How to Manage Your Second-Day Curly Hair

Do you ever find yourself in admiration of those who seem always to exude elegance with their perpetually perfect curls? The kind that radiate an enduring appeal, every time you see them?

The art isn't only in day one curl results but lies in mastering the exclusive allure of SECOND-DAY CURLY HAIR (and beyond!)

Today, we dive into some tried and true refresh techniques to keep your curls opulent without a daily rewash. Ready to unlock the secrets to ageless curly allure? Join me on this exquisite journey.

The Enigma of Second-Day Curls

We're all familiar with the initial magic of wash day (first-day) curls that are absolutely radiant. Fresh from the wash, they are the epitome of definition and bounce. No impact from humidity, static, wind, or friction against pillows, scarves, or seats.

The challenge is day two (and three..) after your curls experience all the potential impacts of a vibrant day of living. Second-Day Curls are a pivotal moment when your curls, while still radiant, might feel slightly less energetic.

This is the moment when the art of "Refreshing Curly Hair" shines—a moment to rejuvenate those slightly languid curls without an entire wash ritual.

Can one still exude elegance on day two? The answer is an unequivocal yes.

Why You Need to Know How to Refresh Curly Hair

Refreshing curly hair is more than just a practice. It's an exclusive lifestyle for those who value timeless beauty. Let's delve into its profound benefits:

Timeless Efficiency: Who wishes to undergo a full regimen daily? Not I, and I suspect neither do you. A swift refresh, and you emerge with curls that echo classic beauty.
Preservation Over Perish: Minimized wash means reduced handling. And that translates to fewer opportunities for hair wear and tear. Stronger, healthier curls are not a mere wish but an attainable reality.
Eternal Curl Charm: With less manipulation comes more vitality. Your curls don't just appear healthier; they are more defined and undeniably, luxurious.
Natural Moisture: Your scalp oils moisturize and protect the hair shaft, which benefits your curls versus washing daily.

To enjoy curls that epitomize efficiency and splendor, one must become acquainted with hair refreshment. If you haven't tried these techniques, you will be pleasantly surprised. Give them each a try and let us know which give you the best results for your hair!

Elevating Second-Day Curls

As you embark on this quest, it is important to know where you started. Did you apply styling products when you initially washed and styled your hair? If so, simply applying water will often reactivate your hair products, easily giving you the refresh you desire.

If you lightly applied styling products, or used a minimal number of products, you will want to add some products to your refresh routine in addition to water.

For refresh options, equip yourself with the following essentials:

Spray Bottle

When looking for the right tools to refresh your curls, you will want a spray bottle that has an adjustable spray pattern.

It should evenly moisten your hair strands, depending on how you refresh your curls. For a light all-over refresh, you will want a light spritz across all of your curls.

Ensure your spray bottle is clean and has been thoroughly rinsed to prevent any residue from previous products. Fill the bottle with water. You can add a small amount of leave-in conditioner if you wish to enhance moisture and definition. Shake the bottle to mix the contents.

Think of it as morning dew for your curls, providing the ideal touch to rejuvenate and enhance their natural beauty.

Leave In Conditioner/Cream

After awakening your curls, they may need a little extra love.

Think of the leave-in conditioner as a mini spa treatment for them. It provides more moisture, keeping your curls hydrated and in their best shape while also helping to fend off frizz.

Your curls get the care they truly deserve!

Curl Serum

Following the moisturizing boost from the leave-in, the curl serum steps in.

It acts as a shield for your curls, helping them retain moisture and maintain their shine. After applying this, your curls are set to stay hydrated and radiant.

Gel

For that extra definition your hair craves, gel is your go-to. This product helps define curls and maintain their shape perfectly. With gel in your curly hair toolkit, your curls are bound to stand out with added brilliance.

The Second Day Curly Hair Refresh Methods:

Refreshing curly hair by spritzing it with water is a common technique to revive and maintain the shape and definition of your curls without having to go through the entire washing and styling process.

This method is especially useful for people with curly hair types 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, and 4C who want to extend the life of their curls between wash days. Here are step-by-step guides on how to use 3 different techniques for your curly hair refresh.

Keep in mind that for each, you can do all of your hair, or just a few clumps, or just a few strands. I will outline the techniques for a full refresh for each of these:

The" Spritz"

The "Strand by Strand"

The "Top Down"

Prep: Gather Your Supplies: Before you start any refresh, gather the following supplies:

Spray bottle with water
Leave-in conditioner, Curl Serum and Curl Gel
A paddle brush, wide-tooth comb or your fingers
AuBonacci Styler
Diffuser

1. The "Spritz" Technique:

Step 1: Detangle Your Hair For the all over spritz, before applying water, it's a good idea to gently detangle your curls to remove any knots and prevent breakage. Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to carefully detangle, starting from the ends and working your way up to the roots. Never start from the roots.

Step 2: Section Your Hair Divide your hair into sections. This makes it easier to ensure that all parts of your hair receive the necessary moisture evenly. You can use hair clips or hair ties to keep each section separate.

Step 3: Spritz Your Hair Starting with one section at a time, lightly spritz your hair with the water from the spray bottle. Hold the bottle about 6-8 inches away from your hair to disperse the mist evenly. Avoid soaking your hair; you want it to be damp but not dripping.

Step 4: Scrunch and Smooth After spritzing, gently scrunch your hair with your hands to encourage your curls to bounce back to their natural shape. You can also smooth and reshape individual curls if needed. Do this by running your wide tooth comb or denman brush through the clump to smooth it, then shake it, and gently squeeze to reshape the curl. You can apply a small amount of gel to your hands and distribute it through your hair for added definition. To not disrupt your curls, you can do this by gently squeezing your curls or using the praying hands technique.

