Every curly-haired person takes care of curls in the daytime no matter what. They make sure curls are not in direct contact with harsh environments and therefore, protect it as much as they can. But did you know, that protecting curls only during the daytime does not work? You also need to protect it at nighttime. But how to protect curly hair at night?
Yes, I too didn’t know about this, until I realized that every morning my curls looked frizzy and dry and when I slept with them, they were beautiful. That’s when it occurred to me, that taking care of curls is much needed during nighttime.
Here’s an expanded guide on why and how to protect your curly hair at night, along with some relatable tips and tricks.
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Why protect curly hair overnight?
Curly hair is naturally more fragile and prone to dryness than straight hair, making it essential to protect it overnight. Here are the key reasons why nighttime care matters:
1. Causes Split Ends-
Curly hair if not protected at night can cause a split end. Split ends as we all have seen occur on the outer layer and at the end of hair. So, when we sleep at night, moving from here to there on our pillowcase, our hair cuticles get damaged and cause split ends.
2. Hair Breakage-
Curls are weak and drier. When left unprotected during sleep, the constant rubbing against rough surfaces like cotton pillowcases can break hair strands.
3. Friction-
This is one of the biggest enemy of curly hair. Friction not only dries the hair but also causes hair breakage. Cotton pillowcases absorb moisture from your hair strands and create an obstacle as you move in your sleep. This leads to frizz and also disturbs the curl pattern.
4. Dry Hair-
Curls with low porosity tend to lose moisture quickly. Being already on the dry side and not protecting them at night makes them drier. Sleeping on cotton pillowcases pulls out more moisture from the hair strands and dehydrates the curls.
Also Read: Is Keratin Treatment Good or Bad for Curly Hair
How to Protect Curly Hair at Night
After seeing all the reasons why curls need to be protected during the night. Now, is the time to see how to protect curly hair at night.
1. Hydrate-
All curls need is extreme hydration and moisturization. Before, hitting bed you can apply a lightweight leave-in conditioner on your curls and keep them moisturized overnight. Doing this step will help to combat dryness and keep curls hydrated.
Pro Tip: If you prefer a DIY approach, mix a few drops of argan oil or aloe vera gel with water in a spray bottle and lightly mist your curls before bed for an extra boost of hydration.
2. Pineapple Method-
This is one of the best methods on how to protect curls at night. The pineapple method is considered a game-changer for curls. All you need to do is gather all your curls and tie them up on your crown with a silk scrunchie. I have started doing this, and felt real nice that my curls are being protected now from friction.
This technique helps to protect your curls from becoming a sandwich between pillowcase and head.
- Why It Works: By keeping your curls elevated, you minimize friction against your pillowcase and prevent them from getting squashed as you sleep.
- How-To: Flip your head upside down, gently gather your hair at the crown, and secure it with a satin scrunchie.
3. Sleep on Satin-
Switching from a cotton pillowcase to a satin or silk one can work wonders for curly hair. Satin pillowcases reduce friction and help retain moisture in your strands, making sure that when you wake up you get smoother, frizz-free curls.
- Benefits: Satin materials allow your curls to glide smoothly as you move in your sleep, preventing frizz and maintaining curl definition.
4. Silk Bonnet-
Doing all the above things for your curls, protect them at night. But if you are more careful, then you can protect them with a silk bonnet. A silk bonnet is something, you wrap your curls around and protect it from getting frizzy.
- Who Should Use This? If you have short or medium-length hair that can easily fit in the bonnet. If you’re someone who tosses and turns at night or if your pillow tends to slip off, a silk bonnet provides added security.
- How-To: Gather all your curls and then gently tuck all your curls into the bonnet or wrap them with a silk scarf, ensuring they stay protected throughout the night.
Buy Here- Silk Bonnet
5. Twisting or Braiding-
For short and medium-length curly hair, tying curls in a silk bonnet is good, but what to do when you have long curly hair? For long, thick curly hair you should braid and twist them to protect them from getting tangled.
- Why It Works: The twisting and braiding work because they protect the curls from friction and getting tangled.
- How to: You can try any of the braiding styles, it can be a Dutch braid or a simple braid.
6. Use a Buff-
A buff—a tubular piece of fabric often used by athletes—can be an excellent alternative for protecting curly hair at night.
- How-To: Slip the buff over your head like a cap, ensuring all your curls are tucked inside.
- Why It’s Great: Buffs are lightweight, comfortable, and stay in place even if you’re an active sleeper.
3-step quick morning curly hair refresh
After caring for your curls at night, your work is still not done. You need to do a 3- step quick morning curly hair refresh, to set your curls for the day.
1. Open your curls-
Start by gently removing any protective gear like a bonnet or scrunchie from the pineapple method. Use your fingers to shake out your curls lightly and separate any clumped sections.
2. Let it settle-
Let your curls wake up! Yes, after opening them from a bonnet or scrunchie, you should give curls 10-15 minutes to settle down and take their shape.
3. Refresh your curls-
If you feel, some of the areas of your curls are flat or frizzy, then you can refresh them by spritzing water or curl-refresh spray. Then, gently scrunch your curls with your hand.
Also Read: 12 Tips to Straighten your Curly Hair at Home and Avoid Damage
Bonus tips- How to protect curly hair at night?
Here are some more bonus tips to protect the curly hair at night-
- Protect your edges-
While tying a silk bonnet or silk scarf on your curls, make sure that you protect the ends of your curly hair properly.
- Be consistent-
Taking care of curls is not a one-time job. You need to be consistent for them to be healthy and soft.
- Make a good investment-
Invest in good quality silk bonnets and silk pillowcases they will be with you for a long and it’s good for your curl’s long-term health.
- Minimize heat styling-
Try to minimize the heat styling as much as you can, as it weakens the hair strands and makes them prone to damage.
FAQs on How to protect Curly hair at night
1. How can I protect my curls while sleeping?
The best way to protect your curls while sleeping is to tie them up in a pineapple hairstyle and sleep on a satin pillowcase. This way you are sure that, you are reducing the friction between hair strands and protecting them from dryness.
2. How should curly hair be worn to bed?
Well, there are many ways curly hair can be worn to bed-
- Put it in pineapple hairstyle
- You can gather all your hair at the crown and then use a silk bonnet
- Tie them in a braid
- Silk scarf, if you have short hair.
The main thing to remember is to avoid the curls getting tangled and dry due to friction.
3. How do you wrap hair at night for curls?
It is necessary to protect your curls at night for them to be healthy. I mostly tie my curls in the pineapple method. But sometimes wrapping them up in a silk bonnet or tying them in a braid also works.
4. What If My Protective Gear Slips Off During Sleep?
If while sleeping your protective gear like a silk bonnet or scarves, slips off, then do the following two things-
- Use clips to adjust the bonnet and the fit.
- Also, try sleeping on a satin pillowcase, so that even if the bonnet or scarf slips off you still have your curls protected.
5. Can I sleep with my Damp curls?
It is not recommended to sleep with damp curls, as wet hair is more fragile and prone to hair breakage. If your hair is damp, try to air dry as much as possible, or at last use a hair dryer with a diffuser from 6 inches away, to dry the curls.
Taking care of curls during the night is very important as most curl damage happens during the night.
