How to Wake Up With Great Hair
Blame that bad hair day on a bad hair night. "Taking the time to do a few simple steps before you hit the sheets can prevent bed head in the morning," says hairstylist Justine Marjan. First step: Switch out your cotton pillowcase for silk, says hair stylist Mark Townsend. "Even if you spend an hour doing your hair before bed, cotton will open up the cuticle and wreck everything you've done," he warns. Rest easy with these overnight tricks.
GET BEACHY WAVES The shortcut to achieving Gisele-esque waves is to braid your (dry) hair before you head off to bed. Remember, "the tighter the braid, the tighter the wave," says hairstylist David Lopez. For a smooth crown, part your hair down the center. If your tresses are fine, create two braids, one on either side, starting at your ears. If they're thick and curly, stretch out the wave with one loosely woven plait down your back. For those who prefer volume, try Townsend's tip: Section off your crown, flip your hair upside down, and braid just that section. When you flip it back, make a second braid with the remainder of your hair. "When you flip your head upside down, you're lifting the roots, so you're adding body while you sleep," he says. Steer clear of tight hair elastics, which can cause a line of demarcation; use a scrunchie instead. One-minute morning touch-up: Untie braid(s) and spritz on a texture or wave spray. We love Sally Hershberger's.
PRESERVE A BOUNCY BLOWOUT The whole point of investing in a good D.I.Y. or professional blow-dry is to make it last. For that first-day freshness on days two and three, Lopez suggests sleeping with the top section of your hair wrapped around three Velcro rollers. (Picture a Mohawk down the center of your crown.) For even more lifting power, apply a soft-hold hair spray (we like Alterna's) while teasing the crown before you put in the rollers. "It builds in volume at the root that really stays full," says Lopez. One-minute morning touch-up: Take out the rollers and brush through your hair.
MAINTAIN POLISHED CURLS If ringlets are in your DNA, you're aware that moisture is crucial for keeping coils springy. To make sure your style survives the night, apply a hydrating styling lotion or oil from the mid-lengths to the ends, then wrap your hair in a silk scarf "to prevent it from getting frizzy while you sleep," suggests Marjan. We like Dove Regenerative Nourishment Serum-in-Oil ($5.99). To transform straight strands into glossy curls overnight, "you need heat to bend the protein bonds inside the hair to change the shape," says Townsend. Use a curling iron-we like T3 Twirl Convertible ($185)-and while your hair is still hot, wrap four large sections around satin foam rollers, recommends Lopez. "When you take it down in the morning, you have beautiful curls." One-minute morning touch-up: Remove rollers and shake your hair out. For added shine and to smooth flyaways, apply Serge Normant's dry oil.
STAY SILKY SMOOTH Unless you've been dozing in a straitjacket, it's nearly impossible to hop out of bed with kink-free tresses. To beat the bends that occur overnight, Townsend swears by sleeping in a ponytail wrapped in a silk ribbon. How-to: Fasten hair with an elastic at the nape of your neck, then wrap the ribbon (it should be four inches wide) around the entire length of your ponytail, and secure it with another elastic at the bottom. "Even if you toss and turn all night, there will be no friction because the hair is touching a smooth surface," he says. One-minute morning touch-up: Take out the ponytail and run a flat iron-like Conair's Infiniti PRO Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron ($44.99)-over any indentations from the elastics.
TRIED & TESTED The right products will ensure that your locks stay lovely.
Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Working Hair Spray, $28, sephora.com; Sally Hershberger 24K Beach Glam Mineral Wave Spray, $28, sallyhershberger.com; Serge Normant Meta Sheer Dry Oil Finishing Spray, $24, barneys.com.
