We’ve all been through bad hair days where we don’t have the luxury of being able to head to the shower and do a refresh with the amount of time we don’t have. And in those times of need, it’s good to know your options on how to instantly fix a bad hair day and add volume to your hair.
Personally, I need to wash my hair every other day or every 2 days max, since it gets oily and flat very quickly. If I wash my hair every 2 days, I consider it a win for me. I’ve been told that it’s better to not wash your hair so often and I know some people who only wash it once a week. But it just hasn’t worked for me. And when I don’t have time, I use one of the below options to tide me over!
1 – Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is my number 1 go to solution to instantly fix a bad hair day while adding volume to my hair. It quickly absorbs the extra oils and even sweat in your hair and “mattifies” it while bringing much needed volume to the roots. It’s simple, but completely gives you a refresh! However, it does make your hair feel a little drier and you won’t really want to comb through your hair too much otherwise it’ll negate the effects of the dry shampoo. The dryness is an illusion though! It’s basically the powder from the dry shampoo to absorb oils but doesn’t actually dry out your hair.
My favorite dry shampoo to use is the IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo. It has a nice scent, and is definitely on the stronger end of dry shampoos in terms of efficacy. Hence, your hair will feel a little drier in my opinion. Another great option I also love to use is the Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo. I especially love the smell of all Amika products. This dry shampoo isn’t as strong and provides a little more flexibility than the IGK, but is better than most dry shampoos I’ve tried and both have made it to my favorites list.
Dry Shampoo Tips: When using a dry shampoo, spray into your hair in layers on the underside. Wait about 30 seconds so the powder can activate and then distribute it through your hair by massaging it or quick sweeps. I would only use this to give me an extra day of not having to wash my hair. The more you use, the more buildup you get which will in turn clog your hair follicles. So don’t forget to use a clarifying shampoo once in a while to get rid of buildup and other dirt. A clean scalp means that your hair can grow healthier!
2) Texture Spray
A texture spray can help with fixing a bad hair day in the way that it instantly adds volume to your hair. As opposed to a dry shampoo absorbing oil in the scalp, a texture spray is more focused on adding volume to the hair. It allows your hair to move naturally while giving more body and texture with some hold. It also enhances waves or curls and gives a style refresh quickly. Sometimes, a texture spray also comes in a hair spray format depending on what brand you purchase.
One of my preferred texture spray is the Verb Sea Texture Spray. You see instant results, there’s little to no scent and has some hold so that it can keep the added volume. The Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray also works well and is an Allure Best of Beauty Winner.
Texture Spray Tips: Spray about 10 inches away and from underneath your hair as well as in between layers to add more texture and volume. For extra lift, focus the spray on the roots and upper part of your hair. Don’t forget to fluff out your hair like you do for a dry shampoo!
3) Curl Your Hair
This is another one of my favorite options to instantly fix a bad hair day: curl your hair! I normally use a flat iron to curl my hair and I can style my whole head in about 15 minutes. This option instantly brings volume to your hair all around and can easily hide the fact that you’re having a bad hair day. Curling my hair also allows me to go in between washes longer. It might be my subconscious telling me not to touch my hair so I don’t ruin the style, but it works and I can go a maximum of 3 days without washing it when I’m lucky. Of course, using a good hair tool will help you hold your curls longer. I do prefer to use less product in my hair so the most I’ll do is a couple sprays of hair spray or I can even go without it if I want a more natural feeling without the crunchiness. And to refresh the next day, I can quickly spray some texture spray to give it a bit of volume and definition.
I’ve had 3 different FHI flat irons, but I enjoy using the T3 Flat Irons or the classic CHI Original Ceramic Hairstyling Iron much more. Flat irons allow me to curl my hair really quickly and easily. If you prefer a curling iron, I really like the BabylissPRO Nano Titanium 1” Spring Curling Iron. There are also the popular styling wand options as well. But I found that using a cheap brand doesn’t do the job and won’t hold your curls or waves. When the T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand Set at Sephora is on sale, it is a great deal! So keep an eye out, I usually see it on sale around December.
Tips For Curling Your Hair: Use a good styling tool! And make sure that it has ceramic or tourmaline since it can protect from heat damage, add shine to the hair, help shield against frizz and provide moisture.
