My Flawless Wash and Go Routine for Tight Curls
The natural girlies have been struggling with the Wash and Go since the beginning of time, and part of the reason is that it’s a misnomer. Contrary to popular belief, a Wash and Go is not a quick style solution. A wash and go is a styling method that enhances your natural curl pattern without manipulating it with heat, styling tools, braids, or the like.
Mastering a wash and go will take some time and patience, just like mastering a twist out, braid out or any other type of curl set. Since I started wearing my hair regularly in wash and go in 2021, I can now finish the entire process from start to finish in under two hours and can guarantee bomb results that last at least 5 days every time! Gone are the days of waiting all day and night for my twists to dry and finding out that they’re still damp when trying to unravel them the next day. As a busy professional in a very people-facing role, I don’t have time for unpredictability when it comes to my hair.
My Flawless Wash and Go Routine uses a combination of 7 steps and 8 products that give me my perfect result, every time. I also have a Quick Wash and Go Routine that uses a few less steps and gets me Day One ready hair in just under an hour! For now, keep reading if you have tight curly hair like mine and want to know some of my secrets to achieving a perfect wash and go.
Disclosure: All products featured on Her Elizabethan Era are independently selected and tested and some of the links are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
The Products
Majority of the products that I use for this wash and go are linked in my post on My Holy Grail Hair Products That I Can’t Live Without. But for a lasting wash and go, you need a high quality shampoo, conditioner, and humectant based gel styler. Any other extra products that you use are simply to give you your preferred finished look.
Optional Step: Treatment
If you’re a high lift blonde like me, I highly recommend Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector as a bond-building treatment to strengthen your hair from the inside out and reverse damage from daily wear and tear. Whenever I use this product before starting my wash and go routine, my hair strands are noticeably smoother from end to root, and my detangling process is a breeze. The instructions say to use on damp hair, leave on for 10 minutes, and rinse thoroughly. I have found that making a few specific tweaks to those instructions gives me the best result.
First, I do a quick shampoo with AG Care Balance Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo to wash off the week’s styling products, dirt and debris. Next, I part my hair into four sections and apply the Olaplex to one section at a time, paying close attention to my ends. I detangle each section with my Felicia Leatherwood Brush, starting from the ends to the roots. This step is super important, because it makes the shampoo step much easier! Once the section is detangled, I twist it up and repeat with the last three sections. Lastly, I put on a plastic shower cap and let the Olaplex sit for at least 20 minutes, but I have definitely been guilty of letting it sit for way longer, depending on what other chores I have to do at home that day.
Step 1: Cleanse
This step sets the foundation for the wash and go. It is important to refrain from over directing the hair in any way, because you want to encourage your hair cuticle to begin to lay in the exact manner that you want it to set. Have you ever noticed that your curls are popping when you shampoo, but look a frizzy mess once you’ve conditioned, detangled, and rinsed? It’s likely because you did too much over directing to your strands by the time you were ready the set it.
Since I already shampooed once and the only product I have on my hair is the Olaplex, I switch to the Innersense Organic Beauty Hydrating Hairbath for a moisturizing shampoo that won’t completely strip my hair. I focus on my scalp, using the pads of my fingers in a circular motion to lift any remaining dirt and debris. I also work the shampoo down the length of my hair, making sure to gently pull apart any sections that have begun to tangle up and keep my hair directed downward. I repeat one more time, then thoroughly rinse all of the shampoo out before conditioning.
Step 2: Condition
I like to mix my conditioners in order to maximize slip and moisture, but the key here is to remember to use LOTS OF WATER. The AG Care Boost Conditioner and Innersense Organic Beauty Hydrating Conditioner are expensive because they are super concentrated and a little goes a LONG way. When you use enough water, they froth up like crazy and spread evenly through your hair.
