9 Ways to Fix (and Avoid) Bed Head
Bed head can be prevented by tying hair up while sleeping, using a humidifier in the bedroom, avoiding sleeping with wet hair, brushing hair before bed, and avoiding hair accessories that can dent or tug on hair, according to stylist Raven Hurtado. To fix bed head, dampen the area with water, apply a pomade or cream, use a hair dryer to dampen cowlicks, and brush out the section in question. Hurtado recommends tying hair up in a loose top knot, loosely braiding it, or wearing a silk bonnet to keep it secure while sleeping.
How to fix bed head in 4 steps
So, bed head got the better of you. Don’t worry—these tips from Hurtado will help get your hair back to normal in no time flat. (Again, pardon the pun.)
1. Wet it down
“If you do wake up with bed head, wet the area with water just enough so that it’s damp,” Hurtado suggests.
2. Apply product
Hurtado recommends applying a pomade or cream so that you can try and put those pesky out-of-place strands back where they came from.
3. Heat things up
Woke up with an annoying cowlick? “Dampen the section and use a hair dryer,” Hurtado says.
4. Brush it out
After blow drying the section in question, “brush it out with a paddle brush or round brush,” Hurtado says, which will help refresh your tresses.
How to avoid bed head in 5 steps
Want to make sure bed head doesn’t happen in the first place? Here are Hurtado’s top tips.
1. Tie your hair up while you sleep
Hurtado recommends tying your hair up while you sleep to keep your blowout in place. There are a few ways to do this:
- Put your hair in a top knot—”but not too tight,” Hurtado cautions.
- Loosely braid your hair to prevent frizz and keep waves intact.
- Try a silk bonnet, which is great because “they keep the overall style in place, and the hair is also secure from any movement while you sleep,” Hurtado says.
2. Use a humidifier
Hurtado recommends using a humidifier while you sleep—not only because the extra moisture in the area is great for your sinuses “but also for skin and hair, which will make the hair look fresh.”
3. Avoid going to sleep with wet hair
“The hair is fragile when it’s wet,” Hurtado says. “As you sleep and move around, hair can break off and you can wake up with frizz.”
4. Brush your hair before bed
Whether you’re a restless sleeper or not, hair tends to tangle while you sleep, which can lead to the dreaded bed head phenomenon. “When you brush before bed, you’ll have less tangled hair in the morning,” Hurtado says.
5. Avoid hair accessories that may dent or tug your hair
Instead of a metal clip or elastic, which can cause dents in your hair while you sleep, Hurtado recommends reaching for a silk scrunchie.
