The Morning Hair Struggle is Real (And We Have a Solution)

Okay, let me paint you a picture. It's 7:15 AM. You've hit snooze twice already. Your hair looks like you wrestled with your pillow all night, and lost. You're staring in the bathroom mirror thinking, "There's literally no way I can make this work in five minutes."

I've been doing hair for eight years now, and honestly? This is the number one complaint I hear at the salon. Everyone thinks they need this elaborate 30-minute routine to look put-together. But here's what I've learned from working on hundreds of heads of hair: you really don't.

What Actually Works When You're Running Late

Last week, a client came in completely frazzled. She'd been trying to perfect some complicated curling routine she saw on Instagram every single morning. Taking forever, never looking quite right. I showed her what we do backstage at photo shoots when we need a quick refresh between takes.

It's stupidly simple:

Get your roots slightly damp. Not soaking wet, just barely damp. I usually tell people to cup their hands under the faucet and gently pat the water onto the crown area. Sometimes I'll use a tiny bit of leave-in conditioner if the hair feels dry.

Then grab whatever round brush you have (doesn't need to be fancy) and blow-dry just the top sections. You know, the parts people actually see. I focus on lifting the roots up and away from the scalp, that's where you get your volume back.

The whole thing takes maybe four minutes. Five if your hair is being particularly stubborn.

Why This Actually Makes Sense

Here's the thing about hair that most people don't realize, it has muscle memory. Once you've styled it properly, it wants to go back to that shape. You're just reminding it what it's supposed to look like.

I learned this from Jennifer, who's been cutting hair here longer than anyone. She always says, "Stop fighting your hair and start working with it." Sounds cheesy, but it's true.

The Products That Don't Suck

I'm not going to lie to you and say you need a cabinet full of expensive products. Most of the stuff we use at the salon costs way too much for what it is.

But there are a few things that actually help:

• A heat protectant that doesn't make your hair feel sticky (we carry a couple brands that work)

• Something to smooth down frizz without weighing everything down

• A finishing spray that doesn't make your hair crunchy

The key is using tiny amounts. I see people dump half a bottle of serum on their hair and wonder why it looks greasy.

Real Talk About Morning Routines

Look, I get it. Some days you want to do the whole elaborate styling thing. That's fun. But most Tuesday mornings? You just want to look like you tried.

This method works on day-old hair, week-old hair, hair that hasn't seen a brush in two days. It's not going to give you red-carpet hair, but it'll get you from "did I stick my finger in an electrical socket?" to "this person has their life together."

Come See Us Sometime

If you're ever in DeLand and want to see how this works in person, we're at The Warehouse Salon on Woodland Boulevard. Right next to that little museum and across from Doug & Lil's (their hash browns are incredible, by the way).

Jennifer, Adi, and Alaina know way more tricks than I do. Alaina especially, she can make anyone's hair look effortless. It's annoying how good she is at it.

We do regular cuts, blowouts, whatever you need. And if you just want to buy some products and try this at home first, that works too.

The Bottom Line

Your morning hair routine doesn't have to be this big production. Sometimes the simplest approach is the one that actually gets you out the door on time.

And if all else fails, there's always dry shampoo and a really good baseball cap.

Want to book an appointment or just ask us questions? Stop by the salon or give us a call. We're pretty easy to find, just look for the building with all the good hair walking in and out.