4 – Braid Your Hair
Braiding your hair can very easily hide the fact that you’re going through a tough time with managing your hair and help you fix a bad hair day. With the interlacing your hair to create a new style, it won’t matter if your hair was looking flat prior to your braid or if it was tangled or messy being straight down. Braids hide all of that! And if you’re doing a simple braid, it can be done under a minute. For other types of braids, it may take a few minutes longer but can give you a new look and even add a bit more volume when you lightly pull the hair to loosen the braid for a fuller effect.
I just like to use a black hair tie to secure my braid but if you like to be more fun, you can add a colorful hair tie, fun scrunchie, hair clips or other things to decorate your hair a bit.
Braided Hair Tips: You can even add some hair spray to make sure your braid holds or lightly spray a comb and then apply it to flyaways. If you leave your braid in long enough or if you made the braid when your hair was slightly damp and then dried it, you’ll come out with beautiful waves when you take off the braid. And that can be used as another hair style to keep volume in your hair. Also add texture spray for a light refresh and extra hold.
5 – Do A Messy Bun Or A High Ponytail
One of the easiest things I do to instantly fix a bad hair day is by putting my hair into a bun or a high ponytail. It’s not my favorite option, but it’s quick (see the tip below on why). The whole point of this is to hide the flatness on the top of your head and what better way than to just tie it up and give the illusion of more volume? If a messy bun doesn’t work for your occasion, a sleek high ponytail is a great option and can offer a classy look. And it literally only take a few seconds. Who doesn’t want to save time?
Like braiding your hair, you can always add a nicer hair tie or scrunchie to achieve this look. I’m simple though, I’m one of those girls who just keeps a black hair tie on their wrist and I use it almost every day.
Messy Bun Or High Ponytail Tips: Tame your hair with spraying a little hair spray to a comb and running it through flyaways. This really helps clean up the look. Also, don’t pull your hair too tight – you can get headaches (I do!) or even slight hair loss along the hairline from repeatedly pulling the hair. During the day, I like to release my hair from the strain of a ponytail or bun and let it down for a bit before tying it back up.
6 – Wear A Hat
Literally the easiest option – hide your hair and wear a hat! If you’re able to do this, you can quickly fix a bad hair day! Of course, this may mean you’ll need to keep it on if you’re out and about since your hair may look even flatter once you take it off.
My favorite option for a hat is a baseball cap since it fits on tight and I don’t have to worry about it flying off. Plus if I decide to do a pony tail, I can easily thread my hair through the back. In the winter, a toque is a great alternative but it can also get your hair static-y so you definitely won’t want to remove this until you’re home (unless you really just don’t care – but we are here talking about how to fix a bad hair day!)
If you’re more of a stylish girl than I am, there are plenty of other hat options – I just like sticking to the basics. I also find wide-brim hats don’t stay on and can blow off, and they really get in the way sometimes!
Hat Tips: Don’t wear a hat that is too tight and uncomfortable! This can cut off circulation and put pressure on the head or even pull at your hair. Also, remember to wash your hat if you can once in a while.
7 – Wear A Headband
An easy way to also instantly fix a bad hair day is to wear a headband. Usually bad hair starts from the top and a headband easily hides that since it pushes the hair down anyway and draws your eyes to the band instead. And sometimes, pushing the hair back a little bit adds more volume to the area just behind the hairband and gives a fuller hair look.
There are a ton of different styles of headbands out there, so choose the one that you like the most! I just like using a classic headband and the one I have is from Burberry that I got more than 10 years back so I can’t seem to find this style anymore to share here. It hides my bad hair when I need it, and adds a touch of style. And you definitely don’t need a bad hair day in order to use it!
Headband Tips: If your hair is a little crinkly at the bottom or not as straight as you want it to be, run your flat iron over it quickly to make your hair look more put together. Also, avoid using the sporty headbands, those really flatten your hair at the top and leaves an indent that can’t be fixed until you wash it!
To help with avoiding a bad hair day, remember to brush it out after you wash it! Here’s The Best Detangling Hairbrush For Stubborn Knots.
For hair product recommendations, Shop My Favorites – Hair.