HOW TO SLEEP WITH CURLY HAIR

So you had a perfect hair day with gorgeous, bouncy curls and zero frizz. Then you went to bed and woke up the next morning to a total disaster. Flat, undefined curls, major frizz—we’ve all been there. 

If you’re a curly girl, you may think frizzy hair on day 2 is just part of life. But it doesn’t have to be that way! The trick is to protect your locks while you sleep so you can wake up to soft, defined curls that are easy to revive. Here’s how to keep curls overnight for easy styling in the morning.

Wet or dry, here are our top hairstyles to sleep in to keep frizz at bay:

This is the perfect style for longer curls. A bun keeps your curls contained while minimizing breakage and frizz-causing friction. Simply twist your curls up into a loose, messy bun on top of your head and secure with a soft scrunchy. 

This style works best for tighter curls and coils and can help keep your curl pattern intact while you sleep. Divide your hair into two sections and wrap each section around one another, similar to a braid, from roots to ends. Secure with a soft hair tie.

One, two, or more loose braids will keep your hair secure all night long, protecting it from friction. Loose braids will help maintain your curl pattern, while a tighter braid may add more of a crimp into your strands. Experiment with one or two french braids or multiple smaller braids to find out which gives you the best results in the morning.

This style resembles a—you guessed it—pineapple and keeps you from crushing your curls while you sleep. Best for medium and shorter curls, pineappling reduces frizz-inducing friction, much like a bun. To pineapple your curls, flip your hair over and gather it into a very high, loose ponytail. Secure it with a soft fabric hair tie or scrunchy to prevent a dent in the morning.

If you’re sleeping with wet or damp curls, “plopping” your hair might be best. Plopping uses a soft cotton t-shirt to secure your curls while soaking up excess moisture. To achieve the plop, flip your hair over, “plop” it onto a soft jersey t-shirt and then tie the sleeves of the shirt in a knot to secure it on your head.

The very best way to ensure you wake up with bouncy, defined curls is to start with a good base. Here’s how to care for your curls so that they last beyond day 1.

• Keep your curls moisturized. Curly hair is naturally drier than other hair types, so shampooing less can help your curls stay hydrated. Dry shampoo can help refresh your hair if your roots are feeling oily. When you wash curly hair, be sure to use a frizz-fighting formula for curly hair. For bouncy, frizz-free curls, look for a nourishing shampoo and curl-defining conditioner.


• Switch to a silk or satin pillowcase. The name of the curl game is fighting frizz-causing friction. Cotton pillowcases are too rough on your delicate curls and may disrupt your curl pattern while you’re sleeping. Silk or satin pillowcases allow your strands to glide across the surface, minimizing friction.


• Revive your curls with a styling spray. Realign your curls in the morning and give them bouncy movement with a frizz-fighting styling spray.


• Tame flyaways. Use a touch-up cream to smooth your curls and leave each coil soft and defined.