Awesome Hair, Little Effort

Infrequent showers are a commonly voiced concern around the playground set. While moms are great about combating cradle cap, detangling their daughters' long locks and bathing all their children regularly, most mothers will freely admit that they rarely wash their own hair. "I just can't find the time," is a common refrain. That's why we asked stylist (and mom) Dana Fiore of the Louis Licari salon in in New York City for her advice on mane management. Here's how to make the most of the time you do have.

The first step to runway-worthy tresses is correctly identifying your hair's texture, says Fiore. Is it dry or oily? Wavy or curly? "Some women think they have curly hair when it's really just wavy," she says. "Curly hair is curly from the root. If you have to scrunch your hair to get it to curl, you have wavy hair." These distinctions are key because so many women use the wrong products which, as a result, weighs down their hair and makes it look greasy. If you're unsure of your texture, ask your hairdresser—she'll know!

Since all women's face shapes and hair types are different, it's impossible to say that one particular haircut is both universally flattering and easy to maintain. That said, Fiore says that no matter your natural state—well-balanced hair is essential. "Whatever haircut you have, the layers must be proportionate with your length," she says. "Maintenance comes when your haircut isn't right and doesn't look balanced." Trends like bangs can be tempting, but it's best to try them during your least busy time of year. That way, you'll have time to style your hair correctly.

Fiore says she sees most of her clients every six weeks, but moms—especially those who work—come more like every three months. Carving out several hours for a cut, color, rinse and blow-dry can be nearly impossible—which is probably why some women decided to color their own hair. Fiore's advice? "Get a mom friend—who does the same thing—involved. You put her color on, she puts yours on and then you have a glass of wine and sit and talk while it sets." When you go at it alone, the results can be disastrous.

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As if on autopilot, most women shampoo and condition every time they shower without even thinking. Thus, "women over-shampoo their hair and dry it out," says Fiore. "The damage can't necessarily be fixed. To save time and protect your hair, skip the shampoo on occasion, but still condition it." If you have dry hair, Fiore recommends rinsing with warm water and then conditioning. "If you have oily hair and have to shampoo it every day, focus on your scalp and not your ends. That will really preserve your hair."

"I have a 4-year-old daughter," says Fiore, "so I understand time constraints. If you blew your hair dry yesterday and it still looks good today, leave it alone. Why add something to your to-do list?" If on the second day you wake up and your hair looks presentable but starts to look oily by the afternoon, grab some powder. "There are both professional and drugstore brands of powders designed to match your hair color," says Fiore. (Using regular baby powder can make your roots look gray.) "Go right at the crown. Put it underneath, in moderation, and then flip your hair back over. Don't overdo it."

"It's really important for women to wear both a shower cap and a terrycloth headband if they're planning not to wash their hair," says Fiore. "The headband is especially great for when you're washing your face because it keeps your headline protected." You might think standing a certain way to keep your hair dry will do the trick, but the steam is just as much an issue as the water. "Put the headband on first to seal the hairline, and then the shower cap. You'll be so much more comfortable and won't need to worry," says Fiore.

Some mornings, washing your hair just isn't an option—even if you really need to. On those occasions, you'll have to find a way to disguise your oily hair. "Those days are designed for hats or ponytails or even those cute buns everybody is doing now on top of their head," says Fiore. Baseball caps, wide-brimmed straw hats and fedoras are all acceptable accessories in the summer when you're out and about. If you're heading into the office, make the oils work for you by creating a sleek ballerina look that will distract from your hair's unclean state.

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"Your hair shouldn't take up more than 15 minutes of your morning routine—and that's if you wash it that day," says Fiore. To achieve this, she recommends splurging on a professional hair dryer in the 2,800- to 3,600-watt range. "If you have a 1,600-watt dryer you'll be sitting there for a long time," she says. A 3,200-watt dryer will cut that drying time in half. Blow dryers won't burn your hair the way a flat iron can, so there's no reason to be scared of the heat. For best results, use the nozzle to control heat and prevent fly-aways.

On the morning you wash your hair but don't have the extra few minutes to blow it dry, don't panic. "If you have straight hair, it will dry that way," says Fiore. "If it's wavy or curly, wash and condition it, set your part the way you want it, add product and then don't touch it again." Pretend you're sitting under a dryer and can't move until you get to the office, says Fiore. "Once it's close to dry, palm or squeeze to break up the product a little bit," she says.

If your day of client meetings and carpool duty will be followed by a date night or girls' dinner, plan your style accordingly in the morning. "If your hair is freshly blown out, twist it up in a bun while you're running around, keep it out of your face and let a wave set," says Fiore. "Then that night before you go out, shower with a cap on and let the bun down afterward. Spruce it up with your fingers for a little body."