3 Cute Ways To Style Your Wash and Go
The wash and go is a great natural hairstyle for those of us with natural hair. When you start doing wash and go on your natural hair, you may be challenged with how to style it. Below you’ll find three ways to style a wash and go. These are simple but definitely help with adding versatility to the look.
Wash and Go Prep
Before we get into the three ways to style a wash and go, let’s first look at how to prep your hair so you get the best wash and go possible.
1st, you want to make sure your hair is clean and free of all product. That may seem elementary since it’s a “wash” and go. However, there is a way to do a wash and go style on hair that’s not actually been washed. We’ll save that for another time.
2nd, thing you want to do is decide on the products you’re going to use for your wash and go. If you’re going for a wash and go that’s long lasting you definitely need to use a gel. Of course, the gel should be alcohol free.
You also want to make sure your hair maintains moisture beneath that gel. For that you’ll need to layer a moisturizing leave in conditioner along with a sealing oil beneath the gel. So, for the product line up:
- A moisturizing leave in conditioner
- Light weight sealing oil (most beneficial for fine hair naturals)
- An alcohol free gel (My go to is Camille Rose Naturals CurlMaker because it’s also very moisturizing due to the marshmallow root and agave, a humectant in it)
Camille Rose Curl Maker, Sm...Shop on Amazon
These products will help to make sure your hair is defined and moisturized.
Unfortunately for those of us with fine hair, the volume doesn’t typically occur on day one unless you are diffusing with your head inverted.
I like to allow my hair to dry naturally when doing a wash and go. The exception is if I’m getting it done at a salon. Then, they do whatever it is they do to set those curls and get you out of the door.
Tip for a Polished Look
Lastly, if you like a more polished looking wash and go, you’ll need some edge control. Alternatively, you can use the same gel used to “set” your wash and go. Just don’t work on your edges until your hair has fully dried. Then, of course, you’ll want to tie the front of your hair down until your edges have had a chance to set.
My favorite edge control of all time is Touch Down CBD and 24K Gold Edge Control
Now, for the styles.
Wash and Go Style #1: Half Up, Half Down
The easiest of all ways to style a wash and go is to simply put half of it up in a high ponytail and leave the other half down.
While wearing your hair half up and half down is simple, the style doesn’t have to be bland. You can dress it up with hair jewelry, pull out some tendrils along the front of your hair line or do something slightly edgy like swoop the front down before pulling it up.
Another version of the half up, half down is to reverse the section you put up.
Put the back of your hair up into a french roll or loose bun and leave the front out. This is also a more protective way of styling your hair as well.
Wash ‘N Go Style #2 : With Bantu Knots
This is by far one of my favorite ways to style a wash and go. Bantu knots typically look “small” on those of us with fine or lower density hair. The wash and go makes our hair appear fuller.
Adding just a few bantu knots allows you to enjoy the style in part but keeping some of the fullness.
Wash and Go Style #3: With Twists (or Braids)
A really fun way to style your wash and go is to use twists or braids to highlight the side of your hair. It can be flat twists or cornrows as well.
If you want to manipulate your hair less, flat twists done in a roll like fashion are the least manipulative This is what I did in the first photo below.
If you opt to just do two strand twists on the side, you may need to secure them with an elastic band to prevent them from loosening but that’s up to you. It really depends on the thickness of your hair.
In the second photo (when my hair was shorter), my hair is twisted but not secured at the root. Notice the twists are much larger though.
Otherwise, you can just part your hair on the side and add your twists or braids to that section.
So, maybe I gave you a little more than three ways to style a wash and go. Hopefully, your creative juices are flowing!
Which of these styles do you like the most?