I use the Framar Clips to section off one side of my hair and run the other side under the shower stream, ensuring that it is soaking wet before I apply about 3 pumps of Innersense and 5 pumps of Boost. I step out of the stream of water and work the conditioner into the section, ensuring that every stand is covered before repeating on the other side. If your hair is not thoroughly saturated, add more WATER before adding any more conditioner.
Once the conditioner is throughly applied to both sides of my hair, I use another couple of Framar clips to subdivide each section into two, so that I have four total sections. I use my Felicia Leatherwood brush again to detangle each section. It’s important to refrain from over directing the hair since the next step is to start applying your stylers. This step should be relatively quick since I already detangled before shampooing! After rinsing each section, I clip them back up before Step 3.
Step 3: Apply Base Styler
At this point, my hair is washed, conditioned, and detangled, so I’m ready to apply my first gel, the Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic. Since I have a combination of fine, medium, and coarse strands, this gel functions like a leave in to provide my hair with some moisture, light hold, and a little bit of weight. I apply about four pumps to each of the larger two sections, starting at the ends and working my way up.
Before adding any more gel, I really work it in, squishing the hair along my hair strands before swiping the residue on my roots. Once it feels like I’ve got it all on, I quickly dip my head under the shower stream to add more water and continue to spread it along my hair strands. Once the entire section sounds like squeaky rain boots and feels heavy, I repeat on the other side.
Step 4: Layer Second Styler
The Innersense Organic Beauty I Create Hold really helps to lock in my curls exactly how I want them to look, so I apply the gel in four sections to really get the precise application that I need. I use about two pumps for each section of hair, but this time, I start applying at the roots instead of the ends so that I can ensure that my hair lays flat. Once I make sure that the roots are flat and defined, I smooth each section down with my palms using the praying hands method.
I repeat this process throughout all four sections, and once I’m done, I clip all four sections back up and put on a plastic shower cap. I don’t want to lose any moisture or product as I finish up the rest of my shower routine, or when I do my body care after getting out of the shower.
Step 5: Touch Up
Once I’m out of the shower and ready to finish my styling, the last step is to perfect my part and smooth any errant pieces that I missed without the benefit of a shower mirror. I apply one to two pumps of Innersense Organic Beauty I Create Definition to each section to lock in and smooth all of my curls. The lightweight foam is easy to apply and mixes well with the other gels. I do not rake my curls at this stage at all, as I don’t want to create any unnecessary frizz. Once I’m done, I use a rat tail comb to perfect my part and my Framar clips to hold my hair around the part in place.
Step 6: Dry
I absolutely abhor air dying, so I whip out my trusty dusty Conair Bonnet Dryer and sit under for a total of about 30 minutes. After the first 10 minutes of sitting straight forward, I spend about 5 minutes each sitting facing the right, the left, and backwards. It looks and feels silly, but it definitely helps to get some of the tight spots. Once the 30 minutes has passed, the outer canopy of my hair is pretty dry, but the hair around my neck and ears is still fairly damp.
At this point, sitting under the dryer for any longer wouldn’t accomplish anything, so I switch to my Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer for its maneuverability. I use the diffuser attachment and set the temperature and speed both to high. I direct the air flow around my neck and ears and am about 95% dry all around after about 15 minutes.
Step 7: Fluff
I usually wait to fluff my hair until I’m ready to actually go out and wear my hair in the streets, so I usually save this step for the next morning. But if I do have somewhere to go and I styled my hair the day of, fluffing is a crucial part of the routine!
I use my Dyson but this time switch the the styling concentrator attachment on medium speed and medium heat. I loosely clip my hair into the same four sections and fluff, section by section by gently stretching my hair out with my hands, and blasting my roots for about 5 sections with the air from the dryer. I release the section, shake it out with my fingers, and repeat until the section has my desired fullness.
When I get to the front, I take out the clips that I applied during Step 6 to make sure that my bangs lay properly, then I’m done! Flawless Wash and Go, complete!
Let me know in the comments which of these tips and tricks you plan to use for your next wash and go!