How I Refresh My 5-Day-Old Curls (and Why It’s Worth the Effort)

If you have wavy or curly hair, you already know—it has a mind of its own. Some days your locks look like they belong in a curly shampoo commercial, and other days you’re immediately pulling it up.

A little over a year ago, I started my curly girl journey. I knew I had wave/curly hair but it never came out really good if I air dried it or tried to “lean into my curls”. In this last year I’ve learned so much about my hair, it’s likes and dislikes, and I finally feel like I’m reaping the rewards of some pretty predictable on demand curls.

Of the many things I’ve learned about my hair, one of the most important lessons has been about the significance of texture in helping my curls come to life. Wash day curls are never as nice as a few days post wash. I’ve also learned there is a tipping balance of too much texture and build up and just the right amount. For me that’s somewhere around day 5 or 6. So what about when you’re five days in? Do you throw in the towel and start over, or do you try to breathe new life into those curls? Of course there is always the option of pulling it up for the final day, but for me, refreshing my 5-day-old curls has become part of the adventure of learning how to work with my hair. It’s not quick or easy, but it’s one of my little beauty rituals that feels so worth it.

💬 Heads up! This post isn’t sponsored. I only share what I genuinely love and use in my own life. Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for supporting Girl Gone Glam—I appreciate you!

Here’s exactly what my routine looks like:

Step 1: Dry Shampoo

By day five, the roots are definitely telling on me. A little dry shampoo gives me volume back at the crown and helps absorb extra oils.

I love the Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Dry Shampoo

Step 2: Leave-In Conditioner/Detangler

This step saves me. Spritzing on a leave-in conditioner makes the detangling process much smoother and keeps my hair from breaking when I brush it out.

My current favorite is the Aveda Be Curly Curl Perfecting Primer

Step 3: Brush It Dry

Yes, it looks wild for a minute. Brushing through dry curls is not glamorous, but it’s necessary before rehydrating and redefining them. Brushing your hair when it’s wet can damage it so you want to make sure you do your best to get the knots out before you wet it.

I use the Bounce Curl Brush for both dry and wet brushing

Step 4: Spray Bottle & Wet Brushing

Now comes the reset button. I really wet my hair down with a spray bottle so it’s damp enough to take product again. Once it’s fully wet I run through it again with the Bounce Curl Brush being sure to separate my hair into hair clumps using the side ends of the brush.

This is my favorite spray bottle, It comes out like a mist not an individual spray which is helpful when you have a lot of hair and need to wet it all.

Step 5: Curl Cream

A little curl cream brings the definition back. This step is like telling my curls, “Okay, let’s try this again.” I can’t stress enough the importance of a product here. Adding product to your curls will help them maintain their definition and not just be frizzy.

I’m currently loving the Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancing Cream for this step.

Step 6: Scrunch

Help encourage those waves and curls to bounce back into their natural shape. There are lots of different methods to doing this. I find it’s best to apply the product in what is called the praying hands method and then to just lightly coax my hair into a wave/curl. If I go to all into it, it will become frizzy.

Step 7: Diffuse

Finally, the marathon step: diffusing. I swear this takes forever, but it’s the only way I can get my curls dry and bouncy again without frizzing them out.

I love my Curlsmith travel dryer and large diffuser. It has three different temperature and air flow settings and I choose the middle one for both. Too much air or heat can also cause frizz.

⸻

Why It’s Worth the Effort

Learning your natural curls or waves can feel overwhelming. Between experimenting with different products, techniques, and methods (hello, curly girl method rabbit hole), it’s tempting to give up. But every time I come out with even better curls, I’m reminded of why it matters: when your hair is healthy and thriving in its natural texture, it feels powerful and authentic.

If you’re in the middle of figuring out your own curly or wavy hair journey, don’t get discouraged. It’s trial and error, but with patience you’ll land on a system that works for you. And once you do, those curls are so worth it! It’s incredibly satisfying to feel like you are showing up with your natural and best hair.