How to Get Wavy Hair Overnight: from Prep Time to Morning Primping

If you want to avoid using too much heat on your hair but are keen to learn how to get natural waves, braiding your hair overnight is the perfect way to minimise damage without compromising on a gorgeous style. Enjoy extra body and texture with a few simple tricks, no heat required. So keep reading to learn how to get wavy hair overnight… 

Back of a woman's head reaching for her brunette and blonde highlighted hair against a pink background

How to prep hair for braids
Getting gorgeous waves overnight can be as simple as sleeping in a damp braid, but it’s important to understand how to prep hair for braids first.

Begin with freshly washed hair for optimum results. Since bouncy waves is the end-goal, you’ll want to use a volumising shampoo and conditioner. Wash and condition with our Volume Lift Shampoo and Conditioner , lightweight volumising range is specially designed for fine hair to gently cleanse hair and help add natural-looking volume and bounce.
 
The last step in prepping hair for braids is to remember to detangle your tresses thoroughly before starting to braid. This will avoid the hair becoming knotted and difficult to detangle once you’ve taken the braids out.
 

Back of a blonde-haired woman's head while she washes her hair against a white background

How to get spiral curls overnight

If you prefer a tighter curl, buns are for you! Spiral curls are small and cute, and can be achieved by sleeping in small overnight hair rollers or teasing your hair into buns. 
Generally, the more buns you have, the curlier your hair will be. One or two bigger buns will create waves rather than spiral curls, so section your mane and get twisting into as many miniature buns as you like! Then, secure into place with grips and get some beauty sleep. 
 
 

Woman with short brown curly hair and red lipstick smiling at the camera with her hand on her shoulder

How to get tight curls overnight

Wondering how to get tight curls overnight? Get twisting! Twisting creates the most defined and sculpted waves or curls. After washing, pull your hair into a high pony, split the hair in two and twist before securing at the ends. 
Top tip: use a scrunchie to avoid harsh kinks or lines in your style when you let your curls loose. 

Woman facing away with her hands underneath her tightly curled brunette hair looking at the sea

How to get loose curls overnight
Loose curls are super versatile – and it’s really up to you to decide how wavy you’d like them to be. For a relaxed, beachy texture, try just one braid – you’ll find that this is enough to give your hair added oomph in the morning. 
If you do love that laid back, beachy style, we’ve rounded up everything else you need to know about how to get beach waves
If you’ve got long hair, it can be difficult to amp up the volume, so you might want to go for two or three braids to make the waves a little more pronounced (essentially, the more braids you have, the tighter the waves will be!). You could even do four or more braids if you prefer a crimped look. 

Back of a woman's head reaching for her long, blonde and tousled hair

Morning primping: how to keep hair curly

After sleeping in a braid or bun, the last thing you want is to lose your curls and waves after you shake out your hair! So how do you keep it curly? 

To make sure your braids keep their structure, spritz our Forever Full Hairspray throughout your hair. This ultra-fine mist offers the highest level of hold without that crunchy feeling. 

You can top up the hairspray throughout the day as well if you notice your waves are looking a little limp. Try to keep brushing to a minimum too, as this could flatten your curls! 


From prepping your hair to keeping your style in place, now you know how to get wavy hair overnight and achieve different types of curls – whether spiral, tight or loose – depending on the look you’re going for. 

If you do love the braided look and want to enjoy that before letting your curls loose, we’ve rounded up 10 braided hairstyles to try this year for ultimate hair inspo! 

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