Keeping Your Wash N’ Go Fresh on Day 5
Yes, a wash-and-go can make it to day 5 without even looking like it. All it takes is the proper care and nightly routine to make it possible.
A lot of those with curly hair will say they prefer “second-day hair” over a fresh wash-and-go because it already had time to settle in and acquire volume. “First-dayers” will notice that it takes a long time for their hair to dry which results in a lack of volume until it fully dries. On the second day, you can pick it and manipulate it more without worrying about frizz because it is no longer wet.
Refreshers are the key to any hair past the first day. Luckily, these are easy to DIY at home without having to search through product brands to find the best fit for you. To do this at home, all you need is:
-An empty spray bottle (can be found at your local discount store)
-Your conditioner
-Your preferred styling product
Fill the bottle halfway with colder water and add about 35% of conditioner and 15% of product. Shake well before every use so it’s more effective. Gently massage your scalp after spraying the refresher onto your hair to activate your roots again. Then spray all over your hair (make it damp, don’t drench it) flip your hair forward, and scrunch. Whip your hair side to side and back and forward to increase effectivity. Once your hair dries up again, you’ll see why post first-day hair is a preference for many- it gives your curls a little more character.
If DIY at home is not your thing, almost all curly hair product brands have their own refresher spray which can be just as effective. Some even have added SPF to maintain your color in the summer sun try Curlfection Next Day Refreshing Mist
However, there is more to make sure your hair survives the next days after the first wash. Whether your nightly routine consists of pineapple, using a satin pillow or a bonnet, you must make sure you are prioritizing your routine every night. If you prefer to have your curls lay longer and pinappling gives you too much root lift try pigtails using hair loops There is such thing as ruining your wash-and-go to the point of no return. If you sleep on your hair without a protective method, it can get too flat which a refresher spray will not be able to recuperate.
Also, make sure you don’t allow your hair to get too frizzy because refreshing it will add to that to some extent. For those that like to wear their curls out instead of tied up, try not to style your hair too differently from how you normally wear it. This would be very difficult for a refresher to fix as well because you will have already changed the dynamic of your wash-and-go and would have to re-wash it instead.
Roping is another technique you can use to define slept on curls. Place a small amount of product in your palms and warm it up. Then select the frizziest curls around the shell of your style and retwist the curl around your finger. This will place a bit more product giving the curl more hold and weigh down frizz.
As long as you keep your hair similar to how it looks on the first day of a wash, it will make it up to day five. Always remember that the keys are to refresh and develop a nightly routine that works for you.
