Wash n’ gos are quick and easy styles and a great way to show off your natural texture.
To achieve a wash n’ go simply wash your hair and while it is wet you can either rake a moisturizing product through your hair like Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk or Hair Milk Pudding, or add the product to your hair from root to tip and give it a few shakes and you’re done.
The purpose of putting on a moisturizing product is to first help keep your hair moisturized after it is dry, and second the product helps to hold your curls, elongate them and help reduce frizz. Some mix their moisturizing product with a gel-type product for extra hold.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that the result of your wash n’ go depends on how tight or loose your natural curl pattern is when your hair is wet. It’s key to understand that the product you use will not change your natural curl pattern.
In other words, if you have tight small ringlets when your hair is wet, the result of your wash n’ go will be tight small ringlets. If your hair is wavy and curls at the ends when wet, your wash n’ go will be wavy with curls on the ends, and so on.
Therefore your wash n’go results are unique to you – your curl pattern.
So a quick test to get an idea of how your wash n’ go will look is to simply wet your hair and look at your curl pattern. You can even put it in sections and rake product through certain sections to check out the curl pattern. Many naturals, including myself, have several different types of textures so this way you can see what each texture looks while wet.
No matter what you hair texture is you are also going to experience some shrinkage with your wash n’ go. And of course, sleeping on your curls at night will flatten them as well.
Some are able to keep their wash n’ go curls in tact by piling them up on their head and tying a scarf around the perimeter of their head leaving their curls loose at the top. This has been dubbed the “Pineapple Method.”
For those with medium length hair, you can band your hair at night to preserve your curls. Simply section your hair and put the sections into little puffs using metal-free hair bands before putting on your satin scarf or bonnet.
For those with shorter hair, you will have to refresh your wash n’ go with a few sprays of water and use your fingers to plop up your curls. And no matter the length, the way your wash n’ go looked on the first day will most likely look different the next.
If your wash n’ go doesn’t give you the results you desire, then simply put the wash n’ go just isn’t for you. There’s really nothing to get upset about, just take a deep breath, re-wash your hair and move on.
There are tons of more styles you are capable of achieving with your hair that are perfect for your texture/curl pattern. After all, the beauty of natural hair is its versatility and uniqueness.
This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.