Curly hair is amazing but it also takes a lot of effort to maintain. At least if you don’t know what you’re doing it.
Well, ok, it’s a bother even if you do but there are still many tips and tricks that can make preserving your curls much easier. Knowing how to keep hair curly overnight is a prime example of that.
Below we’ve listed 5 simple but effective tips for keeping curls overnight. Each will work better for different types of curls and each feels better or worse to different people. So, if one doesn’t work for you, don’t give up on the rest!
How to maintain curly hair overnight?
Braids – two loose braids, one French braid, or multiple mini braids, depending on your preferences
Braids are the simplest and oldest way to keep your hair curly overnight and they are quite effective too. Two quick loose strand twists or braids are great for tighter or coily curl patterns and are very easy to make. Multiple mini braids take more time but are great for tightening loose curls and stretching your hair.
Alternatively, you can try a single French braid. It offers great protection from frizz and can be more comfortable to sleep with. It also creates great body waves but it takes more time to set up. You can also experiment with multiple French braids or one French braid and several mini braids.
Bantu knots or pin curls for well-defined curls
If you not only want to keep your hair curly but to make sure the curls remain well-defined, try Bantu knots. First, you’d want to apply some setting products. Then, use a wide-tooth comb to separate your hair into smaller or larger sections, depending on your hair’s length. Twist each section tightly across its entire length and coil it firmly to your scalp. After that, you can secure the coils with bobby pins and/or cover them with silk bonnets to protect them from frizzing.
If you want you can also do simpler pin curls by skipping the setting product and the silk bonnet – just rolling the hair strands around your finger and to your scalp and then securing them with bobby pins will also have a noticeable effect.
Flexi rods – a comfortable solution for long spirals
Hair rollers used to be hard and uncomfortable but modern flexi rods are very different from that. A nice set of flexi rods will be easy to work with, comfortable to sleep with, and will give you excellent results. These rods are ideal for long spirals and will also keep your hair well-rested and in tip-top condition.
Loose bun or a pineapple
Probably the simplest thing you can do is a high, loose bun at the crown of your head. Just apply some leave-in conditioner and scrunch gel to your hair, flip it over, and secure it into a loose bun with a hairband. This is also often called “a pineapple”. You can skip the hair products if you want, this trick will still work for protecting your hair will you sleep. You can also do a “multiple pineapples” if your hair is short – just make several buns at the top and to the sides of your head.
A topknot for long curls and extra protection
Another trick is to cover your entire hair with a towel, scarf, or even a soft t-shirt as you sleep. This is often called a topknot, a plop, or a t-shirt turban, depending on how you do it. The basics are simple. First, apply some light curl moose to your hair. Then, flip your hair over and twist your hair into a topknot. Make sure it doesn’t pull to tightly and secure it with pins. Finally, just put a soft silk scarf or t-shirt over for protection. If you want, you can skip the pins and just use the scarf, t-shirt, or towel to secure your hair.
Bonus tip: Get yourself satin pillowcases to avoid frizz. Cotton pillowcases have their pros but they tend to absorb moisture and leave your hair dry and frizzy. This isn’t a big problem for most people but is detrimental to our curls. Alternatively, you can opt for a topknot or a bonnet but if those aren’t your thing, definitely get satin pillowcases instead. They work especially well with braids or pineapple and can even allow you to sleep with your hair loose.
