Taking care of curls can be a tiresome chore when you have to redo your hair each morning to counteract flattened hair after a night’s rest. To help with this struggle, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite tips and techniques to help you keep your curls overnight. Try these ways to wrap your curly hair for bed and enjoy beautiful, bouncy curls with definition and shape each morning.
How to sleep with wet curly hair
Some people like to shower in the morning, while others prefer to shower at night. Depending on what you prefer, you may be sleeping with wet or dry hair which affects how you should wrap your curly hair for bed.
If you plan on showering in the morning, you’ll likely end up redoing your hair so you probably aren’t worried about keeping curls overnight. However, if you like to wash and style your hair at night, you’ll need to put extra thought into how to sleep with wet curly hair in order to maintain the look in the morning. Here are a few tips to wrap and help preserve curls hair while you sleep:
1. Pineapple It
Although the term “pineapple” in relation to hair may sound strange, it’s actually one of the most effective ways to protect curls while sleeping. This easy method works best when your hair is damp: just flip your hair over and pull it into a loose ponytail. Secure it with a headband, hair tie or clip at the front of your head. The end result will resemble a pineapple, which is where the style gets its name. In the morning, apply a small amount of Leave-In Mist to restore moisture and bounciness.
2. Loose Bun
A pineapple may not work if you have longer hair, in which case you should opt for a loose bun to help prevent you from laying on your curls while you sleep. Creating a loose bun is easy: just apply your favorite curly hair products, scrunch and gather your hair atop your head, then secure it using a scrunchie. Make sure to twist and tuck loosely while scrunching to avoid dents that can cause problems in the morning. A loose bun will contain your hair more than the traditional pineapple leading to a slight loss of definition but you can remedy this by using a dab of Curl Cream to restore shape in the morning.
3. Plop It
“Plopping” is a method used for drying curls by wrapping them in a t-shirt or microfiber towel as opposed to a regular towel which often over-absorbs moisture leading to frizz. To plop your hair: apply your favorite styling products, lay a shirt on a flat surface, flip your hair over the shirt and tie the sleeves around the back of your head so your hair rests atop your head. You can plop overnight to keep curls in place while you sleep, or use this trick anytime you need to speed up the drying process.
4. Two-Strand “Pigtail” Twists or Braids
Putting your curls in twists or braids before you sleep is one of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your curls overnight. For phenomenal results with minimal effort, stick with a basic two-strand “pigtail” style or six to eight mini-braids. Simply take a section of hair, divide it in two, and twist to form a two-strand twist. You can do this twice for the classic pigtail style or separate hair into smaller sections to have as many as you see fit. When braiding, remember that looser braids will help maintain your natural curls, while tightening it up will create a new hair pattern. For something a little more advanced, you can also try the classic French braid method to stretch your hair at the roots.
5. Try a silk or satin pillowcase
If you’ve ever woken up to dry, broken strands — it might be because of your pillowcase. Pillowcases made out of cotton absorb natural oils from your hair which dries out strands and creates friction as you rub against your pillowcase while tossing and turning throughout the night. This is especially problematic for curly hair that tends to be delicate, so an easy fix is to switch to a silk or satin pillowcase that’s softer and will allow strands to glide instead of rub. They also help prevent static, reduce frizz, and preserve the shape of your curls by allowing your hair to stay in place without being pulled in different directions.
6. Put on a silk or satin bonnet or headscarf
If you don’t want to switch out your pillowcase, you can also try a bonnet or headscarf made from silk or satin. Wrapping your hair in one of these offers the same benefits of using a satin or silk pillowcase, but you also get a little extra security and hold by keeping your hairstyle contained. Some strands may fall out of the bonnet or headscarf depending on how loosely you wrap it, so you could also use it with a silk or satin pillowcase to double your protection.
7. Swap your hair products
Curly hair requires special care, so make sure you’re using products designed to help shape and preserve curls and not just hair in general. If you’re looking for product recommendations, here’s a full routine to try out.
To start, gently cleanse and hydrate your hair with our Curl Shampoo. Follow-up with our deeply nourishing Curl Conditioner to add definition, repair damage and promote shine, then use our Curl Foaming Gel while your hair is wet to gently style your curls. The product offers the hold of a gel with the lightweight finish of a mousse, so you can go to sleep and wake up with a natural look that will last all day.
If you like to space out your washes, we recommend swapping your normal conditioner with our Curl Leave-In Conditioner on day three or four to add moisture and detangle strands. If your curls still need a little extra boost when you wake up, apply Curl Cream which adds memory and hold to your natural pattern.
Keep curls overnight
Sleeping with curls doesn’t have to be a recipe for disaster; try these techniques to keep your curls looking great when you wake up. In addition to these ways to wrap your hair before bed, give your curls some extra love by using our Curl Collection to add definition, shape, and bounciness.
Have more questions about how to sleep with curly hair? DM us on Instagram @verbproducts and we’ll answer all your hair care concerns.
