Tie Your Hair Up – How to Protect Your Curls at Night

By Tiffani Douglas

“Tie your hair up!” Most of us have heard that phrase a million times throughout our lives, and in retrospect, that phrase was sage advice from our mamas and grandmamas, even when we were little, to protect our hair before going to bed. We’ve been advised to protect our curls all our lives without really understanding why. We just knew we had to do it! Truth is, curly hair is fragile and we must protect it during our waking hours and even while we sleep. Not “tying your hair up,” protecting it or sleeping on harsh fabrics can cause breakage. Additionally, improper nighttime care can cause your hair to dry out and become brittle if you are not careful. Nowadays, although every situation doesn’t a warrant tying your hair up, you should be aware that caring for your hair at bedtime is a crucial step in maintaining healthy natural hair.

5 ways to prepare your natural hair for bed

Hydrate. Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night thirsty AH? Sometimes this happens to your hair too, so before you lay it down, moisturize your curls by applying Blueberry & Coconut Hair Milk. Moisturizing your natural hair at night with a lightweight leave-in conditioner restores moisture lost during the day and it replenishes your curls with what they need to stay healthy.

 

Rock your bedtime do. Just like you have your outside style, you should also have your indoor do too – that is your bedtime hairstyle. To help lock in moisture, braid, twist or plait your hair before bed. If you want to maintain a style, like a twist out or braid out, apply a small amount of Blueberry Bliss Twist N Shout Cream to your curls at night for a fresh hairstyle in the morning.

Pineapple for yo’ life. Pineappling, or pulling your hair up in a loose ponytail, is THE thing for maintaining beautiful natural curls. Pineappling protects your hair when it’s up because your style is on the inside and untouched in the center of your head. And when you take it down….whoo chile, you got hella volume for days! Before pineappling, spray Aloe & Blueberry Juice Curl Moisturizer on your hair to help fight overnight frizz and maintain moisture.

Tie your hair up. After you have chosen your bedtime protective style, further protect your natural hair by using a silk or satin scarf, or a satin bonnet to hold in moisture and shield it from abrasive fabrics that can cause breakage. If your goal is to protect the sides, use a scarf. For pineappling, many naturalistas use both. It’s really up to you and how you feel your hair needs to be protected.

Sleep luxuriously. If you just can’t stand the thought of tying up your natural hair, or if having something on your head at night bothers you, invest in a satin pillowcase. Even if you do wear a bonnet or a scarf, a satin pillowcase is an ultimate wingman for rough sleepers who lose their hair protection at night.

To learn more about CURLS’ natural hair care products, visit www.curls.com.