This High-Maintenance Night Routine = Low-Maintenance Mornings
Wash day isn't the only time you can nourish damaged hair. If you want to really get to the root of stressed strands – and save yourself time in the morning – you need a night-time hair routine. Not only will it mean you wake up to silkier, more manageable strands, but you'll also keep night damage at bay. (Because, guess what? Tossing and turning is one of the biggest culprits for breakage and frizz.)
So, let's explore the dos and don'ts for morning-ready hair strands, featuring an overnight leave-in hair treatment that guarantees nourished locks when you wake up...
Don't Do This...
First, let's start with the 'don'ts' of your bedtime routine. To avoid hair damage or stop making it worse, these are the nightly habits you need to kick...
1. Sleeping with Wet Hair
Your hair is at its most vulnerable when it's wet, so rubbing damp strands against your pillow as you snooze is going to roughen up and weaken the hair shaft. Plus, all that trapped moisture can lead to fungal scalp infections or exacerbate irritating skin conditions like dandruff and psoriasis. But this doesn't mean you can't wash your hair in the evening – just make sure you thoroughly dry locks afterwards. To protect against heat damage, prep clean, damp hair with ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In before heat styling; a delicate cream that instantly shields locks and tackles frizz.
2. Using Cotton Pillowcases
Even the softest cotton might be too harsh for dry, damaged hair. While you sleep, you might toss and turn, causing friction between your pillowcase and fragile strands. Cue hair breakage. So, upgrade your bedtime routine with silk pillowcases or satin pillowcases that won't catch on and harm already-frizzy hair. If you tie or wrap your hair up overnight, you might also want to invest in silk scrunchies or a satin scarf.
3. Forgetting to Detangle
If you're a pull-out-the-pony-and-crash kind of sleeper, you might notice your hair feels dry and brittle in the morning. This could be because you're skipping a detangling session. By letting knots stay intact – and get even more knotted! – while you sleep, you risk matted strands that, when untangled, may be weak, brittle and easily snapped. That's why a quick detangling session is a must before bed. Work through strands with a wide-tooth comb from the ends first, going section by section, and gradually make your way up the hair shaft until every strand is tangle-free.
Do This Instead...
A night-time hair routine might seem high-maintenance, but it's the secret to low-fuss mornings. You can save yourself time in the AM by tackling hair damage before bed with these easy tips and tricks...
1. Apply an Overnight Serum
The first rule for repairing damage overnight? Use a night-time hair serum. ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum is specially formulated to treat and shield strands while you sleep, so you wake up to nourished, healthy hair. It's your hair's beauty sleep in a bottle, packed with skincare-inspired ingredients that repair from the inside out. There's AHA (Alpha-Hydroxy Acid) to rebuild bonds inside the hair strand, and Omega-9 to replenish the outer layer. Come morning, you'll have six times smoother hair* plus, after one week of nightly application, you'll see up to 78% less breakage* with up to 86% fewer split ends*. All you have to do is smooth it through detangled, dry hair from mid-lengths to ends, then hit the pillow. It's ultra lightweight, pillow-safe with no residue, and you don't even need to rinse it out in the morning.
2. Level Up Your Wash Day Routine
This isn't technically part of your night-time routine, but it's going to set you up for overnight success. Finding the right shampoo and conditioner is the foundation of good hair health, so make sure you're using products that continually work to repair the hair cuticle. ULTIMATE REPAIR Shampoo and ULTIMATE REPAIR Conditioner are your go-tos, targeting the most common signs of damage by healing internal bonds and filling the hair cuticle. Each time you wash with this breakage-defying duo, squeeze out excess water and mist locks with ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue; a leave-in treatment that repairs hair damage in 90 seconds**. No wonder it's a TikTok hit.
3. Use a Weekly Hair Mask
Another wash day must-have is a hair mask. Using a deep conditioning treatment once per week will give broken bonds the support they need for repair, so hair looks and feels more lustrous. ULTIMATE REPAIR Mask is a revolution in replenishment, with smart conditioning agents that identify and treat the areas that need the most care, so you get a bespoke treatment every time. It's suitable for all hair types, delivering nourishment and frizz-fighting in one. Apply it to clean, damp hair, then wrap locks up in a warm towel while it absorbs for five minutes. Rinse thoroughly.
