Curly-haired girls love summer because it’s so effortless to get that wash-and-go curl poppin’ you love. It really is more simple since the heat tends to work with you. But in the winter, can you get the same poppin’ locks?
It seems many women think they can only get this look in summer or with the spending of all their money on products they hope will give them a superb curly-girl style. I’m about to change all that for you and make your life a whole lot easier.silk
As the name “wash-and-go” suggests, you simply wash and go on with your life. No drying. No styling. And only minimal product application in the form of a no-frizz serum or moisturizer.
However, there are a few things we should settle up on with wash-and-go from the start. If you’re unhappy with the lack of definition in your hair when you let it go natural, then you’re not going to be happy with the results you get.
So, ask yourself, “Do I like my hair au natural? Do I like how it looks without any product in it? How will I feel if my curls aren’t defined?
Hopefully, you’re the adventurous type. You should at least give it a chance once to see if it’s for you. So many women have hang-ups about how they look when other women look at you with envy over those curls. It can’t hurt to try the wash and go and get poppin’ results.
What’s the worst that can happen? You hate it and never do it again? Right? See, that’s what I mean. You may not like it, but on the positive side, you may truly love it.
So follow me to see how to make this iconic style happen to your head ASAP.
Tips on how to get the perfect wash and go every time
To get things going on this natural look, there are a few steps to follow. It’s easy enough, but each step is important to get the results you desire.
– Start with freshly washed hair
It all begins right here. Yes, ladies. This is the first step you need to get the look you want. When you just wash your hair, and your scalp is nice and clean, it creates the perfect canvas that is free of buildup.
But before you lather away, I must remind you that you need to use a top-quality shampoo. Does your shampoo leave your hair feeling tangled, dry, or frizzy? If so, you have to find something that does a better job, or this wash and go method is not going to work for you. And for the love of everything, make sure it is sulfate-free! Like this one by CHI.
- For Damaged Hair
- With Antioxidants and Vitamin E
- Paraben & Sulfate Free
One thing I think helps a lot is doing a pre-poo before you begin this cleansing process. It will leave your hair more manageable and is really important for curly-headed girls to get into for the best hair care.
– Don’t forget to deep condition
After that lovely cleanse, it’s time to give your hair a nice, deep condition. Deep conditioning goes beyond the daily stuff. It adds more moisture, which is imperative for coarse and curly hair types. This also boosts elasticity, creates a more manageable experience, and adds strength to every strand of hair on your head.
Dry hair leads to frizzy hair. You can’t get this style if your hair feels as parched as the desert. Deep condition your hair as if you were at the salon. That means covering it and applying a little heat, so it seeps into there even better.
You might not have the time for deep conditioning every day (like when you’re trying to go to work, for example), but when you do a deeper form of conditioning each week, you’ll improve your hair overall.
For the day to day, choose a deep conditioning formula that will still benefit your hair even if you don’t let it sit for 30 minutes.
– Make sure to detangle your hair while in the shower
With coarse, thick, curly hair, it’s so difficult to contend with tangles. But in the shower, you can use that conditioner and water to your advantage. Instead of tugging at tangles and causing breakage, using your conditioning formulas will help add slippage to your hair. It will allow you to slide your fingers through your hair effortlessly for tangle-free tresses without trauma.
– Scrunch your product to your soaking wet hair
Now, back to those curls. Once you’re out of the shower, what do you do? I know, I know. Get a towel, right? Ha! I mean after that, though. Once you’ve dried your limbs, what you need to be doing is flipping your head upside down. Then, while hair is soaking wet, scrunch your leave-in and oil into your hair.
By scrunching, you more evenly spread the products around while not unfurling your curls. Often, we lose that definition when we brush or comb our hair. Do the scrunch instead!
But wait…why apply your moisturizer and oil together? That’s simple. You want to touch your hair less. The more you touch it after the scrunching, the more frizz you’ll have. Plus, keeping your hands off allows that moisturizer to penetrate into your hair rather than come off on your hands.
What you will want to consider for this is a good leave-in conditioner, a hair oil, and a cream. The oil will lock in moisture while the cream keeps that moisture from escaping and adds a bit of hold.
Oh, and before I forget, when you’re shopping for these things, check the ingredients list. In particular, the leave-in conditioner should list water as your first ingredient. It’s essential for your hair type!
