How To Sleep With Curly Hair: The Ultimate Expert’s Guide | Hair.com By L'Oréal

How To Sleep With Curly Hair: Tips And Products To Preserve Your Curls

Want to learn how to sleep with curly hair? We’re breaking down everything you need to know to preserve your ringlets overnight.

By Wendy Rose Gould & Powered By L’Oreal Professional Products Division

Update Date: 15 Aug 2023

Curly headed girls know that keeping their ringlets intact is a real balancing act. You’ve got to catch sleep, of course, but your nightly Zzz’s can also take a toll on the definition of your curls. Even worse, poor technique can welcome the frizz monster into your bedroom—and that’s really the scariest nighttime boogeymen of all!

If you’re rocking a glorious mane and aren’t sure how to sleep with curly hair to maintain the shape and health of your ringlets, you’re in the right place. We’re showcasing some helpful tips and tricks that’ll preserve your curls and keep frizz at bay. We’re even featuring some of our best curly hair products you can apply before bed or when you wake up for touchably soft, beautiful tresses.

Sleeping With Curly Hair 101

Whether you’re trying to figure out how to sleep with short curly hair or how to sleep with long curly hair, there are a few key tricks you should know. One of the first things you can do is swap out your current pillowcase for a silk or satin option. Though a cotton or bamboo pillowcase may feel soft enough, it can actually take a toll on your strands and lead to a major case of frizzy bedhead in the morning.

Another thing you can do is wrap your hair, put it in a satin or silk bonnet, or gently put it into a bun and secure it with a satin or silk scrunchie. This minimizes friction throughout the night and keeps your curls intact and frizzy hair away.

Finally, it’s important to use products that promote hair health through the night to ensure your strands are nourished, strong, and shiny. Products for curly hair are especially preferred since they work overtime to define your curls.

How To Sleep With Wet Curly Hair

In addition to heeding all the above advice on how to sleep with curly hair, there’s another trick you can employ if you’re going to bed with a freshly washed mane. Some people love the effect of braiding their wet curly hair or using soft curling rods, which leads to even more defined texture when you wake up in the morning.

Wet hair has “memory,” and while it dries overnight it’ll stay in the position you put it in. Big, loose braids can create more rolling, voluminous texture, while tighter braids or curling rods can create denser waves or more defined ringlets. We recommend applying a curl-defining cream, leave-in conditioner, or hair oil beforehand.

How To Sleep With Dry Curly Hair

While the braiding or curling rod trick won’t work when sleeping with dry curly hair, we still recommend applying a nourishing product to your tresses before hitting the (silk) pillow. Consider it another chance to improve the health and beauty of your curls! And again, all the advice about bonnets, wraps, and buns still applies here.

How To Preserve Your Curls At Night

The best way to preserve your curls at night is to keep them from getting rubbed or smashed. A very loose bun secured with a satin or silk scrunchie is one of the best ways to do this. Try to keep your hair at the very top of your head so it doesn’t have as much interaction with your pillow as you sleep. You can go one step further by covering the bun with a satin or silk bonnet.

Best Overnight Curly Hair Products

Whether you go to sleep with wet or dry curly hair, you’ll want to use a few key products to enhance and preserve the shape and beauty of your ringlets. For damp hair, try Mizani True Textures Twist & Coil Jelly, a bouncy strong-hold jelly that defines your curl shape and coils while also hydrating, smoothing, and strengthening your hair.

Mizani True Textures Curl Enhancing Lotion is another excellent overnight curly hair product option. This conditioning hero promotes soft and natural curls with coconut, olive, and marula oils.

If you’re going to bed with dry curly hair, we recommend spritzing some Mizani 25 Miracle Milk onto your strands. Meant to be used as a leave-in conditioner, this multitasking bestseller delivers lightweight moisture to your strands to improve hydration and strength while taming frizz.