You know a true Wash and Go is a Myth when you have tight curls and coils! Wash…then spend forever raking and smoothing and an eternity drying. Even if you enjoy a nice wash and go, sometimes you just want a break or need your hair to dry faster and last longer. We will dive into Wash and Go Alternatives in this post.
Twist Outs, Braid Outs, rod sets, or a simple fro are alternatives to wash and go styling. These styles dry faster and last longer than wash and gos when you use the right products and techniques, making them great alternatives when you need a break.
If you are looking to get a few more days out of your wash day or want to add variety to your styles we got you :).
Braid Outs for an easy Wash and Go Alternative
Most of us learned to do single braids as little girls. Braid Outs are the easiest for me to get consistent results because the technique is so simple.
What is A Braid Out?
A braid out is when you braid your hair (the braids can be single plaits or cornrows) using a styling product. When you take the braids out, your hair is left with a wavy texture. If you have worn braids for a week or more and then taken them out, this is the pattern that a braid out leaves.
1.) Start on Freshly Washed and Detangled Hair
2.) Apply a Light Weight Leave-in
3.) Work in sections I normally go with 4-6 sections
4.) Work on damp or Wet Hair (I prefer SOAKING Wet)
5.) Apply a styling product I like to use styling creams (withhold) or styling foam for braid-outs.
6.) Braid hair and allow to dry completely
Tight Curl Tips for Braid Outs
-Skip the Gel for Braid Outs. Your hair will take forever to dry even with the help of a hooded dryer. So Unless you plan to wear the braids for a few days…skip the gel!
– I get THEEEEE Best Results on soaking wet hair for ALL of my at-home natural hair sets, …and the crazy part is it actually dries faster! I am using more water, which means I am using less of my styling product. Hair heavy with styling products takes longer to dry. Getting a Braid out to dry completely is absolutely essential for success.
-Add a small perm rod at the end of a Braid Out for a more polished finish.
My Favorite Products for A Braid Out
Most local beauty supply stores carry these items. Amazon links provided, so you know what to look for when you go shopping.
- Sectioning Clips to Keep Hair Organized
- Continuous Mist Spray Bottle
- A Cute Accessory for a little more style
Twist outs
Twists-outs can be tricky to master. Keeping the twists uniform and preventing them from unraveling is essential and a topic for another blog post, generally the steps for a twist out are the same as those for a braid out.
1.) Start on Freshly Washed and Detangled Hair
2.) Apply a Light Weight Leave-in
3.) Work in sections ….I normally go with 4-6 sections
4.) Work on damp (for more volume) or Soaking Wet Hair ( for More Definition)
5.) Apply a styling product I like to use styling creams (with hold) or styling foam for twist-outs.
6.) Twist the hair and allow to dry completely
Tight Curl Tips for Twist Outs
- Smaller twists for more definition and larger twists for more volume
- Twist Outs reveal the condition of your ends. If you are overdue for a trim, use a perm rod at the end.
- Foams dry faster than curl creams.
My favorite Products for A Twist Out
- Sectioning Clips to Keep Hair Organized
- Continuous Mist Spray Bottle
- A Cute Accessory for a little more style
- Styling Foam
Special Occasion Wash and GO Alternative: A Rod Set
I love rod sets! My rod sets NEVER Fail as long as they are completely dry. I will share my no-fail styling combo that is ALWAYS dry after an hour underneath a hooded dryer.
First thing first, What are Rod Sets? Flexi Rods and Perm Rods are the most common types of Rods. Perm Rods will be the focus today. Cold Wave Rods are another name for Perm Rods.
These next steps will look familiar because ALL good natural hair sets start the same way:
1.) Start on Freshly Washed and Detangled Hair
2.) Apply a Light Weight Leave-in
3.) Work in sections I normally go with 4-6 sections
4.) Work on damp Soaking wet or even blown-out hair.
5.) Use A Styling Foam PERIODT!
6.) Allow to Dry Completely…fluff then go.
Tight Curl Tips for Rod Sets
-Use a Styling foam or setting lotion. This is 100% non-negotiable. You will need to sleep in rods if you use any other styling products. Rods add tension and weight to the hair this is both damaging and uncomfortable. Styling Foam or Setting Lotion PERIOD!
Choosing the right size perm rods depends on the length of your hair. I choose an anchor roller then go one size up or down for tighter or looser curls.
You may want looser or tighter curls, but these are a good starting point.
| Hair Length | Anchor Size | One Size Up | One Size Down | ||
| TWA | Blue(1/4in) | Pink (5/16in) | Yellow(3/16 in) | ||
| Ear Length | Pink (5/16in) | Gray(3/8 in) | Blue(1/4in) | ||
| Chin Length | White (7/16in) | Orchid(9/16 in) | Gray(3/8 in) | ||
| Shoulder Length | Orchid(9/16 in) | Sand (11/16 in) | White (7/16in) | ||
| Mid Back Length | Tangerine (3/4 in) | Geeen (1 1/8in) | Sand (11/16 in) | ||
– I get THEEEEE Best Results on soaking wet hair for ALL of my at-home natural hair sets, …and the crazy part is it actually dries faster! I am using more water, which means I am using less of my styling product. Hair heavy with styling products takes longer to dry. Getting a Braid out to dry completely is absolutely essential for success.
–