– Apply oil to seal the moisture in your hair
Let’s talk about that oil some more now. After the leave-in conditioner comes the oil. This locks in the moisture from your leave-in. It’s important to get an oil that works well for your hair. You may not always need it either if your hair feels hydrated.
Which oils should you consider? I recommend using avocado oil, sweet almond oil, or ayurvedic oil. Nature’s Little Secret’s Herbal Oil is a good choice, as is Dominican Curly Ayurvedic Oil, as examples.
– Add hair gel for more definition
A gel or cream should be the last bit of product you apply. It gives your curls more definition and holds them well. How you apply it though, is really up to you.
See, some curly girls get better results by raking it in with fingers, taking time to work in sections, and cover each curl. Others use shingling, which may work better for you. Ultimately, it takes some experimentation in this step to see which one gives you the best curl results depending on your kinks.
– Time to let it dry
Now for the drying part. To get that poppin’ wash and go, you can either let your hair air dry, or you can wrap it until it’s dried and then reveal your curls. If your hair is highly porous, you will notice it dries very quickly on its own. For others, though, it might take what feels like forever to let it dry.
And I can’t stress this enough, so I’m going to repeat myself…DO…NOT…TOUCH…AIR…DRYING…HAIR. Please! It’s a hard habit to break, I know. But the more you touch your hair as it’s drying, the more frizz you’ll get.
Ah, but you can’t wait, you say? Simple. Take that diffuser and put it to good use. Diffusers can give you more volume and keep those curls bouncing. Most hair dryers come with one, but if not, you can find one to add on to it.
If you’d rather do a wrap, don’t just use a towel! There’s a right way to doing things. You’ll want either a silk scarf or a microfiber hair wrap. You’ll want to pineapple your hair on top of your head.
Once you have it secure, I will shout again for everyone to hear: DON’T TOUCH! I mean it. Leave your hair alone until it’s completely dry. When it is, you can take your hair down from the pineapple and shake it out.
Yes, you can arrange your kinks, but don’t use tools. Use your hands and so as not to make a frizzy mess, take a look first at where you want to move those curls and plan first before you touch too much.
How to maintain your wash and go hair style
OMG yes! Now you’re done! If you’ve followed this all properly, you should have an amazing, totally poppin’ wash and go under your belt. It does take some time to finesse, though, and the more you do it, the more you’ll get it just the way you want it.
A key factor are the products you use, so make sure you’re using quality. Additionally, I’d like to suggest that you invest in a nice satin cover for your hair to protect your curls. Or get a satin pillowcase. That’s good for your skin anyway to prevent tugging and pulling on your skin that leads to wrinkles, FYI.
When you get up, you can spray a little water on those curls and add a touch of oil as you gently fluff it. This keeps up that definition while ensuring your curls feel soft. Again, this will take a bit of practice, so you know what works for you on a personal level.
And when you find what works best on your hair, you’ll be a pro at this. You won’t have to do the wash and go every day. You’ll have beautiful hair days ahead of you for quite some time.
Something else to think about…healthy hair means it is easier to style. When you work to get your hair in healthy condition, it pays off in spades. Your hair will be much easier to style if it is nourished and moisturized rather than dry and brittle.
If you want the wash and go technique to work for you, focus on making your hair healthy first. Then any way you style it, it will always look fantastic!
What do I recommend for getting your hair healthy? Well, for one, don’t skip a regular trim or shaping your curls. This is essential for a happy head of curly hair. Additionally, you need to find products that do right by you. Even the best stuff might not give you the results you want.
Styling hair can mean a lot of trial and error until you find that one thing that just clicks. Before that, though, detangle in the shower because it is essential for keeping hair healthy. Just remember not to tug on it, or it will result in breakage, which means unhealthy hair.
Diffusing your hair is acceptable for the wash and go too, though the thing I think that matters most is that you love your hair the way it is. Learn to work with it, not against it, and you’ll see how beautiful you look with your hair.
Conclusion
Doing a wash and go can help you free up lots of time when styling curly hair. It can make you feel less stressed about it too. Following the steps and taking care of your hair will lead to your best results. Don’t be afraid to try it though. You might really love the way you see your hair when you let it do as nature designed it.