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Save your hairstyle after a tough workout with this simple hairstyle for second day hair.
How often do you wash your hair? Until a few of years ago, I washed mine every.single.day. No matter how many beauty articles I read saying otherwise, I just couldn’t behind it. I finally decided to “train” my hair to last just one more day and worked on getting the hang of dry shampoo. This revolution came about the same time as my submersion into fitness, which presented its own set of obstacles (read: lots of scalp sweat). Over the years, I’ve developed a routine that allows for about three days between washes, even with the toughest workouts in between.
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I try to keep my getting ready routines simple and spend maybe 15-20 minutes getting ready (hair and makeup both!). My husband appreciates this when we have somewhere to be and most days I’m too busy to want to spend more time than that. This second day hair tutorial takes me no more than 10 minutes start to finish!
1 // Build a good base
I find the key to making your hairstyle last begins the day you wash your hair! On Day 1, I typically shampoo, condition and blow dry my hair. I don’t care for the feeling of product buildup on my scalp, so I don’t use products prior to drying. I curl my hair in layers, away from my face, using a 1 in. curling wand (I love this one by Hot Tools) and end with a light spritz of hairspray. Right now, I’m using Redken Quick Dry 18. It’s not too heavy, but it keeps my baby hairs out of my face. Throughout the day, try to keep your hands out of your hair as much as possible.
Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy Dry Shampoo // Redken Quick Dry 18 Hairspray // John Frieda Full Volume Hair Dryer // OGX Moroccan Argan Oil // Hot Tools Digital Salon Flat Iron // Hot Tools 1 in. Flipperless Curling Wand
2 // Take your hair down after activity
On Day 2, after you’ve completed your workout, take your hair down. I typically workout first thing in the morning and as soon as the sweat on the back of my neck has dried I pull it out of the ponytail. This is possibly the most important step in saving second day hair. This helps to prevent a hair tie crease and also keeps my sweaty scalp from just melting my hair. If you work out in the afternoon, don’t skip this step!
3 // Shower! (Or skip to step 4)
The first 15 minutes after my workout are usually spent making breakfast for my husband, but as soon as the eggs are done I hop in the shower! I just twist my hair back and up and secure it with a claw clip. If you don’t intend to shower after your workout, skip to the next step.
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4 // Comb it, blast it with a cold shot, & dry shampoo it!
After getting out of the shower, I comb through the ends and blast my roots with the blow dryer using the cool setting. I use this one by John Frieda. I’ve yearned for a pricey blow dryer for years, but this one does a fine job and I’m pretty cheap. 😉 I also take this time to use a little dry shampoo if I feel my hair needs it. Like I said, I don’t like product build up on my scalp, so I try to wait until the day before I plan to wash again to use dry shampoo. However, if I’m especially greasy around my hairline, temples, or ears on Day 2, I use Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy Dry Shampoo in those areas.
5 // Smooth at the roots
If your hair has a tendency to get a bit frizzy, like mine does, grab your flat iron and smooth the roots. I focus my smoothing efforts around my hair line, my part, and sometimes the nape of my neck if my frizz is out of control. This helps tame the beast, but also gives a volume boost I might not otherwise have. A few years ago I picked up this Hot Tools Digital Salon Flat Iron and it’s been great!
6 // Touch up curls
Using my Hot Tools curling wand, I touch up any curls that might’ve lost their bounce in the last 24 hours. Using a smaller curling wand on Day 1 helps my curls hold, so I spend a few minutes on the front pieces and any pieces in the back that might have a slight crease.
7 // Defrizz and hairspray
Finally, I use a very light spritz of Moroccan Argan Oil to battle frizz a little bit more. I spray my hands and then lightly rub it through the ends. I use OGX Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil and I find it at Target! Another light dusting of Redken Quick Dry 18 and I’m out the door!
By Day 3, I’m usually rocking a messy bun, or at the very least, pinning my hair half up. On the days I wear my hair half up, I follow all of these same steps. I also follow these steps on days I straighten my hair, I just skip the curling step. Obviously. 🙂
Question: Do you rock second day hair after a workout, or do you start from scratch?
Dry shampoo is a life saver!
It sure is! I don’t know how I survived without it!
I definitely rock second hair day after a workout! I was the same with you about getting on the bandwagon of not washing your hair everyday. I couldn’t wrap my head around it at first, but now I don’t see why I didn’t do it earlier! I love how you did the step-by-step because it is so helpful! Great post!
Not washing my hair each day has made my life so much easier!!
I am still trying to figure out the dry shampoo thing…but I seldom (if ever) shampoo my hair two days in a row. I’ve starting going two days between shampooing (read-shampoo day plus two extra days). I’m a genius with the messy bun for that final day LOL