Last Updated on April 12, 2023 by Verna Meachum

I absolutely love my curly hair, but who knew that a problem as simple as refreshing your curls between washes could be so challenging?

If you’re like me, your hair is at its best on day one. You spent countless hours on wash day, prepping and styling, but by the second, third day, and beyond, it all starts to unravel. Your curls look dry, have lost their shape and the frizz has taken over.

After all that effort you’ve put into making your curls look super defined and hydrated, it’s aggravating when the results don’t last long. You’re no doubt wondering if you should refresh your curls with products or re-wash them.

Don’t panic – there are ways to refresh your curls between washes. All you need is a little know-how and a hair refresher spray that will hydrate and revive your locks in no time.

In this post, we will go over some tips and tricks that you can use to revive your those curls between washes.

What is Second Day Hair?

The terms refresh curly hair and second-day hair mean different things to different people. You’ve probably heard phrases like “second day hair” or “third day hair” on social media. It simply means there was no hair washing between day one and day two.

Second day hairstyles are generally where your hair can start to go one of two ways: wrong or right. You’ve slept on it, which perhaps caused some curls to flatten or stretch out. Or, maybe it’s starting to look a bit dry and frizzy overall.

The good news is, with the right steps and hair products, you can revive hair—or even better, maximize the way you care for strands on day one so that by day-two, your curls still look good.

How to Refresh Your Curls

This is a question that I get all the time, and it’s understandable. In between washes, our curls can start to look dry or frizzy which makes us want to refresh them in some way!

If you’re like me, your hair can go from oily to dry in a matter of days, depending on what products you use. So sometimes it’s nice to just give your curls a quick refresh without having to wash them again.

Here are some tips for how to do that:

Use an Aerosol Spray Bottle or Mister

Every curly type requires constant hydration so moisturize every step of the way. On days when I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to refresh with a product, I love using good old water.

To reactivate any product you previously used:

• Fill the bottle or mister with water and generously mist your hair with it until your curls are no longer frizzy. If you only need to refresh a tiny area, lightly mist it and apply your styling product.

• If your hair feels smooth after wetting it, you likely have enough product left in it to refresh your curls. If your gel cast is back after drying, a refresher spray may be just what you need between washes.

• If needed, work in a small amount of your favorite styling product or foam using your fingers to brush through (or detangling brush) the curls to separate and define the curls, or by using praying hands to smooth the product on. You can also finger coil areas around your head to reform them.

• Diffuse on the low to medium heat setting without touching the curls. To pinpoint bursts of heat inside each section, use the prongs of the diffuser to lightly move the hair around.

• It’s worth noting that the amount of product required varies depending on the curl type.

Try using a light leave-in conditioner or curl cream to help add moisture back into your hair

All you need is a spray bottle filled with a mixture of water and your favorite leave-in conditioner. Spritzing this mixture onto your hair will refresh the curls and bring out their natural shine.

Curl Tip

Of course, there are other ways to refresh curly hair besides using products or water. You can also twist your curls into a loose bun. This is an especially good option on second-day hair when it might otherwise look too flat.

No matter how you refresh your curly hair, just be sure to use a light touch and avoid overloading your locks with product. Curly hair doesn’t need a lot of help looking good – sometimes less is more!

Use a hair refresher spray to give your curls some life

A curl refresher spray is another great way to refresh your curls between washes. With just a few sprays, you can maintain your curls definition and smooth away frizz.

If your curls just need a quick pick-me-up, a refresher spray is perfect for you.

• Lightly spray the areas that need to be refreshed with your curl refresher solution, and don’t forget the crown of your head. The refresher spray will reactivate the product you previously used. Your curls should be wet enough to where you can finger coil and remold them.
• To create a more defined look, use an additional styling product.
• You can also spritz on a detangler for added moisture.

Listed below are some curl refresher sprays to try.

25 Hair Refresher Sprays/Detanglers for Curly Hair

1. Alaffia Curl Reviving Tonic
2. Alikay Naturals Wake Me Up Daily Curl Refresher
3. Camille Rose Honey Dew Moisture Refresher
4. Cantu Shea Butter Comeback Curl Next Day Curl Revitalizer
5. Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Curl Refresher Spray
6. Curls Lavish Moisturizer
7. Design Essentials & Monoi Water Curl Refresher For Instant Curl Revitalization
8. Flawless by Gabrielle Union – Hydrating Curl Refresher Hair Spray
9. Green Beauty pH Stabilizing Spritz
10. Jane Carter Solution Curls to Go Conditioning Mist 
11. Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz
12. Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Curl Refreshing Spray for Type 4 Curls
13. Not Your Mother’s Curl Defining Detangler
14. Ouidad Botancial Boost Curl Energizing & Refreshing Spray
15. OUIDAD Curl Shaper Bounce Back Reactivating Mist
16. Oyin Nourishing Herbal Leave-in Hair Tonic
17. Pattern Hydrating Mist
18. PHYTO SPECIFIC Curl Legend Curl Energizing Spray
19. Raw Curls Anti-Frizz Spray
20. Rizos Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray
21. Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Hold and Shine Moisture Mist
22. TGIN Rose Water Curl Refresher
23. The Mane Choice Tropical Moringa Daily Restorative Spray
24. TPH by Taraji The Guardian Curl Refresher Mist
25. True Curl Moisture Lock Spray

Ahh! I love this stuff!!

How to Avoid Refreshing Your Curls

If you want a minimal-maintenance hair care regimen, concentrate on preventing rather than correcting your curls when styling them.

One way to do that is to sleep on a satin/silk pillowcase or bonnet/scarf. This will help to prevent your curls from becoming frizzy and dry the next morning. Cotton pillowcases roughen the cuticle, which makes curls less defined and can lead to breakage.

Finally, avoid touching or playing with your curls excessively – this will only cause them to become frizzy and undefined.

How to refresh curly hair after sleeping on it

If your curls need a rescue after sleeping on them and you need a method to refresh them fast, follow these easy procedures:

• Take down your pineapple (or whatever protective style you used) and gently loosen up the curls.
• Apply some water or curl refresher product to your hair.
• Fill a spray bottle with water and add a small amount of conditioner. Shake well.
• Lightly spray the mixture onto your hair, then use the praying hands method to smooth down your curls.
• Finally, scrunch up, as this will create more definition.
• Follow up with a diffuser or let your curls air dry.
• Fluff out your curls and voilà!

Conclusion

Whether you refresh on day two or three, it’s entirely up to you! I hope this article assisted you in determining the best refreshing technique for your curly hair.

What do you think? Please let me know in the comments below.