If there is one thing we have learned about curly hair over the last 18 years of NaturallyCurly, it is that there is no one way to style curly hair.
There is so much variation between curl pattern, length, width, density and porosity – it is impossible to recommend one method for everyone. So here are two methods that our editors use to refresh their Type 2 and Type 3 hair.
We will continue to share refreshing techniques for other curl patterns as well, so do not worry if these do not work for you.
For naturally wavy hair
The major challenges of refreshing wavy hair on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th days are:
dents in the hair
waves have fallen straight
waves and curls are bent out of shape
Here is how you can correct those issues with very little effort in the morning.
Step 1 – Spray with water
Spray hair with water in a water bottle. You can use a light leave-in conditioner like Oyin’s Juices and Berries, but if your hair is easily weighed down by product I would just opt for water. I love this water bottle by Curl Keeper because it has an even stream of fine mist, rather than the typical spray that only wets one small section.
Step 2 – Scrunch
Some mornings I wake up and my hair is almost straight from having slept on it, but scrunching is what brings my curls back every time. Try to be firm but gentle as you scrunch, you don’t want to separate the curls in the process because this will lead to frizz.
Step 3 – Product (optional”>
Water and scrunching is sometimes all my waves need to refresh my curls, because water reactivates the styling products I applied on the first day. But sometimes my waves droop and are stubborn, and for these days, I use a lightweight styling product that will give me some hold but will not weigh down my hair if I apply it three days in a row. The products that work best for me are cream gels like Kevin Murphy Easy Rider (featured in the video”>, Camille Rose Aloe Whipped Butter Gel or Ouidad’s Texture Taffy which has a really sticky consistency that helps waves to clump.
Step 4 – Spot treat
It is very likely that even if you do everything perfectly, you will still have a few out of shape curls. Wavy hair is unpredictable! For these I have a very quick fix, simply wrap the curl or wave around your finger, and continue twisting it up all the way to the root. Pin with a bobby pin and repeat on any other curls that need to be spot treated. Usually I do 2-3 of these pin curls on the hair that frames my face, I have found that a couple of perfect curls creates the illusion that the rest of your hair is having a good hair day. I finish putting on my makeup and getting dressed, then take the bobby pins out and I have loose curls. Then I spot treat anything that’s out of place by twirling them around my fingers and make sure nothing is sticking up in a strange direction.
It’s important to know that curly and wavy hair is unpredictable, this won’t work every morning but it will work for a lot of mornings. Don’t give up if this doesn’t work the first time!
For naturally curly hair
The major challenges of refreshing curly hair on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th days are:
knots
dryness
frizz
Step 1 – Section
Divide your hair into sections 4-6 sections using croc clips to make your hair more manageable. Do not skip this step! It may feel tedious or unnecessary, but this will make all of the difference and speed up the process too.
Step 2 – Wet hair
Wet one section with a spray bottle of water, this may take a lot of spraying if you have low porosity or very dense hair. Nikki used the Simplicity Refresh & Reactivate Spritz, which is a bottled water that contains fruit extracts and oils. You can mix essential oils into your water for your own moisturizing spritz too if you prefer. Many curlies also like to add a little bit of daily conditioner into their spray bottle of water.
With a wide tooth comb, gently detangle from the ends up towards the roots. When you have completely detangled that section, pin it back up with your clip to keep it out of the way. Then repeat steps 2-4 on the other sections. This may seem like many steps just to refresh your hair, but it is still a much faster process for Nikki than washing her hair from start to finish and allows her to walk out the door without soaking wet hair in the morning.
