How to Style Hair Without Heat

Heatless Waves and Curls

Use the robe curl method for curls that’ll make your curling wand envious. These heatless, bouncy curls have taken TikTok by storm, and all you need to try this technique is a bathrobe tie. Simply section your hair into two sections and drape the robe tie over your head. Wrap damp hair around the robe tie and let your hair dry. Once dry, unravel your hair to reveal beautifully bouncy curls. This is a great heatless hairstyle to try overnight. Put mousse, leave-in conditioner, or other hair smoothing product in your hair before wrapping. This will help the curls form. Spritz the finished curls with hairspray, and you’re golden!

French braid damp hair for soft, loose curls in the morning. Leaving your hair in two french braids overnight will result in voluminous beach waves. All you have to do is french braid your hair in two sections, parting your hair the way you normally would. Sleep on your braids, and carefully unravel them when you wake up. You can braid your hair while it’s damp as long as you make sure it’s completely dry before unraveling. Spray your waves with a bit of hairspray and scrunch your hair upwards to help the waves stay in place. For a more subtle wave, try a single french braid. This will give you looser curls.

Braid damp hair before bed for crimped waves in the morning. Go for a single braid for a looser crimp, or do two or more braids for tighter curls. Apply a sea salt spray or mousse to your hair, braid, sleep, and wake up—it’s as simple as that! Use a little hairspray to set your waves and keep them frizz-free. If you don’t want to sleep in your braids, no worries! Some bounce can be added to your hair by leaving the braids in for 2 to 3 hours.

Try headband curls for heatless bouncy curls day or night. Wrap a bandana or headband around the crown of your head like a halo. Next, start wrapping your hair through the headband, adding a section of hair with each wrap. Do this on the left and right side of your head until all your hair is pulled back. Secure any flyaways or stubborn strands with bobby pins. Dampen your hair or apply mousse before wrapping to help the curls take shape. The next day, unravel your hair and take off the headband to reveal bouncy ringlets. Use your fingers to break apart the curls.

Wrap hair in curlers or rollers for a classic wave. There are plenty of hair do-dads on the market today that can give you a beautiful heatless curl. These hair styling tools only require damp hair and some patience to curl your hair in a healthy way! Check out some of these heatless tools: Silk hair curler: This long roller goes over your head and uses the TikTok bathrobe method to give you long, bouncy curls. Curlformers: These plastic tubes transform straight hair into a crimped masterpiece. Foam rollers: These classic, springy pieces of form have been used for centuries, giving a classic, voluminous bounce that can last for days. Velcro rollers: These are similar to foam rollers but have a larger barrel, giving you a loose wave that’s perfect for adding volume to bangs and layers. Pin curls: These curlers use hair pins to secure and curl your hair in small sections.

Scrunch naturally wavy or curly hair with mousse or sea salt spray. These products enhance your hair’s natural texture and are super easy to use! All you have to do is spray damp hair with sea salt spray and scrunch the ends of your hair upwards, or add mousse to the palm of your hair and scrunch it into wet or damp hair. Try this method out if you have shorter hair. Who knows? You may find some bounce in your natural hair! Use products sparingly if you have shorter hair. Mousse and sea salt sprays can go a long way. Sometimes the less product, the better.

Heatless Updos for Dry Hair

Messy bun: Try this classic updo when your hair is unruly. There’s no heat required, making it a quick hairstyle that’ll make you and your hair happy. Put your hair up in a high ponytail, securing it with a hair elastic that matches your hair color. Wrap another elastic around the end of your ponytail, and then start rolling your hair upwards. Spread the hair around the base of your ponytail in the shape of a doughnut and secure it with bobby pins. Try using a hair donut for a cleaner look. Pull some hair out of your bun to frame your face for maximum cuteness.

Mini space buns: Two little space buns on top of your head are a great way to show off your spunk. To achieve this fun look, section off the top part of your hair into two sections. Create two side pigtails, and then twist the hair around the base of each pigtail. Secure with an elastic or bobby pin, and you’re out of this world! You can also make larger space buns on bad hair days using all of your hair. Instead of sectioning off the top of your hair to make pigtails, create two large pigtails and repeat the rest of the steps.

