Style Hair 7 Heatless Hairstyles to Save Damaged Hair Skip the hot tools and save your tresses with these cute, no-heat hairstyles. By Hana Hong Hana Hong Instagram Hana Hong is the beauty & fashion editor at RealSimple.com. She has been a writer and editor in the beauty and fashion industry for more than six years, sharing her expansive knowledge on skincare, hair care, makeup, fashion, and more. In addition to her broad network of beauty experts, she uses her family's background and training in skin science and cosmetic chemistry to differentiate between effective skincare formulations and marketing jargon. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email I think most of us can agree that we feel more confident when we're having a good hair day. A great shampoo for damaged hair can do a lot to remedy everything we put our tresses through. However, sometimes nature just seems to want to work against us. When your natural hair just isn't falling in the right place, it's always good to have a repertoire of cute hairstyles in your inventory. If you don't want to wake up before dawn to fry your strands to compliance, skip the hot tools and try some easy hairstyles that require no heat. From heatless curls you can achieve overnight to quick hairstyles you can do first thing in the morning, we compiled the best no-heat hairstyles—for short hair, long hair, and everything in between—to fake a good hair day. 9 Fresh Fall Haircuts to Try This Season, According to Hairstylists 01 of 07 Beach Waves Even celebs like Jennifer Garner swear by this method for getting heatless beachy waves using something everyone has at home: paper towels. "Using paper towels, wrap dry hair into a barrel curl and secure the hair by making a knot at the end of the paper towel," says celebrity hairstylist Anthony Cristiano. He notes that it's important to wrap the curls in a brick lay pattern throughout the entire head, and leave the paper towel rolls in for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes. "With this method, the paper towel draws in the moisture from the atmosphere and creates an organic wave." During this process, feel free to spritz some salt spray to emphasize the beachy texture. 02 of 07 Crimpy Waves Both baby braids and crimpy waves have recently come back into style, and luckily you can achieve both hairstyles in one day. While your hair is still wet, create as many tiny plaits as you desire throughout your head, making sure to use small sections of hair and braid the plait from the crown to the end of the hair's length.(Note: If you don't want crimpy hair all over, you can create two braids flanking either side of middle part.) After a few hours, the braids can be undone and raked through with your fingers to create the perfect crimpy texture. 03 of 07 Finger Waves We've got both beachy and romantic texture covered—now let's add a little finger wave action to the mix. "You'll need your favorite mousse, a rat tail comb, and some patience to really mold the hair how you want it to look for this style," says celebrity hairstylist Annagjid "Kee" Taylor. "Coat your hair with a good amount of mousse so it has enough hold, but [still] enough give that it can be shaped later. Take your rat tail comb and start your 'S-shaped' curves using your fingers to evenly space it out from the crown of your head to the nape of your neck." Once you have your hair coiled to your preferences, place a silk scarf on top and let your hair air dry until it's completely set. 04 of 07 Windblown Waves If you prefer your waves to be more subtle, try classic topknots for I-woke-up-like-this results. "For this method, the hair should be semi air-dried with 25 percent moisture," says Cristiano. "Simply draw your hair back and up to the top of your crown and twist it, wrapping it down into a bun and leaving the tail end of the hair out to ensure that there are no rough ends. Once the hair is thoroughly dry, unwrap the bun and shake out the texture creating a tousled windblown look."If you want to maintain the buns, Cristiano recommends accessorizing. "I love to use silk scarves, ribbons, bows, and headbands—just have fun with it!" 05 of 07 Slicked-Back Wet Look "Wet hair has made a comeback and it works so well on short hair," says Richard Marin, a celebrity hairstylist who's worked his magic on Nicole Kidman, Anne Hathaway, and Claire Danes. To keep your hair looking wet—and never crunchy—he says to use a quarter-sized dollop of conditioner. "Break it up in your palm, distribute on your wet or dry hair, and then comb into place," he advises. "It gives you wet-looking shiny hair, plus you're conditioning it at the same time." 06 of 07 Jaw Clips Taking inspiration from the latest runways, '90s hair accessories are all the rage. Adding an accessory can be one of the quickest ways to change up your look in just a few minutes without altering your haircut or sacrificing your hair health with hot tools. Laura Polko, celebrity hairstylist and Aquage Brand Ambassador, adds that jaw clips are having a major moment."To style a jaw clip, work hair back into a low pony, leaving out a couple strands in the front, then twist up and lock it in around your thumb for the perfect twist. Clip in place and finish off with a spritz of texture spray on the unsecured front pieces for added texture and hold," she says. 07 of 07 Chignon For a truly timeless hairstyle, try a low, sleek chignon. It's simple enough for anyone to pull off and can be dressed up or down depending on your outing. First, choose your part—down the middle, on the side, or slicked completely back. "Next, use a light-hold gel and a bristle brush to slick the hair down in the direction of where you want the hair to lay," says Kali Ferrara, hairstylist in New York City. "Once all of the hair is gathered, tie it off into a tight ponytail." For an extra twist, set aside a small section of hair, braid it, and then wrap it around the base of your ponytail to conceal the hairband. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit