Wearing your hair naturally curly should not stop you from anything, including hitting the gym and breaking a sweat. Don’t let your curls hold you back from feeling good and looking fit! Whether you’re in the weights room or on a trail, your main focus should be crushing your workout and getting strong. We’ve put together some of favorite easy hairstyles you can wear to the gym and some greats tips on how to workout while still maintaining your hair and refresh afterwards.
The Essentials
1. Use leave-in conditioners and oils
Sweat is basically salt, which can be very drying for curly hair. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of your moisturizing regimen. Deep condition your hair regularly and use a leave-in conditioner or a moisturizing curl cream every time you wash your hair. Once your hair is completely dry after a wash, be sure to take a few drops of oil and glide it over your curls to seal in the moisture.
2. Shampoo less
This may sound counter-intuitive when you’re sweating at the gym, but shampooing too much can often strip away your hair’s natural oils. Sweat can already dry out your hair so it’s important to minimize any products that could add to it. Try to go as long as you comfortably can between washdays. We don’t recommend giving up shampoo completely. Instead, co-wash or use dry shampoo between shampoo washes.
3. Cleanse your curls regularly
When you’re shampooing less and using products to refresh your hair after workouts, it’s even more important to regularly cleanse and clarify your curls. Too much shampoo can dehydrate your curls, but the right amount and frequency does a great job at cleansing your curls and keeping your scalp healthy. Co-washes are good for dry hair but should never replace shampoo completely.
4. Use the right stuff
The products you use play a huge role in how often you’ll need to wash it. To really stretch the number of days between washes, go for lighter products to avoid build-up. To refresh your hair post-workout, light weight products are your best friends. You can also try using a few spritz of water to reactivate the product already in your hair.
5. Adjust your haircare routine to fit your surroundings
Your hair will need something different every season. In winter, your hair will need more moisture. In summer, you can get away with shampooing more often because your hair doesn’t need as much moisturizing products. Everyone’s hair is different and you’ll have to find what works for you!
6. Don’t workout with wet curls
After washing and styling your hair, you must make sure that your curls or waves are completely dry before you go for an afternoon jog. Moving your hair while it’s still wet will disturb your curl pattern and cause frizz.
Our favorite gym hairstyles
1. Pineapple
Image source: so_manti
A pineapple will keep your hair out of your way during your workout. Use a scrunchie or silk scarf to tie your hair up—and show of your curls at the gym!
2. Top knot or high bun
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This is one of our favorites! A top knot is practical and looks super stylish. You won’t have to worry about your curls touching your forehead or face while you work out. Make sure you tie your hair loosely so you don’t leave a dent.
3. Low bun
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This is a popular gym hairstyle for all hair types. A low bun is quick, easy and convenient.
4. Loose braid
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This is an especially great option for people with wavy hair, since wavy hair already has a soft bend and braids won’t alter the texture too much. Braids are simple to do and don’t require much time.
5. Twists
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You can twist your strands together, and put all the twists up while exercising to keep them out of your way.
6. Hair bands or silk scarves
Image source: so_manti
If your hair is very short or if you want to get rid of the sweat that can cause your edges to frizz, wear a hair band or a silk scarf. You can pair these with any other hairstyle—a pineapple with a headband would look super cute!
How to refresh your hair after working out
1. Steam
Turn the water all the way up to make it really hot and let the steam fill up the shower. Don’t wet your hair under the shower though—just let your hair soak up the extra moisture from the hot shower. You can also use a face steamer instead. After steaming your hair, you can scrunch its to encourage the curls. You can also spray your refreshing products on your hands and gently glide down your curls to help them re-clump.
2. Spray bottle
Grab a spray bottle and spritz some water on your curls. Once they’re damp, use a bit of leave-in conditioner, gel, refresher mist or whatever product you prefer to refresh with. Glide it down your strands and scrunch to revive your curls. You can use oil or serum to smooth down your edges and tame some of the frizz.
3. Water
If you don’t like using products to refresh, you can simply spray your hair with water and scrunch your curls to help them reform and re-clump.
4. Rinse
If none of these methods cut it, you can do a full-water refresh. Rinse with water and reapply your styling products.
The real secret to great curls is to stop obsessing over them all the time. Focus on your end goal and allow yourself to sweat and feel good! What are your best refreshing tips and curly gym hairstyles?