Heatless Curls: 5 Overnight Methods, Step by Step

Heatless curls are curls or waves set without hot tools: you wrap damp hair around a soft belt or scrunchie, or put it into braids, twists or Bantu knots, let it dry completely in that shape, usually overnight, and then undo it. The result, both how curly it turns out and how long it stays, depends on your hair type, its length, how damp it was when you set it and how humid the air is. Below are five common methods, each with its steps, the hair length it suits, how to sleep in it and how to take it down.

How heatless curls work

Heatless curls work because hair that dries in a shape tends to keep that shape until it gets wet again. Water lets the hair bend into whatever form you wrap it in, and as the water leaves, most of that form stays. Hair that is already dry has no drying left to do, so it barely takes on the shape. The hair should be damp but not dripping, because soaking hair may still not be dry by morning, and what a night on wet hair means for hair and scalp is set out in our guide to sleeping with wet hair. The size of each section decides the shape: thinner sections give smaller curls, and larger sections give looser waves.

Before you start

Every method below starts from the same point: damp, detangled hair divided into sections.

• Start with freshly washed hair that you have towel-dried until it no longer drips, or mist dry hair with a spray bottle until it feels evenly damp.
• Detangle with your fingers or a comb with wide teeth before you section, because knots end up wrapped into the set.
• If you normally use a styling product, work it in now, while the hair is damp.
• Have your tools ready: a soft fabric belt or strip, one or two soft fabric scrunchies, a few small clips and a spray bottle for sections that dry out while you work.

The robe belt method (or a heatless curling rod)

The robe belt method sets heatless curls by wrapping damp hair around a soft fabric belt that lies across the top of the head like a headband.

1. Part your hair down the middle so you have two halves.
2. Lay the middle of the belt across the top of your head, from ear to ear, so the two ends hang down on either side of your face. A small clip at the crown keeps it in place.
3. Take a small section of hair at the front on one side and wrap it around the belt, away from your face.
4. Pick up a new section of hair each time you go round, the way you would add hair to a French braid, and keep wrapping until you reach the ends.
5. Tie the end of the belt and the hair together with a soft fabric scrunchie.
6. Repeat on the other side.

A heatless curling rod, a padded tube made for this purpose, is used in exactly the same way.

Best for: hair that reaches the shoulders or beyond, since shorter hair does not go round the belt enough times.

Sleeping in it: the belt sits on top of your head and the wraps hang at the sides, so sleeping on your back or side is usually easiest.

Taking it down: once the hair is fully dry, take off the scrunchies, unwind the hair from the ends and slide the belt out.

Scrunchie curls

Scrunchie curls are made by twisting sections of a high ponytail around the soft fabric scrunchie that ties it, so the set sits on top of your head like a loose bun. What makes a tie gentle on the hair, by day and at night, is covered in our guide to hair ties that do not damage hair.

1. Gather damp hair into a high ponytail at the top of your head and loop a soft fabric scrunchie around it, firmly enough to stay put but without pulling.
2. Divide the ponytail into two or three sections.
3. Take one section, twist it gently and wrap it around the base of the ponytail, over the scrunchie, working towards the ends.
4. Tuck the end under or fix it with a small clip.
5. Repeat with the remaining sections.

Best for: hair at shoulder length or longer, because each section needs enough length to go round the base at least once.

Sleeping in it: the set sits high on your head, so lie with it above you rather than under you, as you would with a loose bun.

Taking it down: when the hair is completely dry, remove the clips, unwind each section from the ends and take out the scrunchie.

Braids for beach waves

Braids set heatless waves by plaiting damp hair and leaving it to dry overnight, and the number of braids decides the size of the wave. A few thick braids usually give the loose, tousled waves known as beach waves.

1. Divide damp hair into sections: two for a loose wave, more for smaller waves.
2. Braid each section, starting as close to the roots as is comfortable.
3. Carry on to the ends, since hair below the braid dries in whatever shape it happens to be in.
4. Secure each braid with a soft fabric scrunchie or a small soft tie.

Best for: most lengths, as long as the hair is long enough to braid.

Sleeping in it: one or two braids lie flat and are easy to sleep on; many small braids can be gathered loosely on top of your head.

Taking it down: once the braids are dry all the way through, remove the ties and undo each braid from the bottom up.

Twists

Twists set heatless curls by winding two strands of damp hair around each other, which leaves a spiral shape once the hair is dry and untwisted.

1. Divide damp hair into sections; smaller sections give smaller curls.
2. Split one section into two strands.
3. Twist each strand in the same direction, then cross them over each other in the opposite direction, so the twist does not unwind.
4. Carry on to the ends and secure them with a small clip or a soft tie if they do not stay by themselves.
5. Repeat across the head.

Best for: most lengths, and especially textured, curly or coily hair.

Sleeping in it: twists lie fairly flat; if they are long, gather them loosely on top of your head.

Taking it down: when the twists are completely dry, unwind the two strands of each one, starting from the ends.

Bantu knots

Bantu knots are small sections of hair twisted and then coiled into knots against the scalp, which leave a curl shape when they are undone after drying.

1. Part damp hair into small square or triangular sections.
2. Twist one section from the roots to the ends until it starts to coil on itself.
3. Wrap the twisted section around its own base to form a small knot.
4. Tuck the end under the knot or fix it with a small clip.
5. Repeat across the head.

Best for: short to medium hair; very long hair makes large, heavy knots.

