
