Hassle-free hair for people on the go

Whether it’s a day of zoom meetings, the school run or embarking on the beginning of a full day’s list of life admin, we are all in search of the ultimate quick fix for our hair. The intention for a stress-free styling session before our daily duties commence is always there, but the morning runs away with us. Fear not, there is a solution for savvy styling – even when you’re up against time. As a stylist who has been asked this question by many clients with many different hair types, I’ve put together some affordable time saving tips which can help you achieve a desirable finish and beat the clock.

Preventing Grease

Needing to wash your mane in the morning steals away those sacred minutes you could spend snoozing. This in particular used to ring true for me; my hair is pretty oily and I used to wash it every day. If your hair is similar, then I would highly recommend using dry shampoo immediately after blow drying – instead of waiting until the point at which it is already greasy. That way, you’ll get an extra day of fresh looking and feeling hair before it needs another wash. Time saved on both washing and drying, less colour fade, less heat styling and less damage. It’s a no-brainer!

Creating Waves

Another way of avoiding early morning hair maintenance involves opting for a relaxed, natural looking wave. To achieve this, try plaiting your hair before bed on slightly damp hair. 1 or 2 plaits should be fine depending on hair thickness. This will achieve a subtle kink to the hair, adding volume and texture without using heat. If you want to explore the finish of your wave, it’s perfectly easy to add more plaits. Similarly, you can be adventurous with the finish you give your hair; use hairspray or sea salt spray to create more texture, or for a more smooth and sleek look, try shine spray or a hair oil.

Blow-drying

Whether your locks are many or few, blow-drying is the main culprit time stealer in the morning. Firstly, I recommend using a large brush, as this will speed the process up by creating more surface area for drying. You can blast your hair more efficiently by using a hair dryer with high power; anything from 1800w is considered powerful by salons and high street retailers. Not only this, but you can cut corners by blasting the hair to only 70% dry before hair styling (unless you hair is coarse, in which case style from even damper). Beware to avoid using a high heat though as this will only send your locks into a frizz! Despite your rush against time, I recommend using a medium heat, and medium speed to protect your hair from dryness and damage. For this reason, you should also always direct the airflow from root to tip to prevent cuticle damage and encourage a maximum shine for your hair. Blast drying in a controlled way like this will save you time and effort on styling, as you will already be closer to your desired finished look than the dull and tangled finish you will create by furiously and impatiently blasting your hair.

So, whether it’s taking early measures, opting for an alternative finish, or cutting corners with the essential stages of any hair routine, you can achieve a salon finish and make it out the door in the morning with a minute to spare. Okay, maybe not to spare, but you can hope to be on time, at least…

Heather