Sleeping in it: the knots sit directly on the scalp, so they are bumpier to lie on than braids or twists; a bonnet over them keeps them together.

Taking it down: once the knots are dry right through, unwind each knot and untwist the section from the ends.

Which method suits your hair

The five methods differ mainly in how much length they need, the shape they leave and how they feel to sleep in.

Method	Hair length	Result shape	Comfort for sleeping
Robe belt or curling rod	Shoulder length and longer	Soft curls through the lengths, starting a little below the roots	The belt lies across the top of the head; usually easiest on your back or side
Scrunchie curls	Shoulder length and longer	Loose curls or waves; bigger sections give looser shapes	Sits on top of the head like a loose bun
Braids	Most lengths, as long as the hair can be braided	Waves; more braids give smaller waves	One or two braids lie flat
Twists	Most lengths, often chosen for textured hair	Spiral curls; thinner twists give smaller curls	Lie fairly flat; long twists can be gathered on top
Bantu knots	Short to medium	Small coiled curls	Knots sit on the scalp and feel bumpier

Sleeping in heatless curls

Sleeping in heatless curls comes down to three things: keep the style gathered, keep every tie soft, and go to bed with hair that is damp rather than wet. A smooth pillowcase or a bonnet is worth using here, because a smooth surface gives the hair less to catch on as you turn. A tie should keep the set together without pulling at the roots. Our guide on how to sleep with curly hair covers the wider night routine. On nights without a set, our guide on how to protect hair while sleeping covers the basics for every hair type.

How to sleep in rollers

The five methods above use things most people already have at home. Overnight rollers are another way to set curls while you sleep: soft rollers that you wind damp hair around in the evening and take out in the morning. For a night in rollers, what matters most is which kind you use and where you put them.

• Choose soft rollers. Foam rollers and bendable rods (often sold as flexi rods) give way when you lie on them. Hard plastic rollers and rollers held in with pins press into the scalp, and self-grip rollers can get tangled in your hair when you move in your sleep.
• Do not sleep in heated rollers. They set dry hair with heat, and they go cold long before morning anyway.
• As with the other methods, roll your hair when it is damp and detangled, not dripping: soaking hair can still be wet in the middle of a roller in the morning, and wet hair has not finished setting.
• Keep the rollers away from the part of your head you lie on most. If you sleep on your back, put them on the top and sides; if you sleep on your side, use fewer rollers, or thin flexi rods, on the side you lie on.
• Cover them with a bonnet or a scarf so they stay in place when you turn.
• In the morning, first feel the hair inside the roller that holds the most hair. Once it is dry, gently unwind the hair from each roller, from the roots towards the ends (unlike braids or twists, which come undone from the ends); if you want more volume, separate the curls with your fingers.

Rollers tend to give rounder, more even curls than twists or braids, and the bigger the roller, the looser the curl. How long the curls last depends on the same things as with every other method.

Taking heatless curls down in the morning

Heatless curls should only come down once the hair is completely dry, so check the inside of the thickest section first, since that part dries more slowly. Undo each section from the ends upwards, using your fingers rather than a brush. Brushing a dry set pulls the curls apart into loose strands, and those show up as fuzz. Why hair lifts into fuzz in the first place is explained in our guide to frizzy hair. After that, touch the curls as little as possible; if you want more volume, pull the curls apart gently with your fingers.

What heatless curls cannot do

Heatless curls cannot promise a particular curl shape or a set number of hours in shape, because the result depends on your hair type, its length, how damp it was and the weather. Humid air, hair that was not completely dry when you took the set down, and hair that is very straight and slippery all make the shape loosen sooner. On straight hair, a set gives you waves or curls for a while, not a natural curl pattern, and the shape goes as soon as the hair gets wet again. If your hair waves on its own, our guide to a wavy hair routine covers looking after that natural pattern. What every method here does offer is that no hot tools are needed.

Our silk scrunchies

Our skinny 10 mm silk scrunchies are 100% mulberry silk at 22 momme and Grade 6A, the same silk as our pillowcases, wrapped around a high-rebound elastic core; a wider 35 mm version is also available. The scrunchies carry the OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN label.

Frequently asked questions

How do you do heatless curls?

To do heatless curls, wrap or plait damp hair before bed, using a soft belt, a scrunchie, braids, twists or Bantu knots, let it dry completely, usually overnight, and then undo it with your fingers.

Should your hair be wet or dry for heatless curls?

Your hair should be damp for heatless curls: not dripping, because soaking hair may still be wet in the morning, and not fully dry, because dry hair has little left to set.

How long do heatless curls need to set?

Heatless curls need to set until the hair is completely dry, which for most people means leaving them in overnight. Thick or long hair can take longer, so feel the inside of one section before undoing the rest.

Can you do heatless curls on short hair?

You can do heatless curls on short hair with the methods that need the least length, such as small braids, twists or Bantu knots. The belt and scrunchie methods need hair long enough to wrap, roughly to the shoulders.

How do you sleep with heatless curls?

To sleep with heatless curls, keep the style gathered, keep every tie soft, and go to bed with hair that is damp rather than wet. Lie with bulky wraps above or beside your head rather than under it, and wear a bonnet over the top if you like.

How do you make heatless curls last longer?

No method fixes how long heatless curls stay, but three things are in your hands: let the hair dry completely before you take the set down, touch it as little as possible afterwards, and expect the shape to loosen sooner on a humid day.

RENESSY · Updated September 2026