7 Stylist-Approved Tips for the Lazy Natural

Annie Blay
·10 min read

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by Allure editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.

Adobe Stock

“Sorry, I can’t hang out this weekend. I have to wash my hair.” I’ve sent that text to my friends so often that my phone fills in the rest of the sentence for me after I type the first few words. Many Black women know the struggle of having to block out a whole day (sometimes two) just to wash and style their hair—especially if you were participating in the natural hair boom of 2010. You remember the hours of pre-poo, shampoo, conditioner, hot oil treatment, deep-conditioning mask, detangling, LOC method, and twisting or braiding (whew)?

Many of us barely made it out of that era with the will to stay natural. Some Black women have turned to consistent heat-styling and chemical straightening treatments to more easily manage their natural hair. But some who did decide to stick it out have developed a “laziness” toward doing their hair. “I think a lot of women have grown tired of all the steps and products associated with washday,” says New York City-based hairstylist Karen Miller. “The lazy natural wants to live a soft life that includes not spending hours on their hair routine.”

The lazy naturals are folks who don’t want to compromise the integrity of their curls but can’t stand the thought of long washdays and laborious maintenance. “She values a low-maintenance routine that nurtures her hair while requiring minimal effort in her daily life,” says Brianna Smallwood, a Jersey City-based hairstylist.

As far as we’re concerned, the word “lazy” in this context is value-neutral. Stylists agree that it ultimately comes down to a desire for ease. The internet has many tricks, hacks, and shortcuts for natural hair, but we spoke to six stylists who specialize in textured hair about ways to make your natural hair-care routine more effortless.

Meet the experts:

  • Karen Miller is a New York City-based hairstylist.

  • Brianna Smallwood is a New Jersey-based hairstylist.

  • Ariana Greene is a hairstylist who works in New York City and Jersey CIty.

  • Nicole Taft is an Atlanta-based hairstylist.

  • Coree Moreno is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist.

  • Renée Gader is a New York City-based hairstylist and Aveda global artistic director.

  • Naomi Dove is a hairstylist in Buckeye, Arizona and Aveda North America artistic director.

Work with your texture

I’ve spent hours in my bathroom trying to get my 4C coils to look like 4A spirals with a wash-n-go. It always results in a messy amount of gel, tons of shrinkage, and hair that is stiff and full of flaky residue—not to mention a lot of frustration. “The beauty industry tends to flood natural hair consumers with so many products and steps to obtain your best hair,” says Miller. But your “best hair” is often code for defined curls—and not all textured hair is naturally defined. (Type 4 hair certainly isn’t.) “When styling, handle your hair with care, using techniques that protect and nurture its natural texture,” says Smallwood.

The laziest you can get with your routine without compromising your hair’s health is cleansing with shampoo, using a conditioner, and following up with a leave-in conditioner. Hairstylist Ariana Greene says that while a full-blown style isn’t essential, you still need to do something with your washed hair. “I would always recommend every natural to at least finish off their washday with 8 to 12 plaits or twists to let the hair dry while it’s detangled,” says Greene. “We don’t want our hair wet too long, and as it dries it should be organized in detangled sections.”

Fellow 4Cers can try a chunky twist or braid out instead of a wash-n-go. Your hair might end up less defined, but it will look just as beautiful (it’s your natural hair, after all) and won’t take as long to do.

Section your hair strategically

I used to hate having to section my hair to detangle it, but if you have thick, coarse hair, running a brush through it all at once isn’t really an option. While working in sections can feel time-consuming, sectioning your hair at the right point in your routine can save you a lot of time.

One of Smallwood’s go-to techniques is putting hair into sections while you apply deep conditioner. Coat one section in the conditioner, detangle, and then twist it. Once all your sections are done and your conditioner has penetrated, keep your hair in those twists as you do your final rinse. This way, when you’re ready to start styling, your hair is already detangled and sectioned out.

Invest in the right tools

If you’re someone whose entire tool arsenal consists of a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush, you might want to consider adding at least one more: a steamer and/or blow-dryer brush could make your washdays less strenuous. “Using a steamer makes washday and your weekly hair routines so much easier because [the steam] softens the hair, making the detangling process a breeze,” says Greene.

I recently tried the Pattern Hand Held Steamer and it shortened my washday by about 30 minutes. I used to let my conditioner sit for 15 to 20 minutes (sometimes longer if I found a random task to complete while I waited) before I rinsed it out. With the Pattern steamer, I was able to do two things at once: After applying a deep conditioning mask, I steamed each section of my hair. This allowed the mask to penetrate while I used the prong attachment of the steamer to detangle. It took about 10 minutes total.

