While air-drying our hair is the healthiest way to dry them, it can often be quite time-consuming. Some of us with dense curls wait hours and even days for our hair to dry completely. I don’t mind air-drying, but I had to find a new way to dry my hair faster because of the weather or season.
Question
How can I dry my hair quickly without a blow dryer? My hair takes around 8 hrs. to air dry when I plop it after styling. When I try blow-drying it with a diffuser it becomes really frizzy and stale. What can I do to make it dry faster?
Answer
Air-drying is optimal but it can take a long time to complete, especially if you have thick or dense curls. There are some tricks that actually work on cutting down your drying time and manage to do so without causing frizz.
Gently squeeze, shake, or wring your hair in the shower
You can do this prior to adding leave-in or after to get out as much water as possible prior to getting your hair towel. Dripping wet hair is going to take the longest amount of time to dry so losing some of that excess means a quicker dry time. Just be sure not to disturb your curl pattern as your wring and squeeze, as this will lead to frizz.
Focus on the roots
It takes the roots a lot longer to dry than the ends so when plopping or using a hair drying towel make sure to blot the roots several times to speed up the drying time. Again, take care to avoid breaking up your curls as you do this.
Use a hair towel (I love the Hair RePear”>
Towels specifically created for curly hair or hair drying actually works well at speeding up the air drying time. I was using cotton tees for years until I picked up the Hair RePear and I fell instantly in love. First off, it’s super big so I can create a cute bun in the front and rock that until I feel like taking it off. Secondly, it is super soft and thirdly it works better and faster than drying my hair with a cotton tee. Towels created for hair drying use technology to whisk away (without frizzing”> water and product without getting mildew, smelly or crusty from product.
Try a hooded dryer
A hooded dryer is using indirect heat and will not disturb the hair, especially if you use a low setting. They help dry the roots in 10-15 minutes. You can buy rolling hooded dryers that you see in the salon, but if you prefer not to make the investment or don’t have the space, we like the Curlformers SoftHood because it’s a small fabric hood that attaches to the end of your hair dryer and works much the same way. It’s smaller, folds into a small pouch, and is much cheaper!
Sit in the sun / Blast the heat in your car
This may sound silly but it really does work. One of my friends will blast the heat on the way to work in her car. This cuts down on her air-drying time. Being out in the sun is another way to speed up the drying process without adding the direct heat of a blow dryer.
Blot with with paper towels
They work like a charm, and many curlies swear by them! I use them whenever I remove my Hair RePear too early or if I feel water and product dripping on my neck. They are gentle and do not leave behind lent. Just blot, not scrunch, to soak up the excess water easily.
These tips will help to reduce frizz and dry your hair a lot quicker than without doing them. I’m sure you will be shaving off at least 25% of your drying time by incorporating just a couple of these tips.
What are your favorite air drying quick tips?
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