IMAGE:@ARIANNA_LYF
I must admit that, a part of the reason why I kept my hair super short for as long as I did, is because I didn’t want to go through the hassle of wash day or styling it. But now that I’m on the quest of getting some real length back, it has been a longer journey of trial and error when it comes to figuring out what works best in the least amount of time.
As far as wash day goes, we’ll have to tackle that at another time. For now, if you’re a naturalista who’s past the TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro) stage, your mornings are hectic and you’re trying to figure out how to come up with a cute ‘do in 10 minutes or less, I can do you one better. The tips that I’ve got for you will help you to have a super stylish hair style in under seven minutes, real talk. You ready to find out how?
1. Style your hair the night before.
This point might here may seem like the most obvious one in the book, but there are a lot of us who consider putting our hair in twists or braids the night before only to sigh and then say, “I’ll just do it in the morning.” Styling your hair the night before will not only save you time in the a.m., it will also keep your hair from tangling up while you’re tossing and turning in your sleep. The key is to make sure that you wrap it up in a silk or satin scarf, and that you use a satin pillowcase too. If you do this, there’s a pretty good chance that all you’ll have to worry about is styling your edges (and a few flyaways) in the morning.
2. Try some Curlformers.
You can check out “Curlformers: A Must-Have for Many Curlies” for proof that, for the most part, we’ve been fans of Curlformers for a long time now. Not only are they easy to install, they are a great way to stretch out natural hair without applying any heat. Plus, they create lots of curls and volume, they’re easy to remove and, perhaps best of all, they are really comfortable to sleep in. As a bonus, using them can set your hair for as long as three days (just put your curls up in a pineapple at night and you should be all set). So, I’m sure you can see why Curlformers made the list.
3. Rock a wash ‘n go.
If you don’t want to do a lot of prepping at night, you can always opt for a wash ‘n go. Just keep in mind that this typically requires a lot of moisture, so if it’s cold outside, you may not want to head out with damp hair. Now, I’ll be honest with you—if you want a lot of definition in your natural curl pattern, wash ‘n gos aren’t quite as “simple” as they seem. Sometimes, it can still take a good hour or so to create the results that you want. But if you literally just want to wet your hair, put some product in and head out of the door, you can modify tips from this video or this video to accomplish the quick style that you’re aiming for.
IMAGE:@ARIANNA_LYF
4. Or a ponytail.
There really is no way around the fact that one of the easiest ways to style your hair in seven minutes or less is to put it all up into either a high or low ponytail. If you want it to be super-sleek, you’re gonna need some product (and patience), but if you stay focused, you can pull it off. There are some cool tutorials here, here and here; however, I will give the heads up that sectioning your hair off and braiding it, and also giving your hair some extra moisture the night before will make it easier for you to work through your hair when you wake up. (Feel free to add an extension or not to complete your look.)
5. Keep a leave-in conditioner on tap.
One of the reasons why naturally curly hair can seem unmanageable, especially in the morning or when we’re rushing, is because of how dry it is. The solution? Adding a little leave-in conditioner. You can put some that you already own into a spray bottle along with some water (and maybe a hint of olive or avocado oil), or you can make some of your own. Leave-in conditioners are awesome because they are lighter than standard conditioners, yet they are still really good at keeping your tresses soft and moisturized.
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