Heatless curls and more bedtime hair hacks for easy mornings

For those of us who have gotten used to working from home, having to commute back to the office might be a tough adjustment — especially when it comes to waking up earlier to get ready. It already takes time to pick out an outfit, so speeding up your a.m. beauty routine is a great way lessen your morning stress (and hopefully get a little extra sleep).

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To make the start to your day a little bit easier, we tapped Devin Toth, stylist at Salon SCK in New York City, for some insight on overnight hair hacks that will treat your tresses while you catch up on beauty sleep. Even better? None of these methods require heat styling.

Opt for heatless curls

If you typically curl your hair before work or leaving the house, being able to wake up with that same look can save you a lot of time (and protect your hair from potential heat damage).

“You can of course do the heatless curls,” Toth told us, to wake up with a polished look. “My favorite brand for that is Kitsch, they have great things for just at night in general.”

Kitsch Satin Heatless Curling Set

Kitsch’s curling set includes a satin-wrapped foam headband and two satin scrunchies that you can use to secure your hair while it curls, without getting a crease like you would from an elastic band. All you need is slightly damp hair and some beauty sleep to wake up with bouncy curls, according the brand.

RobeCurls Original Heatless Curling Headband

Shop TODAY Associate Editor Danielle Murphy loves this curling headband that went viral on TikTok. She said it left her “with a full head of bouncy, voluminous curls.” The headband is made with a satin fabric that you can wear overnight.

Use a silk pillowcase or wrap at night

If taming your bedhead is the most troublesome part of your morning routine, Toth recommends using a silk pillowcase. They are designed to reduce frizz and hair breakage while you sleep.

“You can use a silk pillowcase or like a sateen or silk cap or wrap,” Toth said. “Some of them cover your hair all the way, some of them have the top of your head left out, it’s like a pineapple hair kind of style, a lot of people with curls will do that.”

Kitsch 100{adb1ce361e4d115852a5ecc77da1fcd21e68b5d23904b1abbfd33825d7fe0fb5} Satin Pillowcase

Toth recommends using a pillowcase like this one from Kitsch. According to the brand, the fabric also helps your hair to retain its natural oils and reduces breakage and tangles.

Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross Satin Cap

If you want to sleep with your hair completely covered, a sleep cap like this one can help. It’s double-lined with satin and can be used on all hair types, the brand says.

Evolve Satin Pineapple Sleep Cap

People with curly hair will like this satin sleep cap, which is designed with the top open, so curls are not flattened while you snooze.

Use a leave-in hair mask

Not only do some leave-in treatments help make your hair more manageable in the mornings, but when they are formulated without certain ingredients, they also promote longterm hair health, according to Toth.

“Of course, deep conditioning treatments are great, I just prefer the leave-in ones overnight,” Toth told Shop TODAY. “Parabens, sulfates; those are things that you want to avoid if you want moisture and other nourishing ingredients and properties to enter your hair shaft.”

K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Mini Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

Toth recommends this leave-in mask from K18, which is formulated without parabens and sulfates. According to the brand, it is safe to use on all hair types, including straight, wavy, curly and coily hair and works to repair damaged hair and restore smoothness and softness to locks. If you have longer hair or extensions, Toth recommends putting your hair in loose pigtail braids overnight after applying the mask. “That’s just a way of ensuring that the hair at the nape of the neck doesn’t get too hot or tangled,” he said.

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Sisters Balancing Shampoo

One way to make your hair more manageable in the morning is to buy products that promote healthy hair. Toth is a fan of this hair care line and recommends their shampoo, which is formulated without parabens or sulfates and with essential oils. It’s color-safe and good for everyday use on all hair types, according to the brand.

“If you’re ever in doubt, I think just avoiding alcohols and leaning into natural ingredients is usually the best thing for your hair,” Toth said. “Plant extracts, oils, those types of things are always good for your cuticle.”

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