We curlies and wavies don’t always wash our hair everyday, but we still want to get fabulous second, third-day hair. What’s the trick to getting your hair to look great even when it’s not freshly washed? Styling it right! Here are some hairstyles that you can adapt for your curly or wavy, long, medium or short hair to wear over a three-day weekend.
Day 1: Long Hair
When heading into a stretch where your normal shower routine will be disrupted (hello, camping trip!”>, don’t weigh your hair down with lots of heavy styling products. Instead, enhance its natural movement by air-drying your strands and wearing them down and wavy, like the models at the Richard Chai spring runway show.
Tip: To avoid next-day tangles, and infuse a little extra body, Jill Guzzo, a hairstylist at Manhattan’s Butterfly Studio Salon, suggests sleeping with your hair in a loose bun at the top of your head to give your waves extra staying-power.
Works best for: Wavy Type 2
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Day 2: Long Hair
A glammed up ponytail will work wonders on greasy hair, whether it’s game night or date night. Pre-style and use dry shampoo on the roots near your hairline to soak up any oil and give your hair some volume.
Tip: To get a full, bouncy ‘do, like Michelle’s, hide your elastic with a small section of hair from the underside of your ponytail and use a curling iron to add oomph to the length of your hair.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 3: Long Hair
This adorable style, as seen on DJ darling Harley Viera-Newton, has made a comeback recently and works best with long, dirty hair. To start, center part your hair, dividing it into two halves. Loosely tie one side into a ponytail, and tightly braid the other half, starting at the base of your head. Secure the braid with a thin, seamless, but not elastic hair tie (to prevent damage to your tresses”>, and repeat on the other side. Fold the braids along your hairline (play with the placement to see what looks best against your face frame”> and secure the braids in place with open-ended hairpins.
Tip: Flatten any bumps with bobby pins, and blast the back pieces with hairspray to keep the look in place, without getting crunchy spots near your face.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 1: Medium Hair
Show off shiny, clean strands with a simple, center-parted look. And for shoulder-length hair, a low, soft twist is Guzzo’s pick for the start of a hair marathon. It will prep your hair for more tousled styles. Best of all, it’s easy (and quick!”> to pull off. To get Kourtney’s demure-but-glam look, pull back freshly washed or cowashed hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck, and secure it with an seamless hair tie. Then, twist the body of the ponytail until it’s wound into a tight, pretty U-shape and secure the end in place over the base of the original ponytail with another hair tie. Don’t stress over pieces that have fallen out around your face — they’ll only enhance the look.
Tip: For extra flair, place the ponytail off-center and to the side.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 2: Medium Hair
Take advantage of the texture brought on by dirtier, second-day hair with an easy bun that’s a favorite of celebs, like Eva Mendes. The sex appeal of this devil-may-care look is in the messy texture, so resist the urge to pick up a comb or detangling brush. A little bit of ‘tangle’ will actually enhance this ‘do! To start, finger comb your hair into a high ponytail. Using only your hands as styling tools will create some bumps, but relax–that’s part of what makes this look work. Rather than securing the ponytail with a hair tie, keep one hand on the base of your hair and use the other to twist the ends into a ballerina bun. Not tying the ponytail prevents your hair from getting too flat around your hairline. Stick open hairpins (they grab more strands than bobby pins”> into the bun’s base as you wrap each coil into place.
Tip: If you have thick hair or are using a bun filler to add more volume to your updo, secure the ponytail into place with a hair tie before making the bun. If you want to add more texture along your hairline, when you’re done, finger comb the front pieces.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 3: Medium Hair
At the end of a long, shampoo-free weekend, the hair around your face will show the most wear (and oil!”>. Hide greasy strands with this part-hippie, part-polished look from the Doo.Ri spring show. Part your hair in the center and grab a one inch section from each side. If you have layers, gather longer pieces to have enough length for styling. Braid the two sections, securing them with a thin seamless hair tie or a thin string. Tie the two braids together at the back of your head or, if your hair is not long enough, secure each braid to the side of your head with dainty barrettes.
Tip: If you’re a French braid or fishtail pro, feel free to use that technique rather than the typical braid. Also, experiment with larger and smaller sections of hair to create chunkier or more delicate styles.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 1: Short Hair
Get ready for the long weekend by washing or cowashing your hair and applying a small amount of volumizing mousse or other light weight, curl defining product. Loading up with sticky products will make your hair look dirtier, faster, especially with shorter styles. Let your strands air-dry until they’re only slightly damp, then use a diffuser to finish up the look. If you only have slight waves, twist the front sections around your face with your fingers to get relaxed, mini-waves, like 90210 lady Jessica Stroup.
Tip: When done, blast with cold air to close cuticles and reduce frizz.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 2: Short Hair
With pixie-short hair, headbands are the best way to add a bit of glitz without breaking a sweat. They’re also great for diverting attention away from limp or dirty locks. Take your cues from Carey Mulligan, and opt for a thin, diamanté version for formal events, or braided fabric and leather headbands for more of a boho feel. To wear, style your hair and bangs as you normally would, and then gently place the headband where you would like it to sit. Avoid pushing the headband into position, which will exaggerate oily textures and muss up face-framing pieces.
Tip: For a whimsical, tiara effect, place your headband closer to your hairline.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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Day 3: Short Hair
Unwashed hair is prime for holding its shape, making day three a good time to attempt a coif like Hayden’s blown-back look. To start, apply a liberal dose of shade-matching dry shampoo to absorb excess oils. Then, pump a quarter-sized amount of mousse into your hands and run it through your strands, pushing it into the windswept look seen here. Your hair might feel unspeakably dirty, but the sleek and chic effect relies on the extra texture to keep its place. Tip: Women with grown-out pixies or longer bobs can secure strands with a large barrette or some bobby pins to mimic this look.
Works best for: Wavy or Curly Type 2-3
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