Pattern Hair Steamer

$169.00, Pattern Beauty

Dyson Supersonic

$430.00, Amazon

A blow-dryer brush is useful if you find yourself spending hours styling your hair after washing. Yes, this is technically adding a step, but stretching your hair out with a blow-dryer after washing can make it easier (and quicker) to comb and part as you style, especially if you have coarse or thick hair. I love the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer with the Wide Tooth Comb Attachment and the Kristin Ess Blow Dry Hair Brush. Both allow me to dry and stretch my hair in less than 30 minutes. If you’re feeling particularly lazy (I have those days), try the RevAir Reverse Air Hairdryer. It uses a gentle vacuum to suction, stretch, and dry a section of your hair all in one motion.

Reverse Air Dryer

$335.00, Revair

Soft Volume Blow Dry Brush

$85.00, Amazon

Consider do-it-all-stylers

The LOC (liquid, oil, cream) method had everyone in a chokehold back in the early days of the natural hair movement. However, many stylists we spoke to, including Atlanta-based hairstylist Nicole Taft, are rejecting the lengthy process. While curls and coils definitely need moisturizing products to prevent breakage caused by dryness, “the idea that you need oils or creams and heavy stylers to moisturize hair is very much not the case,” says Taft.

Instead of using three or more products to style your hair after washing, cut down on time, energy, and money by reaching for multitaskers. A moisturizing gel that doubles as a styler and a leave-in conditioner is a great start. “Opt for [styling] products that move like water,” says Taft, with lightweight formulas that hydrate while providing slip for easy detangling. “Not only will they give you hold and longevity in your style, but they can act as a one-product styler.”

Hair-Gel

$26.00, Sephora

TGIN Curl Bomb Moisturizing Styling Gel

$16.00, Ulta Beauty

I’m a fan of the TGIN Curl Bomb Moisturizing Styling Gel and the Bread Beauty Supply Hair Gel for their lightweight texture, moisturizing feel, and lasting hold. The best part: Neither leaves any residue on your curls.

Embrace convenient styles

One of the simplest ways to make your natural hair routine easier is to tuck your strands away. “Styles like braids and twists minimize daily manipulation and simplify styling,” says Los Angeles-based hairstylist Coree Moreno.

While they may require a lot of time upfront (mini twists can take about two to six hours to complete, depending on the size), once they’re done you don’t have to worry about styling your hair for at least four weeks. After about six weeks, experts recommend taking down the style to properly cleanse and moisturize your hair and scalp.

Don’t over-condition your curls

While there’s no one way to do washday, stylists agree that some practices are worth skipping as they don’t add much to your final result. The biggest one is leaving your conditioner or mask in for hours, says hairstylist and Aveda global artistic director Renée Gader. “Don’t leave them in for too long,” she says, and you definitely shouldn’t leave them in overnight.

You might think leaving your mask in your hair for an extended period will give the product more time to work its magic (I certainly did), but according to board-certified dermatologist Oyetewa Asempa, MD, FAAD, doing so is harmful to your hair and scalp. “Keeping the scalp wet for hours at a time and adding a conditioner creates an environment for yeast to grow,” she says. Dr. Asempa adds that leaving your conditioner in for a long time can also lead to seborrheic dermatitis and hygral fatigue, which is “a type of damage that comes from too much moisture and can cause breakage over time.”

Leave your conditioners and masks in for as long as the product instructs, especially if it’s a hair-strengthening product with potent ingredients like keratin. (“Too much protein can dry out your hair,” board-certified dermatologist Ariel Ostad, MD, previously told Allure.) “An hour is the longest I ever recommend,” says Dr. Asempa. This will not only allow the product to work effectively but it’ll also make your washday shorter.

Don’t use a conditioner and a mask in one washday

According to Smallwood, doing so is redundant. Think of your hair mask as a supercharged conditioner as it’s formulated with more and heavier conditioning ingredients—like butters, oils, and silicones—cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson previously told Allure. “If your time allows for a deep conditioning treatment, that’s all you need,” she says. “On other days, it’s okay to just wash the hair and follow up with a regular conditioner to detangle and then rinse directly after.”

Naomi Dove, a hairstylist in Buckeye, Arizona and Aveda North America artistic director recommends using a deep conditioner every four to six weeks—but you should also experiment to find a routine that works for you—rather than defaulting to one that works for the person you’re following on TikTok. “There hasn’t been a framework on how to care and live in one’s natural hair,” Dove says. “It requires a lot of independent navigation.”

Use pre-poo only when you need to

So, your favorite curly-haired content creator says she uses a pre-poo daily and you're wondering if you should, too. According to Smallwood, you should reach for it only when you need it. “I don't think pre-poos are essential, but I do believe they are helpful depending on the state of your hair,” she says.

Many naturals use pre-poo treatments before shampooing to help retain moisture. While this step can help reduce breakage, combat buildup, and make detangling easier if your hair is very dry, Smallwood says you can achieve the same results with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner if your hair isn’t particularly dehydrated.

Discover more natural hair stories:

Now, watch Saweetie judge beauty trends:

Originally Appeared on Allure

Latest Stories