Curly hair between shampoos?

[FastHands]

Okay, so I think I have managed to get to a place where I am happy with my air-dried curls thanks to some of the tips I've picked up here along the way. BUT I absolutely cannot wash my hair every day.

If you are a curly-headed person and don't wash every day, what do you do on the in-betweens? I know my curls will go to hell when I sleep. I feel like if I spray-wet them in the morning and re-scrunch, the old product will get all funky and weird on me. Or it just won't work the same.

HALP.

ETA: I'm curly girl type 2b/2c if that matters at all to this question.

[Moe]

I don't shampoo every day, but I do rinse it and add conditioner every day. Sometimes I air dry, otherwise I diffuse. Otherwise my frizz would just go crazy.

I only add leave in conditioner (sometimes spray gel or hairspray if I want it to stay), so product "gunking" is a non issue.

[Deleted]

I "wash" with conditioner every day. I put a big handful on my scalp only (not the entire length of the hair) and gently rub my scalp with my finger tips trying not to displace the curls. Rinse. Apply gel to dripping hair while still in the shower then squeeze dry with a tshirt or wife beater.

[jacquie]

I'm also a 2B/2C, and use DevaCurl Mister Right the second day. It helps revive the curl a lot. For whatever reason, my curls stay well overnight. You might try wrapping a silk scarf over your hair at night, or switch to a silk pillowcase.

If my hair is bothering me, I'll loosely braid it before bed. That doesn't seem to affect my curls either.

[FastHands]

Yep, definitely long enough to braid. For some reason I thought that would eff things up more, but I'll give it a shot!

I'm sure one of the options here will work. Thanks!

[TheSeaward]

on days I cowash I use a LOT of la looks mixed with biosilk rock hard gelee and I don't scrunch out the gel cast. at night I pineapple my hair on top of my head, sleep on a satin pillow case, the next morning smooth it with ky jelly then flip over and scrunch a little more ky into the ends. I can go about 3 days without washing this way.

[FastHands]

Aug 19, 2013 16:09:20 GMT -5 TheSeaward said:

on days I cowash I use a LOT of la looks mixed with biosilk rock hard gelee and I don't scrunch out the gel cast. at night I pineapple my hair on top of my head, sleep on a satin pillow case, the next morning smooth it with ky jelly then flip over and scrunch a little more ky into the ends. I can go about 3 days without washing this way.

You are blowing my mind right now.
Questions.
1) what is cowash? Conditioner wash?
2) what is a gel cast? Do people normally scrunch it out?
3) ky jelly?! f'real? Do you use this like a balm...?? I feel like I'm being punked.

[TheSeaward]

Aug 19, 2013 17:07:55 GMT -5 FastHands said:

You are blowing my mind right now.
Questions.
1) what is cowash? Conditioner wash?
2) what is a gel cast? Do people normally scrunch it out?
3) ky jelly?! f'real? Do you use this like a balm...?? I feel like I'm being punked.

Yes condition wash
gel cast is the crunchiness gel leaves when it dries, crunching it out is a personal ppreference.
ky jelly is glycerine I use it like pomade it works wonders for frizz

[montereybride]

Do NOT braid your hair!

Do a unicorn pony at night using a no hurt elastic that is not twisted. Leave it as one 'o'

You can also switch to a satin pillowcase.

My BFF can go four days without getting her hair wet using these methods.

[FastHands]

SO MANY OPTIONS! You guys rock. My hair thanks you. I feel like this is my reward for being stuck late at work.