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If you go to bed with flawless curls every night but wake up with a bad case of bedhead, you may be skipping some crucial steps in your curly hair night routine or not having one at all. Everyone is aware that curly girls struggle to maintain their curls. A bedtime routine can protect your curl pattern from long-term damage and save you a ton of time in the morning. If you want to discover how to sleep with curly hair, continue reading.
How to Protect Your Curly Hair at Night
Setting up a curly hair night routine is simpler than you would imagine. Whether you decide to wear your hair wet or dry to sleep, here are some ways that you can protect your curls overnight:
1) Hydrate Your Curls Before Going to Bed
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If you wake up every morning with frizzy curls, your hair probably needs some much-needed hydration. To hydrate your curls, add a pea-sized amount of curl cream to your dry hair. Make sure you have enough product in your hair so that it is hydrated but not wet. If your hair is on the finer side, use less product to maintain the volume in your curls.
2) Avoid Friction by Using a Silk or Satin Pillowcase
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If you don't want to add any product to your hair before bed but want to prevent frizz, swapping your cotton pillowcase with a silk or satin one is a great idea. Contrary to cotton, which can be gritty and absorbent, silk and satin is smooth and repellent. As a result, they won't pull on your hair while you sleep or absorb your hair's natural oils that fight frizz.
3) Use a Silk or Satin Bonnet
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If you still struggle to protect your curls at night despite swapping your pillowcase, try using a silk or satin bonnet. A satin bonnet not only helps to contain your curls and prevent flattening, but it will also prevent excess oils, dirt, and hair care products from plugging your pores when your hair brushes against your face at night.
4) Try The Pineapple Method
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You're probably familiar with some of the ridiculous-looking but essential curly hair nighttime hairstyles that help protect curls at night. One such popular protective hairstyle for naturally curly hair is the pineapple method.
To achieve "the pineapple" style, tie your hair in a loose ponytail at the top of your head using a fabric-covered hair tie or a soft hair tie like the Burlybands hair tie. By styling your hair like this, you can prevent your curls from frizzing up while you sleep and encourage maximum volume in the morning. This method works for both wet and dry hair.
5) Try a Loose Bun
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The pineapple method works well for short, curly hair. If you have long hair, consider tying it up loosely in a bun before bed. Loose buns are the best way to tame frizz and keep curls looking naturally curly. Whether you're using a leave-in conditioner or curl cream, it will keep everything in place and encourage your curls to soak it all up. To prevent curls from becoming overly strained, keep your bun loose. Alternatively, you can also tie your hair in a loose french braid.
6) Try Pinning Your Curls
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If you have softer hair, you might benefit from pinning your curls. To do this, gather each ringlet at the bottom, wrap it around your index finger, coil it up, and press it onto your head using bobby pins. Remove the pins with care in the morning and allow your hair to fall naturally.
7) The Plop Method for Wet Curly Hair
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If you decided to wash curly hair at night and do not have time to dry it before going to bed, try the plop method. To do the plop method, place a microfiber towel or a long-sleeved T-shirt with the end closest to you on a chair or bathroom counter. Then, flip your head forward so that your entire head of hair is on top of the towel in the middle. To finish off, tie a knot behind your head with the additional fabric from the towel or shirt.
With this technique, you won't wake up with extremely wet hair or a wet patch on your pillow, and it also lessens frizz and breakage.
Summary
Sleeping with curly hair doesn't have to be difficult, regardless of whether you have small, tight curls or large, bouncy ringlets. If you do it correctly, you might even come to love your curls more and avoid hair damage.