Bubble ponytail: Put a playful spin on the classic ponytail. All you need to do is put your hair up in a high ponytail. Next, wrap clear elastics around a small section of the ponytail. Push the elastic upwards to create a bubble. Keep adding elastics until you have little bubbles down your ponytail. The size of your bubbles is up to you! Put the elastics closer together for smaller bubbles, or keep them farther apart for larger bubbles.

Braided crown: This half-up, half-down hairstyle is adorable for all hair lengths! Simply brush out your hair, and then section off a big chunk of hair above your right ear. Braid this section toward the back of your head and away from your face, and then secure it with an elastic. Repeat this on the left side. Finally, connect the two braids with an elastic. Tie a ribbon around where the braids connect for an even cuter look. If you can’t braid, no worries! You can also achieve this heatless look by twisting your hair and pulling it back instead.

Claw clip updo: This heatless hairstyle is super simple and flattering. You just need a claw clip and your hair! Simply gather your hair at the base of your scalp—like you would if putting it in a low ponytail. Twist your hair into a long rope, wrap it around itself once to create the start of a bun, and then secure it with a claw clip. Maneuver the hair sticking out of the clip with your fingers for your desired look.

Heatless Ways to Straighten Hair

Use hair smoothing products before and after washing. We generally favor heat tools because they make our hair look flawless, but you can get the same look without heat by using the right products. Anti-frizz or smoothing shampoos and conditioners prep your hair for heatless styling, and smoothing and shine serums keep your locks looking fresh and flawless.

Straighten your hair without heat by brushing wet hair. Now, this is usually a big no-no in the hairstyling world, but an exception can be made if you use the right brush and have a straight or wavy hair type. Invest in a brush made specifically for wet hair—these are usually called “wet brushes.” Try this method if you have type 1 or 2 hair that’s medium or fine. Avoid this method if you have thick or densely curly hair as it could result in damage and frizzier hair. Using smoothing products in your hair can tame frizz and lock in moisture to give you smooth, shiny locks. You can also give your hair a nice blowout by washing your hair and blow-drying your roots with a vent brush so they're 60% dry. From there, pin up your hair in 3 sections (top, middle, and bottom). Drop out the bottom section, roll up your hair with a large brush, and use the concentrator nozzle on your blow dryer to dry the section. Then, continue with the other 2 sections.

Wrap and pin wet hair around your head. This method can be time-consuming, but the results are totally worth it! Blow-dry your hair using cold air until it’s almost dry. Then, wrap sections around your head and use bobby pins to hold it in place. Go to bed, and undo everything the next morning for silky and straight hair. This technique is called toca and works best on naturally wavy or frizzy hair.

Heatless Styling Tips and Tricks

Dry your hair with microfiber towels to beat frizz. Thanks to their frictionless fibers, these towels help your hair stay smooth and frizz-free. Unlike terry cloth towels—which are the most common type of bath towel—microfiber towels absorb moisture without building heat. Pair your microfiber towel with an anti-frizz serum or leave-in-conditioner for extra smoothness.

Add accessories to your heatless look for some extra flare. You can’t go wrong with a headband, sparkly clip, or bow! Hair accessories are a great way to spice up your look, tie your whole outfit together, and hide any hair imperfections.

Use the cool setting of your hair dryer to speed up the drying process. This is an excellent heatless trick for when you’re in a rush or wake up to find that your hair is still wet. Simply turn on the hairdryer’s cool setting and focus on the parts of your style—braid, wrap, curler, etc.—that are still wet.

Try applying mousse or sea salt spray before doing a heatless hairstyle. These texturizing products help combat frizz and mold your hair. Before braiding or wrapping your hair overnight, consider adding a few pumps or mousse or a spritz of sea salt spray to help the waves or curls form.

Embrace your natural hair texture because you’re absolutely gorgeous! The beauty of heatless hairstyles is getting to know your hair. It’s easy to work against your hair when using heat, but heatless techniques and products give you the chance to work with your natural hair.