How To Air-Dry Your Hair Like A Pro
The summer months are the best time to train your hair to air dry. But if you’ve ever actually air-dried your hair, you know that if you want your strands to look smooth and frizz-free, it’s never quite that simple. Luckily, with the help of a few good products and a few of tricks and tips, you can get smooth, frizz-free hair after air drying at ease. We’ve laid out of all the perks of air-dried hair and how to air-dry hair properly for you below.
First Of All, What Are the Benefits of Air-Drying Hair?
1. It spares your hair from the potential heat damage caused by blow dryers.
Heat styling can cause irreversible damage to your hair including causing breakage, split ends, hair color fading, and a breakdown in curl and wave pattern. While air-drying uses less to no heat which means strands are less prone to heat damage. It means you will see major improvements not only in the length of your hair but the overall texture and condition.
2. It will reduce the chance of hair becoming dry and frizzy.
Air-drying, as opposed to heat styling, can help your hair retain moisture better. That is because air-drying depletes your hair of moisture over a longer period whereas blow-drying deplete your hair of moisture quickly. Without the threat of heat sapping out moisture over time, hair has less chance of becoming dry and frizzy.
3. It helps hair retain its natural texture.
While curly hair especially lends itself to great results, even fine hair can look fab – provided you use the right products to give it plenty of volumes.
How To Air Dry Hair Fast
The best time to take this extended break from your blow dryer or curling iron is during the hot, humid summer months. Your hair will dry quicker than in the winter, plus air drying hair gives you a low-maintenance style!
Keep reading to find out how to air-drying your hair without frizz for head-turning results – no matter your hair type.
Step 1 Thoroughly Cleanse Hair
If you are planning on air-drying your hair, you need to ensure that you thoroughly cleanse the hair in the shower, regardless of hair type or texture. That is because the buildup of the product will prevent the moisture of your conditioner or leave-in product from reaching your hair.
The hair must be adequately moisturized to successfully air-dry and hair that has not been fully cleaned may not benefit from the effects of conditioner and leave-in products.
If you find you have a lot of product or buildup in your hair, it may be the right time to use a clarifying shampoo that works well on dirt and oils.
But there is a point you need to notice that it can be too harsh to use regularly on dryer hair and scalps. Therefore, you may only need to clarify once a week or even a month, depending on your hair type and the styling products you use.
In addition, if you want smooth, frizz-free hair, the best way to ensure that is to opt for a gentle, hydrating shampoo and conditioner, preferably one that is free of sulfates and packed with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin.
Step 2 Rinse Thoroughly With Cold Water
It may not sound pleasant. But for super-shiny results, make sure you rinse your hair thoroughly with cold water to remove all shampoo and conditioner residue. Don’t worry—it doesn’t need to be ice cold and just needs to be colder than room temperature.
Doing so, it’ll help better seal the cuticle and provide more shine. Naturally, it can lock in the moisture from your conditioner, which means less frizz and more shine for you.
Step 3 Use Microfiber Towel To Dry Off
Don’t use your regular bath towel on your hair. Instead, opt for a microfiber towel. As it turns out, the fibers in most bath towels are still far too harsh to be used on wet hair and have the potential to cause frizz and even worse, severe damage.
Instead, a microfiber towel is not only more gentle on your strands but also absorbs so much moisture faster than a regular towel, thus helping to shorten your air-drying time without causing frizz.
More importantly, please gently pat/squeeze water from your hair, instead of rubbing your head, which is hellishly rough on your strands.
Step 4 Comb Away Tangles
The number one priority while air-drying is minimizing frizz. Only comb hair when it is wet.
For curly hair, it is best to avoid brushing your strands while hair is air-drying, especially without some type of hydrating or moisturizing aid, which will loosen the curls and create uneven definition throughout the hair, thus disrupting curls and creating frizz.
Plus, the type of brush or comb you use on wet hair is very important, too. A good comb is an ultimate ally for wet hair as the extra space between the teeth allows the hair to pass through it easily without any added friction or pulling.
Thus, if your hair requires any combing, only use a wide-tooth comb or a brush meant to be used on wet hair as this ensures no tugging for fragile strands.
To help minimize damage, apply a detangling spray or light leave-in conditioner to the ends and mid-lengths before combing. Then start combing at your ends, gently working your way up to the roots until all knots are removed.
Or you can also deep-conditioner your hair with a moisturizing masque and use your fingers to give great frizz-free results.
Step 5 Apply the Right Styling Products
When your hair is partly dry and 100% detangled, it’s time to apply your some styling products, such as volumising mouse, sea salt sprays, gels and styling creams. Of course, the right type of air-dry styling product will vary based on your hair type.
Step 6 Don’t Go to Bed With Wet Hair
To ensure successful air-drying, you must make sure that you aren’t going to bed directly with your hair still wet or damp after washing and conditioning.
Even if you sleep on a silk pillowcase to reduce friction, you may put dents or creases in your hair before it fully dries. After all, any movement you make while sleeping will cause frizz.
If you are planning on washing your hair at night, make sure that you leave enough time for your hair to fully air-dry.
