Five-Minute Hairdos for Long Hair

Author:

Lauren is a busy mother of two magnificent children and loves music, food, and experimenting with her hairstyle.

You know the feeling—you sleep in, something comes up, or you’re just generally strapped for time, and you have no idea how to make your hair look good in five minutes or less. Before you let the panic take over, consider some of these hairstyle ideas for long hair when you’re in a rush.

5 Quick Styles for Long Hair

Side Bun
Side rope Braid
Ponytail Variations
Half-Up Styles
No-Heat Curls

1. Side Bun

If you’re strapped for time but still want to look fancy, this 'do is for you. You can do it in differing levels of complexity by changing the number of sections you separate your hair into. The video also explains good techniques for twisting your hair.

Materials Needed

Comb
Several hair clips
Bobby pins
Hair tie
Dry shampoo (optional)
Hairspray (optional)

2. Side Rope Braid

If you’re going for a Disney princess look, this braid variation will give the impression that you spent an hour on your hair, when in reality, it only took a few minutes. The first couple of times you try this hairstyle, it might take a bit more than five minutes, but with practice and familiarity, you’ll be able to shave that time down so you can spend more time making award-winning cinnamon rolls or watching adorable cat videos.

Materials Needed

Hairbrush
Hair tie
Dry shampoo
Hairspray

3. Ponytail Variations

These variations on the regular pony make your hair a bit more interesting and help you avoid having hair that screams: “Back off! I woke up 10 minutes ago!” Most of these incorporate braids, and you can really spruce up your follicles in optimal time, as long as you’re already adept at braiding.

Materials Needed

Hairbrush
Hair ties
Bobby pins
Topsy Tail

4. Half-Up Styles

If your hair looks decent, but you want to do something different or get it out of your face, these quick half-up hairstyles will do the trick. This video showcases a few optional products and explains good tricks for securing bobby pins and taming flyaways.

Materials Needed

Hairbrush
Hair ties
Bobby pins

5. No-Heat Curls

This last video is one of my favorites. It includes some great hair and makeup hacks, including quick hair coloring and a twist on the sock bun, but I want to focus on the no-heat curls. These styles take a bit of preparation (usually done the night before), but they are incredibly easy and yield amazing results without having to damage your hair with curling irons or heated rollers. Three different no heat curls styles are showcased in the first four minutes of the video.

Materials Needed

Hairbrush
Spray bottle
Bobby pins
Hair tie
Stretchy headband

Tips for When You Don't Have Time to Wash Your Hair

Let's face it. Taking a shower would be ideal, but once in a while, there just isn't time. These ideas will save your hair when a shower is not an option.

Dry shampoo: This product comes in a spray or paste form and provides a way to cleanse your hair without water. The dry shampoo absorbs oils and helps your hair smell better. While it shouldn’t replace your normal hair-washing routine, it’s a must-have for anyone who occasionally misses a shower.
Baby powder: This works much like dry shampoo but is less expensive and a bit more time-consuming. Sprinkle powder on your roots, rub in and brush away to get rid of a greasy hair look.
Hairdryer: Sometimes when your hair needs an instant lift and refresh, you can simply blow-dry and style as usual. This process will dry away excess oils and add a bit of volume.
Hand sanitizer: This solution will cleanse your hair to a degree. Apply the sanitizer to your roots and rub it in to clear out oil and make your hair appear washed.

Hopefully, these tips and videos have given you a hairstyle arsenal to combat late mornings or just save time on your hair. Again, as with most things, practice on these styles will help trim down your minutes in front of the mirror. So the next time you sleep in or are just too lazy to devote much time to your hair, try one of these tricks and enjoy great-looking hair with minimal effort. Comment below with your favorite quick hairstyle.

Comments

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 12, 2018:

Poppy,

I'm there with ya. Usually doing my hair is last on my priorities, so these tips were useful for me, and my hair's also a tad short for a lot of these, but I'm able to do some of the half up styles and ponytail variations.

Poppy from Enoshima, Japan on November 12, 2018:

I'm awful with hair. I have two styles: down or ponytail. My hair just doesn't seem to be in good condition no matter what I do. It's a little short for these styles, but there are some very useful videos here that seem easy to follow. Great work.