What’s your nighttime hair routine? Your hair needs a light, gentle touch while you sleep, and nourishing, restorative products to help it shine a little brighter in the morning.

What follows is an intuitive approach to nighttime protection for your hair: simple techniques and a careful choice of products that flex around your own hair type and routine.

Why is a nighttime hair routine important?

Tangling. Breakage. Moisture loss. It all happens while you sleep. Without proper care and protection, you can experience:

• Friction: Many pillowcases, especially those made of cotton, cause friction as you move in the night, leading to tangles and breakage.

• Product transfer: Too much product or the wrong products can transfer to your bedding and make hair dull.

• Dehydration: Your hair loses moisture during the night, particularly if your hair is highly porous.

By morning, your hair can be a mess of tangles that’s tricky to tame, leading to further breakages. The longer and more textured your hair, the more likely it is to tangle up as you sleep.

Detangling your hair before bed

One simple step in your night time hair care routine is detangling before bed. A careful brush through from roots to tips greatly decreases the chance of breakage when you brush again in the morning.

For longer hair, start lower down and brush gently to remove tangles. Then, shift the brush a little higher and brush again. Follow this technique for each section to avoid dragging your brush through multiple tangles at once and breaking your strands.

A natural bristle brush is kinder to your hair and effectively distributes your natural oils and any products you choose to use. It also gently stimulates the scalp, enhancing circulation and promoting hair health.

Overnight Hair Treatments

Overnight treatments are an easy way to replenish moisture and nourish your hair while you sleep, helping you wake up to softer, smoother, more manageable strands. Whether your hair needs lightweight hydration or intensive repair, adding an overnight treatment to your evening ritual a few times a week can help support healthier-looking hair over time.

Make this part of your evening ritual two to four nights a week, adjusting the frequency based on your hair's needs. Drier hair may benefit from more regular nourishment, while finer hair often responds best to lightweight formulas that hydrate without weighing strands down.  

If your hair is dry or damaged, an overnight serum like the The Overnight Repair Serum delivers intensive nourishment with a superfood-rich formula to help restore softness and shine by morning. 

Reducing Friction While You Sleep

Friction is the enemy of great hair. Rubbing, tugging, and pulling during the night tangles strands and even breaks them. Your style, your bedding, and particularly your pillowcase all contribute to friction-based damage to your hair.

Avoid tying your hair into tight, high ponytails or buns and, of course, never nap with wet hair. We recommend using a silk scrunchie to help keep hair in place while reducing the risk of breakage. More protective styles include low ponies or braids, or the pineapple method for curly hair: just pull your curls away from your neck and face and gently secure them on top of your head.  You can also treat your hair to frictionless sleep by using a silk pillowcase creating a gentler environment that helps protect your strands while you sleep. 

Caring for Your Hair the Morning After

Wake, stretch, and be gentle with your hair. Don’t drag those scrunchies out. Undo your protective style with care.

Take time over brushing or combing to detangle and smooth your locks. Invest in tools that support and revitalize your hair.

If your hair needs a boost of moisture, apply The Leave-In Conditioner to damp or dry mid-lengths and ends to help smooth frizz and refresh your style. To extend time between wash days, apply The Dry Shampoo at the roots to absorb excess oil and add natural-looking volume.

Thoughtfully edited night-and-day rituals are how you achieve thoroughly nourished, beautiful hair. More mindful nighttime hair routines could be the key to better days ahead.