Step 5: Repeat for Each Section Continue the spritzing and scrunching process for each section of your hair until your entire head is refreshed.

Step 6: Air Dry or Diffuse You can either allow your hair to air dry naturally or use a diffuser attachment on your hair dryer to speed up the drying process. Make sure to use a low heat setting and gently squeeze your curls as you dry to enhance definition.

Step 7: Lift Your Roots Do you need some extra lift on top? This is a great time for the AuBonacci Styler. Use it with your diffuser to touch up any areas that have fallen flatter than you like. A quick spritz with final touch spray will hold your results!

Refreshing curly hair with a water spritz is a simple yet effective way to maintain your curls and extend the time between washes while keeping your hair healthy and well-hydrated.

woman with curly hair showing from the back

2. The "Strand by Strand" Technique

Step 1: Select the Strands Select the pieces of your hair that are standing out to you as frizzy or have lost their definition or bounce. This is a particularly useful technique for your face framing curls.

Step 2: Completely wet each Strand Starting with one strand at a time, wet your hair with the water from the spray bottle.

Step 3: Smooth and squeeze each strand Using your fingers, and the paddle brush if possible, smooth the strands. Then gently squeeze to bring the curl shape back. You can also finger coil these strands; See finger coiling below.

This can seem tedious at first, but a 5 minute investment can give you an incredibly fresh head of beautiful curls.

woman with curly hair spraying her hair with water

3. The "Top Down" Technique

For this approach, prepare to get wet. Definitely have a towel handy! Use this technique when the top layers of your hair have had it; they are frizzy, they are looking very unhappy. You fear you will have to do a full wash day to recover- but try this first!

Step 1: Gather Sections from the Crown Gather larger sections of top layers of your hair, from the crown, and use your spray bottle and the sink to get them completely wet, one segment at a time.

Step 2: Smooth and Clump Once each segment is wet, brush through it with a paddle brush to smooth out the strands and encourage clumps to form.

Step 4: Shake and Squeeze Then gently shake and gently squeeze to encourage the curl. This will definitely reactivate your styling products.

Additional Second Day Curly Hair Tips:

Finger Coiling for Curl Definition

Sometimes, curls need a gentle nudge to show their full beauty. Through Finger Coiling, we can help these curls embrace their natural elegance and shine.

What is Finger Coiling?

This method takes a section of your wet hair and uses your fingers to shape it into a nice curl. It's a way to say to your hair, "You're meant to be a beautiful curl, not just a frizzy wave."

You can also use tools like a brush handle to help shape those curls even more.

Whether you use just your fingers or a brush, it's all about giving those curls a little extra care and getting them into the perfect shape. You will need to check out some videos on this technique, and practice a bit.

woman with brown hair and curls with note saying No More Flat Curls

The AuBonacci Styler: Your Secret to Volume and Lift

Have you ever wished your curls had a bit more volume at the top?

The AuBonacci Styler is here to boost your roots, providing lift right where you want it most.

Timing is Everything

Before using this tool, make sure your hair is a bit dry, roughly 85% of the way there. It performs best when your hair is damp, not wet. Also, you must use a styling product such as a high hold gel or a final touch finishing spray for results to last, just as you do anytime you are styling hair.

How to Use It

Slide on Scalp: Position the AuBonacci Styler gently at the scalp where you want lift or direction. Slide it into the hair.
Twist and Lift: Rotate the AuBonacci Styler a bit, and lift it up gently in the direction you want the lift. Do this to a point where there is light tension.
Quick Set: With the AuBonacci Styler in place, you can give the curl a quick spritz using the AuBonacci Final Touch Spray before diffusing, or your favorite setting and holding spray. It helps set your curl quickly and perfectly when you diffuse.
Diffuse: Use your diffuser to set the lifted area and then slide the AuBonacci Styler out of the side of the curl. You do not need to unwind the hair.
Repeat for Volume: If you see other areas that need a boost, just use the same steps to spot style as needed!

And just like that, your second-day curls transition from plain to spectacularly bouncy!

SOTC (Scrunch Out The Crunch)

After layering, coiling, and diffusing, your curls might be looking on point but feeling a tad crunchy. This is a good thing. This means a "cast" has formed around your hair shaft, which lets you know you have put the right products on to help protect your hair from environmental factors and to keep moisturizing products in. But, we do want to release the soft curls under the cast. It's time to "Scrunch Out The Crunch" or SOTC.

Steps to Perfectly Soft Curls:

The Gentle Scrunch: Starting from the tips of your curls, slide your hand up and scrunch or squeeze gently. it's all about being gentle to avoid any damage.
Go All Out: Continue this method until each crunchy area feels soft.

And there you have it! Lusciously soft second day (and beyond) curls with zero crunch.

Lisa's Bonus Advice!

Before diving into the SOTC method, dab some Curl Serum onto your palms. This graces your hands with a delightful scent and ensures your curls achieve an unmatched softness.

Your curls will be both tender and stunning!

Essential Tips for Mastering Second-Day Curly Hair

Embracing second-day curly hair can be a challenge. Some additional insights you might appreciate:

Minimizing Frizz: Sleep with your curls wrapped in a silk scarf to keep those curls pristine. This simple act will protect your curls overnight from potential frizz.
Dryness: If your second-day hair is craving hydration, take a peek at my guide on how to reduce frizz. It's a game-changer!

Final Reflections

The gorgeous results you can achieve by embracing various refresh techniques will give you wonderful confidence. Adopting the refresh methods gives you options no matter where you find yourself. Keep a mini paddle brush in your purse, and you can always access a sink to do some single strand touch ups if you are out and your hair has decided to go in it's own direction!

Eager for more curly insights? My upcoming piece will dive into "Hair Plopping" - a topic sure to intrigue. Stay radiant, and keep rocking those curls!