Five-Minute Hairstyles

If there is one thing I love (almost) as much as fashion, it is sleep.  I need my beauty rest, and I have a habit of sleeping until the last possible moment before a busy day.  This often leaves me with very minimal time to try and tame my bed head and look work appropriate.  Here are three simple looks for a day at the office (or a day of classes, or even a night out) that you can do with minimal time and effort and NO HAIR PRODUCTS to maximize your time sleeping.

1. The Fishtail Braid

The fishtail braid is an incredibly easy look that has been popping up on runways and the red carpet all season.  If you are thinking that it cannot be done in five minutes, don’t worry; it just might take some practice.  Make sure you practice when you actually have more than five minutes in the morning, and within two or three tries, you’ll have it down!  The great part about this look is that is can be neat or incredibly messy depending on your mood and still look great.

Start by brushing your hair to get rid of knots, and then divide your hair into two sections.  Take a piece of hair (about ¼ of an inch) from outside of the right section and bring over to the left section.  Then take a piece of hair from the outside of the left side and bring it over to the right side.  Repeat this procedure until the plait is complete.  Secure your hair with an elastic band.  Don’t worry if pieces of hair fall out as you go.  It’s all part of the look!

2. The Glamorous Bun

I absolutely love curling my hair, but I can’t seem to curl all of my hair in under thirty minutes, and I don’t like to use that much heat on my hair on a daily basis.  Instead, I throw most of my hair back in an easy chignon and then simply curl the front pieces of my hair.  It saves a ton of time and looks polished for a day at the office.

Start by pulling your hair back into a ponytail in the middle of your head and secure with an elastic band.  Leave out some thin strands of hair towards the front.  Twist the ponytail around itself to create a bun and secure with an elastic band and bobby pins as needed.  Then wrap the loose strands around a 1 ½” curling iron to create glamorous ringlets that frame your face.  And voilà, your five-minute updo is complete!

3. Pinned Part + Loose Waves

For this next look, I took a cue from Jennifer Aniston, who is the queen of “disheveled chic.”  This look is the perfect way to rock bed head or a bad hair day.  It works best if your hair is naturally straight, relaxed, or wavy.  

To get those perfect messy waves, tie slightly damp hair into a bun the night before you have to go to work.  In the morning, undo the bun and comb and scrunch your hair with only your fingers.  Then brush over the front portion of one side of your hair to the other and secure with a bobby pin.  You’ll be ready to go in well under five minutes.