HOW TO AIR DRY YOUR HAIR
We know that using a hot tool to create a wave, curl or even a big bouncy blow dry looks great and feels polished, but have you ever considered just air-drying hair instead?
Requiring more than just stepping out of the shower and waiting for the air to do its job, air dried hair can look just as good as spending an hour perfectly placing each lock.
But where do you start? Which products should you use? And what if your hair is naturally straight or wavy? Don’t worry—we’re diving into the art of air drying the au naturel way, no matter your hair type or texture.
In This Article
- What Is Air Dried Hair
- How To Air Dry Hair – The Universal Tips
- How To Air Dry Curly Hair
- How To Air Dry Wavy Hair
- How To Air Dry Straight Hair
- Air Dry Hair FAQs
WHAT IS AIR DRIED HAIR
Essentially, air dried hair is a more relaxed and time-efficient way to style your hair without the need for heat. Air dried hair is a strand styling method that requires specific hair care products (that cater to your hair type) to ensure locks and hydrated and smooth... but dry naturally after washing.
HOW TO AIR DRY HAIR – THE UNIVERSAL TIPS
We all love a big fluffy towel, but for hair health, over-drying your strands is actually a fast-track to flyaway hell. This is because using your towel too much ruffles with the hair cuticles and causes them to tangle and form flyaways. Microfibre towels on the other hand are crafted with a softer, finer weave that is more absorbent and causes less friction on your hair shaft and therefore less damage.
We all know brushes are great for smoothing strands and removing tangles, but using a bristle brush on wet hair actually disrupts the placement and structure of your locks. We suggest using your fingertips to detangle your hair when wet and then going in with a wide-tooth comb starting at the ends of your hair and working up.
To get the most out of air dry hair, you need to make sure your lengths have moisture locked in place before you even step out of the shower. Using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner is key and if you want an added dose of hydration. Or you can treat yourself and apply a hydrating hair mask before rinsing, drying and styling.
HOW TO AIR DRY CURLY HAIR
1,Begin with a shampoo and conditioner formulated specifically for curly hair.
2.Detangle strands while still in the shower using your conditioner and a wet brush.
3.While you need to rinse out the conditioner, make sure it’s not all washed away as curly hair tends to be drier and will thrive with a little conditioner left over.
4.Make sure your strands are still soaking wet before applying a curl cream thoroughly through mid-lengths to ends, scrunching and squeezing out the product as you go. This method is ideal for creating looser curls.
5.If you have tighter kinks, use the same method as above but then go in with a pomade and apply to small sections throughout your hair – twisting each section in the direction of the natural curl pattern.
6.Once out of the shower, use a microfibre towel to dab any excess water and leave your air-dry hair alone.
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HOW TO AIR DRY WAVY HAIR
1.Start by using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner.
2.Once you’re out of the shower avoid towel drying your hair. Instead scrunch out excess water with a microfibre towel and leave locks wet.
3.Find your favourite leave in treatment and apply to get the most out of your wave patterns.
4.Then, apply a dedicated styling product to encourage your waves and reduce flyaways.
5.Scrunch, scrunch and scrunch some more to stimulate your waves.
6.And, if you feel your hair is still very wet, use a microfibre towel to dab your mane. The towel should be used to blot, not soak up any moisture.
7.Finally, sit back, relax and leave your hair to air dry naturally.
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HOW TO AIR DRY STRAIGHT HAIR
1.Towel dry hair using patting motions to remove excess water, but do not scrunch or put hair up in the towel.
2.Use a wide-tooth comb to remove tangles from the ends to the root.
3.Then, use a lightweight air-drying cream and apply the formula from mid lengths to ends.
4.Style your hair around your face the way you’d like it to sit but avoid touching it too much once you're happy with the shape you’ve created.
5.If you want to encourage more waves (or want them more pronounced), apply a dedicated wave-enhancing cream and plait your strands into two braids. Leave them to dry before taking them out.
AIR DRY HAIR FAQs
Is it healthy for hair to air dry?
Yes, it is healthy for hair to air dry, but it depends on how careful you are when your hair is wet. Wet hair is the most fragile, so leaving it like that for long periods of time can make it weaker in the long run. However, if you use a microfibre towel, avoid tying hair up when its wet and avoid sleeping on wet strands then your locks can become happier, healthier and stronger.
What happens if you air dry your hair every day?
Nothing will happen to your hair if you air dry it every day – you just have to be careful about how you treat it when it’s still wet and to remember to not tie it up tight while the strands are soaked.
Is it best to let natural hair air dry?
Yes, it is best to air dry hair, but whether its best for you depends on your hair’s porosity, texture, lifestyle and your hair goals. The main benefit of air drying hair of course is the fact that you avoid heat damage, preserve your natural wave or curl pattern and maintain moisture on your strand shaft.
And there you have it, now you’ve got all the tools (pun absolutely intended) to master the art of air drying. Whether you're giving your strands a break or just switching things up, you can step away from the blow dryer or straightener and still enjoy effortlessly styled, healthy hair—no heat required!
Rina is Cult Beauty’s Midweight SEO Copywriter and has always had a passion for beauty and skin care (rich moisturisers are her obsession). What started as a love for The Body Shop and their famed Born Lippy lip balms (in ‘Watermelon’ of course!), she is now more interested in finding products with proven effectiveness instead of broken promises. A loud and proud VIEVE fan, Rina owns nearly every item of the range and recommends the brand to anyone who will listen... When she’s not intently reading ingredient lists, you can find her either immersed in multiple true crime podcasts or a fantasy romance novel, with an *extra* hot cappuccino in hand.
