One of the questions I get asked most often is how to sleep with curly hair so you don’t need to brush it every day, especially the new way for girls with curly hair. Sleeping with curly hair is something many curlers and wavy people struggle with.
If you’re wondering how to sleep with curly hair, rest assured that you have 4 straightforward options at your disposal:
When you go to bed, your hair is dehydrated and styled.
Protect your hair with something like a light yellow or a silk pillowcase
Try a protective hairstyle like a pineapple
For scalp problems, use scalp care serum and dry shampoo
Successfully maintaining curly hair overnight is easier than you might think. Let’s look at these 4 options so you’ll know how easy it is to keep your hair curly overnight and save time doing it in the morning.
1. Go to bed with your hair wholly styled
On shampoo days, I wash my hair early and let it dry completely before bed.
I also wait an hour after my hair dries to let it set before applying the buff.
I usually wash in the afternoon and try not to go out, so my style is okay. This was only sometimes possible, but it helped me achieve lasting results.
The hairstyle you have on the day you wash your hair is very important because it is the hairstyle you will keep for the next few days.
Some people wait until the following day to curl their hair, which can keep your curls from curling all night long.
Try both methods to see what works for your hair. Having a cast for a long time can make my hair clearer, but it also affects its volume, so I curl my hair out soon after it dries.
2. Protect your hair at night with cowhide and silk pillowcases
The most crucial step is to use the buff every night (figure below). This is the most crucial point. I didn’t try it for years because I thought it would have little effect, but I wish I had done it sooner.
I recently did a poll in my Instagram story, and it seems that curlers use light yellow and silk or satin pillowcases as the most common ways to protect their hair at night.
I might use the same buff for 2-3 nights because they get stretched. I pulled it down over my ears so it would stay up all night.
The cowhide would slip up and might fall off, so I also had a silk pillowcase. I have one with only one silk side, so the price is affordable. You can read more about the benefits of silk pillowcases here.
Some people have cow skins pressed on their heads while they sleep. In this case, you can clamp the sides above the ears and try to hold them in place.
Using a silk or satin pillowcase is even more critical if you can’t stay awake.
In addition to hairspray, scarves and hats are other options for protecting hair while you sleep.
3. Try protective hairstyles
Protective hairstyles may be better for you than a buff.
Pineapples, medusa cuts, buns, or braids are some excellent ideas. Try these methods and see what works best for you.
Since my hair is thin and easily tousled, I couldn’t do anything without ruining the curls, so I just made it light yellow and left it at that.
Pineapples tie their hair in a ponytail on top of their head. Some people wrap silk scarves like cowhide.
I have also seen some people sleep in the plop, either wet or dry. I do not recommend sleeping in a wet plop because it’s bad to leave your hair wet for so long. But a dry plop might work for you.
4. Treat scalp problems with scalp treatments or dry shampoo
I like to use the Briogeo Scalp Regeneration Treatment Serum on my scalp. This serum is water-based, not oily, and helps moisturize and balance my scalp, reducing itching and flaking.
You can see how I use it in this hair care video. I put a drop on my hand, emulsified it, and then rubbed it in sections on my scalp. This made me take longer to wash.
If you have oily roots, you can use dry shampoo before bed.
I use the Scalp Recovery series because it helps my scalp. I usually use some on days 3 and 4. Massage it well, and it will be absorbed overnight, so your hair looks fresh when you wake up in the morning.
