In the beginning of my natural hair journey all I wore was a wash and go. I didn’t know anything about twist outs, braid outs, bantu knot outs, etc. I had just big chopped, and was looking for a simple, but beautiful hairstyle. The longer my hair got, and the more I experimented with my hair, the less I leaned on the wash and go. It seemed to me that the tangles and knots were excessive and it didn’t last more than a day. It was even more frustrating that my hair literally stays wet an entire day. By the time I went to bed, parts of my hair were still wet. I would wake up with smooshed hair and crazy tangles. I found myself constantly ripping my hair out just to achieve this so called “amazing low manipulation hairstyle”. Eventually I gave up on it, and said it was a style I could not do, because the tangles and knots were too much.
Throughout my journey I have revisited the wash and go, and I have truly found that over time it has become easier. Recently I have committed to sticking to it for the rest of this year. So, with that said here is how I minimize the knots and tangles while wearing a wash and go on my tight curly hair.
- I always start off with clean hair
- Thoroughly detangle hair before styling or adding product
- If I do not detangle hair before styling, it will just create more knots and tangles throughout the week.
- I am generous with adding product to my hair. The goal is to make sure each strand of hair is covered with product.
- If I do not make sure product covers all of the hair, certain parts of the hair get frizzy, and start to tangle around itself and others.
- Make sure the hair is completely dry before touching or going to bed at night.
- If I am playing around with my hair and it is not dry, this hair automatically frizzes up. Frizzy hair for me usually creates lots of tangles, especially close to the roots.
- Going to bed on wet hair is a complete nightmare. My hair is usually clumped up, smooshed up, and knotted together. It’s nothing like waking up with your hair stuck to your head.
- I have low porosity hair, it takes my hair an entire day to dry, so I diffuse. Diffusing has changed my experience completely with the wash and go. Once my hair is dry, I know that I will have a successful wash and go that will last me at least three days without refreshing.
- Secure your hair at night.
- As a tight curly/coily hair woman I know that I can’t just throw a satin cap on and sleep. There are several methods I use to maintain my style and also prevent the hair from wrapping around itself while I sleep.
- Pineapple Method: This is a very high ponytail that sits right on the top of my head, and the curls fall over keeping their original form.
- Bunning Method: I put my hair in a low ponytail. I wrap the ponytail up and secure with a band, This stretches the curls out at night.
Both of these methods are simple, and all I do in the morning is add a little oil, shake, pick the hair out a little, and go.
So, no more will I be defeated by the wash and go! Remember sometimes you have to continue to try different methods to find what works for your hair. It literally took me over two years to find a wash and go routine for me.
I hope this helps someone! Good luck and have fun! 🙂