4. Turn Down Hot Tools
Many of us don't think about the temperature of our heat styling tools, but you may be using excessive heat for the thickness of your hair. The thinner your locks are, the lower the temperature should be on your blow dryer, straighteners or curling iron, so if your tool has a heat setting dial, make sure you've turned it to the right level. As a general rule, you should aim for 120-150°C for fine or damaged hair, 150-180°C for Medium or wavy hair or 180-200°C for thick or curly hair.
5. Try Heatless Hairstyles
Trending on TikTok – and for good reason! – heatless hairstyles are the ultimate overnight hack, letting you coif locks, damage-free, before you go to bed, and shake your style loose in the morning. From heatless blow dries to plopping, both techniques can be perfected with a t-shirt and some spare hair ties. So, whether you have straight hair, wavy hair, curly hair or coily hair, there's an overnight style for you.
To Give Straight and Wavy Hair a Heatless Blow Dry
1. Start by rolling up your t-shirt to make a round doughnut shape. Use hair ties to secure it into a ring and place it on the top of your head like a crown.
2. Comb hair and part it as usual. Then apply ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum through the mid-lengths and ends to fight frizz and treat locks overnight. It creates the ideal canvas for heatless styles.
2. Use the end of a pin-tooth comb to create a triangle section of hair at the very front of your head. Pull this section up and over the t-shirt 'crown', and start wrapping until the full length of hair has been wrapped around the ring.
3. Take the next piece of hair and follow the same process. Continue section by section until all of your hair has been wrapped around the ring. Use pins to secure any loose ends where needed.
4. Go to sleep with your style in place.
5. In the morning, gently remove the ring and shake your hair loose with your hands. Finish with a light misting of EIMI Glam Mist, and you're ready to go.
To Plop Curly and Coily Hair
1. Apply ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum in sections through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair.
2. Lay a long-sleeved t-shirt on a table in front of you, with the sleeves and neck closest to you.
3. Flip your curls forward and lay them across the center of the t-shirt (on the ‘torso’).
4. Fold the bottom of the t-shirt back on the curls, to the base of your neck.
5. Tie the long sleeves around your head to secure and keep curls wrapped up while you sleep.
6. Once you’re sure hair is 100% dry in the morning, release your curls and style with fingertips.
Your Morning-After Essentials
If you've done your night-time routine right, you'll need minimal styling in the morning. Instead, this time is all about keeping hair healthy with small tweaks that shield your locks throughout the day. Add these to your kit:
1. An 'Everything' Protectant
It's not just excessive heat styling you need to be wary of. Protecting hair from UV damage and mechanical damage is also key to healthy, strong hair. So, apply a shielding hair product that does it all, like ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In. As well as safeguarding strands from heat tools up to 450°F/230°C, it also keeps the damaging effects of sun and day-to-day friction at bay. Massage a drop into lengths and ends after you brush hair in the morning, then create your favorite hairstyle. The delicate cream makes every style better, from sleek ponies to bouncy curls.
2. A Shine Booster
Whether you're locking in your plopped curls or you've just slicked back a ponytail, a touch of hold and shine is needed to complete your morning-ready routine. For curls and afro hair, NutriCurls Curlixir Balm is your glow-to product. It gives those radiant ringlets soft hold and extra glossiness, while also boosting nourishment to keep hair soft and bouncy. For straight and wavy hair, try a combination of EIMI Glam Mist for shine – and to fend off humidity – followed by EIMI Stay Firm if your style needs locking in. The hairspray is also great for tackling any flyaways. Just mist it onto a dry, clean spoolie then target pesky stray strands for all-day flawlessness.
Looking for more tips to care for damaged tresses? Discover our complete collection of Hair Care Guides, featuring advice for every type and concern.
* Vs. non-conditioning shampoo.
** When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.
