How to Get Curly Hair Overnight

Co-authored by Matt King

Last Updated: November 2, 2022

Looking for a way to curl hair without damage? Or a way that doesn't take forever? Your search is over! Here are a few easy, fun ways to curl your hair overnight.

Things You Should Know

French braid your hair, loop and tie the ends, lightly hairspray your locks, sleep in the hairdo, and wake up to curly hair in the morning.
After washing and detangling your hair, fold your hair into a towel and tie the excess material over your head to leave in place overnight.
Or, consider other methods like curling mousse, ribbons, or curlers to achieve curly hair.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Leaving Plaits (Braids) in Overnight

1
Dampen your hair slightly. Spray your hair lightly with water using a spray bottle, or wash your hair and let it dry until it is damp but not dripping.
- Do not continue this process with soaking wet hair. Plaited hair takes longer to dry, and the curls will not form if your hair is still wet the next morning.
- Optionally, you can apply hair oil to keep your hair shiny and healthy.
2
Brush out knots. Brush or comb your hair, getting rid of any knots.

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3
Plait your hair. Part your hair into two sections (for wavy hair) or 4–9 sections (for wavier hair). Plait (braid) each section in a French plait.^{[1]
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Research source} Make this as tight as possible for a curlier effect.
- Two thick plaits create a wavy effect. Smaller, tighter braids will create more defined waves.
4
Loop the ends over. Plait as close to the end as you can, then loop the ends up and tuck them in. This will ensure there are no straight ends dangling from your curls.
5
Hairspray your plaits. This will keep them in position during the night.
6
Pin the plaits to your head (optional). If you have long hair, bring each plait up to the top or side of your head. Pin them into place with bobby pins.
7
Wrap your head in a scarf before you go to bed. To avoid messing up the braids or having the pins come out, wrap a scarf around your hair before you go to bed. This will help to protect your hair while you sleep
8
Unravel the plaits. When you wake up, spray your plaits with hairspray again. Then unravel them and let your hair down.
- Do not brush your hair. This will just make your hair frizzy and ruin the effect.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Plopping Your Hair

1
Detangle and wash your hair. Brush or comb out any knots. Wash your hair, and continue on to the next step while it's still wet.
2
Let your hair dry most of the way. Your hair should be damp, not soaking wet.^{[2]
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Research source} If you use this method while your hair is still fully wet, then it will not work. Allow your hair to air dry or use a blow dryer to dry it most of the way.
3
Spread a towel onto a flat surface. Use an old cotton T-shirt instead if you have fragile hair.^{[3]
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4
Bend forward onto the towel. Bend forward, concentrating all of your hair onto one place at the top of your head. Touch the top of your hair to the towel.^{[4]
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5
Twist the sides of the towel around your hair. Gather the towel on your left and right and twist inward. Keep twisting until all your hair is twisted in the bundle.^{[5]
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6
Stand up. Once finished, the top and bottom edges of the towel should be compressed against your forehead and the back of your head. Your hair should sit in a pile on top of your head, underneath the towel.^{[6]
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7
Tie the towel together. Make sure your two "towel pigtails" stay twisted. Wrap them around each other at the base of your neck or your forehead, whichever you find comfortable. Secure them in place with a hair clip, or by tying them in a knot.^{[7]
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8
Leave in overnight. Sleep with the towel over your hair. Remove the towel in the morning and watch those gorgeous locks tumble down!^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Other Methods

1
Apply hair products. Curling mousse, curl-defining creams, and an anti-frizz product can enhance your curls. For best results, apply these before any of the other methods.
2
Curl your hair with a sock or ribbon. Find a sock for waves or a ribbon for smaller curls. Arrange your hair as follows:
- Section your hair into several parts. Begin a pigtail with each one.
- Halfway down each pigtail, separate it into two lengths of hair.
- Wrap the two lengths of hair around the sock or ribbon, in an over-under helix pattern.
- Apply hairspray and leave in overnight.
3
Insert hair curlers. This is what hair curlers were made for, after all. Wrap a small section of hair tightly around each roller, and leave it overnight. Check out this article for more detailed information.
4
Imitate rollers with homemade methods. You can make your own hair curlers by wrapping your hair around strips of cloth from an old, cotton T-shirt or around plastic straws (for tight ringlets). Wrap more loosely than you would with curlers, and use larger sections of hair. This gives more of a wavy look than full-on curls.
- You can even wrap the hair around your finger, then secure with bobby pins before pulling your finger out. Take care not to poke yourself.
5
Loop around a hairband. Wrap a stretchy hairband around your hair, making sure it sits on top of all your hair. Starting on one side of your head, loop a small section of hair around the hairband. Add another small section and loop again. Keep adding on and looping until you get to the back of your head. Repeat from the other side until all your hair is up. Leave in overnight and roll the hairband down in the morning.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I braid my hair into many small braids, then put straightener in before taking them out?

Community Answer

Sure, just don't leave the straightener on too long, and don't melt the elastics if you're using rubber ones.
Question

Is there a simpler way, as braiding my hair only makes it frizzy, not curly, and it is extremely uneven.

Kalie McLaughlin

Community Answer

Something else you can do than braiding is the other things listed above or you can curl your hair in the morning into really tight ringlets and then very softly and carefully brush them out to waves. Your hair will still get frizzy with this method, but not as much.
Question

Are there any other effective methods for pretty curls?

Emma Trifan

Community Answer

Yes, there are. You can twist your hair, while it's damp, scrunch it up, and put it into a mini bun. Make these mini buns in bigger forms for bigger curls or smaller forms for curlier smaller curls. Spray them with hairspray and sleep with them overnight or keep them in for 5-6 hours.