Solving your Refreshing Issues | Minimal Refreshing Routine + Q&A

Struggling with refreshing? It’s everyone’s pain point. In this video, I answer your refreshing questions about frizz, tangles, stringy curls, and more while I detail how I refresh my day 3 curls using minimal water.

How to Protect Curls Overnight

Before I share how I refresh and dive into questions, let’s first cover sleep protection. You put all that time and effort into wash day, so you don’t want to ruin it when you go to sleep. I prefer sleeping on a silk pillowcase in addition to wear a satin/silk bonnet to really protect my curls.

Minimal Refresh Routine

1. Separate large clumps

If you overclumped your hair on wash day or if it just tends to regroup after wash day, use dry hands or a little oil to carefully separate large clumps. This will prevent frizz and I prefer to do this before I start refreshing with any water or product.

2. Mist very little water

Using a spray bottle, I like to mist my hair lightly or simply just wet my hands under the tap. The key is to not overly soak your hair.

Since I use gels on wash day that reactivate with just water, I don’t even need to add more gel or other product. The slippery feeling returns when my hair becomes damp. I use my hands to carefully separate smooth over indivual curl clumps that are frizzy or knotted.

3. Add stylers if needed

If you found that you didn’t get enough hold from wash day, have frizzy areas, or your hair is feeling too soft you can add a little gel. I recommend starting with a small amount and even diluting it with some water in your palms. This will prevent it from becoming too producty or accumulating buildup from refreshing. I always use the same gel from wash day to avoid buildup or sticky-feeling hair. If your hair is feeling dry, you can add a little leave-in or cream mixed with water first. I used the AG Re:Coil Cream on wash day. Ideally, you will want to use the same cream from wash day.

4. Redefine curls as needed

Avoid raking through all your hair, and instead, just pick up curls that need a little help and redefine them. I like to finger coil and scrunch. For stubborn curls, use a brush to smooth out frizz and any little knots while redefining the curl clump.

5. Diffuse

Diffuse for at least a minute or so, just long enough to set the gel cast again, then you can finish air drying if you’re short on time. I will usually diffuse for 5 minutes and my hair will dry completely because I don’t add much water at all. Your hair should have just been damp and not soaked to avoid damage over time and save you time.

6. Fluff & scrunch

For more volume and softness, scrunch out your gel cast once your hair is completely dry. You can leave it in if you want your curls to last longer.

Refreshing Problems Q&A

Q: How do you know when to refresh or not to refresh?

A: Assess your scalp to determine if you should just wash your hair or refresh. Scalp health should always take priority.

Does your scalp feel fine? Does it just have a little product reside? Refresh.
Do you have a lot of oil or buildup on your scalp and hair? Did you have multiple sweaty workouts? Wash.
Is your hair feeling sticky, weighed down, heavy? Wash.
Did you just swim? Wash.

Q: How can you make your curls last longer and not have to rewet your whole head?

The chart to the left is my formula for longer-lasting curls. It’s all about what you do on wash day and not necessarily about refreshing. Not everyone’s hair is going to last for days because it will depend on your hair’s health and porosity. The healthier your hair gets, the longer it will retain moisture and its shape.

Best stylers for an easier refresh

For products, look for gels with slip, thinner formulas, moisturizing ones, and those with a long-lasting flexible hold. Use a curl cream or leave-in under your gel if your hair tends to get dry or if your gel doesn’t have much moisture.

Strong, but flexible hold gels are also best for easier refreshing. Strong hold is when you can scrunch out the cast and not get a ton of frizz. Below are my favorites that range in hold and moisture level but overall make refreshing easier.

Styling techniques for longer-lasting curls

Styling techniques also play a huge roll in how well your curls hold up. Every time I skip brush styling my curls end up stringy and frizz. Clumped and defined curls will last longer because the frizz stays tucked into curl clumps. You don’t have to brush style, and you can try other options such as finger coiling, praying hands, or rake & shake.

Q: How can you get rid of tangles when refreshing?

Prevention is key! Use products on wash day with slip like the ones I listed above, use sleep protection, and pay close attention to what your curls are rubbing up against during the day.

To get rid of them while refreshing:

• Use oil on dry hair to separate knots, curl by curl
• Wet hands and apply a small amount of a product with slip
• Work through knots curl by curl
• Use a brush to smooth stubborn curl clumps with small hairs that knot up

Q: How can you prevent stringy curls or overly soft hair on refresh days?

This is typically caused by not using enough hold on wash day and air drying. Air drying gives me a much softer look and I rarely get a cast. Diffusing sets the gel cast right away so there isn’t time to frizz to form or friction like there can be during air drying. The gels listed above are strong or medium hold and will help. Look for gels with less moisture and more texturizing formulas if you struggle with overly soft hair. Adding in a hairspray, mousse, or foam on wash day can also give you “grit.”

Q: Are there any refresh tips that don’t require diffusing?

If you don’t want to diffuse, you need to use very little water, if any unless if you don’t mind more elongated curls. Aside from giving more hold, diffusing will also shrink your damp curls back up to the same length so everything is more even. If you’re short on time, just diffuse for 1-5 minutes and then finish air drying.

In the video above, I share more quick tips for getting root volume back when refreshing, how to scrunch out your gel cast for volume, and more.

Results

Refreshing is not always needed, and my hair didn’t even look that bad before. I try and skip refreshing wherever possible, especially on day 2. However, by refreshing on Day 3 this will help me extend my style another day. My curls are not so clumped together afterward, which helps it look fuller and have more volume. I still have frizz, but was able to tame some of the frizz on top and remove some of the bad tangles.

If you still need more help with refreshing, I have plenty of posts here with Refreshing Routines that address tangles, stringy curls, and more.