How to Refresh Your Curls in the Morning without Washing

Written by Nick Arrojo | Edited by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

You wake up one morning, and your curls are all over the place: some are dry, some are frizzy, and some are totally flat. But you don’t want to wash your hair just yet—it’s still clean! Fortunately for you, we’ve got all the info you need to tame your curls and make your hair look great again without hopping in the shower. Read through this article for our best refresh tips and product recommendations.

This article is based on an interview with our master hair stylist, Nick Arrojo, founder of Arrojo NYC. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Wet your hair with water if it’s frizzy. Apply a curl cream to fight frizz or a gel to define your curls.
Detangle your hair if you need to with a detangling brush.
Diffuse your hair on low or medium heat, or let it air dry. Then, scrunch out the crunch.

1

Mist your hair with water.

Get your hair wet to reactivate your hair products. Pour water into a spray bottle or mister, then saturate your hair all over. It doesn’t have to be dripping wet, but it should be wet enough that you could apply more product easily.^{[1]
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- If you have thick, dense hair, put half of your hair up and work on it in sections.
- If you don’t plan on adding any product to your hair, you don’t need to get it wet. However, curly hair products work best when your hair is at least slightly damp.

2

Detangle your hair if needed.

Use a detangling brush to comb through your curls if you need to. If you have thick, dense hair, it may be slightly tangled, which can lead to frizz. Use your brush to comb through your hair, starting from the bottom, and slowly ease out any knots or snarls.^{[2]
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- If your hair isn’t tangled up or you aren’t super worried about frizz, feel free to skip this step.

3

Use a curl cream to cut down on frizz.

Apply a curl cream to rehydrate your hair. Frizz usually means that your hair is lacking moisture. Use a dollop of curl cream, and run it through your hair from the roots to the ends.^{[3]
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- When you’re refreshing your curls, use less product than you usually do on wash days. Since you already have product in your hair, you don’t need to apply quite as much as usual.
- If you have fine or thin hair, try using a mousse to define your curls without weighing them down.

4

Apply gel to enhance your curls.

Define your curls and make them last all day with gel. Put a small dollop of gel in your palms, then apply it to to the middle and ends of your hair, avoiding your scalp. Use the same gel that you used on your wash day so the gel mixes together flawlessly.^{[4]
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- Just like with curl cream, use less gel than you usually do on your wash day. Since you already have gel in your hair, you don’t need as much.

5

Comb the product through with your fingers or a brush.

Make sure the product is applied evenly throughout your hair. You can either use your fingers to gently brush the product through, or you can use a detangling brush to comb it through. Make sure that your product is distributed evenly to avoid any misshapen or lopsided curls.^{[5]
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- When you apply product, try using the praying hands method. Hold your hands together like you’re praying, then clasp your hair in between your hands. Slowly drag your hands down the length of your hair to distribute the product evenly.

6

Scrunch your hair to define your curls.

Squish the product into your hair while it’s still wet. Tilt your head to one side and use both hands to scrunch your hair. Then, tilt to the other side and do the same thing.^{[6]
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7

Finger coil any loose curls.

Wrap your hair around your finger to define your curls. If you spot a few curls or waves that just won’t curl up, grab the curl by the base and wrap it around your finger a few times. Let it go and watch how it holds its shape better.^{[7]
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- If you want super tight, defined curls all over, try pin curling your hair.

8

Diffuse your hair or let it air dry.

Dry your hair with a diffuser attachment to lock in your curls. Diffuse your hair on a medium or low heat setting to prevent frizz. Tilt your head to the side or flip your hair over to create volume at the roots. Dry your hair until it’s about 95% dry, then let it air dry the rest of the way.^{[8]
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- Using a diffuser dries your hair without creating frizz. If you’re going to blow-dry your hair, always use a diffuser to keep your curls intact.
- Don’t have time to diffuse? Let your hair air dry instead!

9

Scrunch your hair to break the gel cast.

Scrunching your hair will break up your curls and make your hair soft. If you applied gel, you may notice that your hair looks and feels a little stiff. Flip your head over and gently scrunch your hair to break the gel cast and leave your hair looking great.^{[9]
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- For extra volume, gently fluff your hair by flipping your head over and roughing up your roots a bit.

10

Use dry shampoo to soak up oil on your scalp.

Dry shampoo can help cut down on wash days. If you notice that your scalp looks a little oily or greasy, spray some dry shampoo into your roots and let it soak up the oil for a couple of minutes. Then, use your fingers to rub it into your hair for clean, volumized curls.^{[10]
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- Avoid brushing dry shampoo into your hair, since that will likely make your curls frizzy.

11

Lock in your curls with hairspray.

Add an extra layer of hold with a non-aerosol hairspray. If your curls tend to fall flat by the end of the day, you’re not alone. Experts recommend spraying hairspray all over your curls in a light layer. Look for a light hold hairspray that won’t get crunchy when it’s dry.
- Too much hairspray can actually weigh your hair down. In this case, less is definitely more.

12

Co-wash your hair for a big refresh.

Try co-washing to condition your hair and start fresh. If your hair isn’t doing what you want it to but it’s not a wash day yet, hop into the shower and use conditioner to wash your hair. Apply it to the ends and the roots, and scrub your scalp with it, too. This will help spread out the oils on your scalp and also rehydrate your hair.^{[11]
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- After you rinse the conditioner out, continue with your normal wash day routine. Add products to your wet hair, then dry it like you normally would.
- Co-washing is a great option for people with very thick and very curly hair. If you have fine or thin hair, co-washing may weigh your hair down.