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No blow dryer? No problem! 5 easy methods to dry your hair without a blow dryer
Maybe you want some extra sleep in the morning, or maybe you want to save your hair from heat damage — there are a number of reasons people may prefer not to use a blow dryer to dry their hair. If you want to dry your hair without a blow dryer as quickly as possible, you’re in luck. There are a variety of easy methods to dry your hair without heat that can help accelerate drying time and leave your air-dried hair looking great without any damage.
Using a quick-dry lotion
A quick-dry lotion, cream or foam is a great product to help you dry your hair without heat. Not only can a quick-dry lotion accelerate the time it takes for your wet hair to dry, it can also add smoothness, shine and/or definition, so that your hair looks even better once it’s air-dried. While there are lots of great products on the market, it’s best to look for something that’s labeled “air dry” rather than “blow dry” to ensure that no heat is necessary.
Each air-dry product works slightly differently, so you’ll want to consult the instructions on the specific product you choose. However, these steps for using a quick-dry lotion to dry your hair fast will work for most products.
Step 1: Air-dry your hair about halfway
Before applying your quick-dry lotion, you’ll want to give your hair a head start on air-drying — it works best if your hair is partially dry rather than sopping wet. You can gently blot your hair with a microfiber towel (more on that below) to accelerate the air-dry process. You can tell your hair is ready for the quick-dry lotion when your hair’s natural wave pattern starts to form.
Step 2: Work a small amount of product through your hair
Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, you’ll want to work a dime-sized amount of product (for fine or short hair) to a quarter-sized amount of product (for thick or long hair) into your hair using your fingers.
Step 3: Comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb (optional)
The benefits of combing your hair with a wide-tooth comb are twofold: Not only does it help to more evenly distribute the quick-dry lotion in your hair, it can also help accelerate hair drying since it separates the strands of hair. However, if you find your hair texture or curl/wave pattern works better without being combed, feel free to skip this step.
Step 4: Let your hair air-dry the rest of the way
Now that you’ve got your quick-dry lotion applied, allow your hair to continue air-drying until it’s completely dry. You may be surprised how quickly and beautifully your hair dries with the addition of a quick-dry lotion as opposed to without one.
Step 5: Scrunch your hair as needed
If your hair is naturally wavy or curly, you may opt to scrunch your hair periodically as it dries to help give your waves or curls more volume and to better define them. If your hair is naturally straight, you may skip this step.
How to blot your hair dry
Blotting your hair dry is a great way to speed up the air-drying process. There are certain steps you can take and products you can choose to ensure the best results from this process. Most importantly, pick a microfiber towel over a bath towel to blot your hair with. Microfiber towels are able to draw out water better, which means you don’t have to rub vigorously and risk causing damage to your hair.
Step 1: Wash your hair and follow with conditioner
After washing your hair in the bath or shower, make sure you follow your shampoo with a conditioner. Besides smoothing and detangling your hair, conditioner coats your hair and helps it repel water. This, in turn, helps it dry faster.
Step 2: Gently squeeze excess water out of your hair
After your shower, gather your hair and gently squeeze the excess water out. You may wish to repeat this step one or two more times to make sure you get as much extra water out as possible.
Step 3: Shake your hair out and/or use a wide-tooth comb to separate your hair
Now that you’ve squeezed the water out of your hair, your hair is likely still closely gathered together. Separating the strands will help promote faster drying. You can do this by shaking out your hair and/or using a wide-tooth comb. Which method(s) you choose will depend on your type of hair and whether it dries better combed or uncombed.
To shake out your hair, gently use your hands to separate the strands and shake your hands as you run them through your hair. You can also do this with your hair flipped upside down to promote volume.
If using a wide-tooth comb, make sure you’re gently combing your hair to avoid creating any tangles. If you have long hair, it may help to comb the ends first and then comb from the crown of your head all the way down to reduce tangles.
Step 4: Blot your hair with a microfiber towel
Gently gather small sections of your hair and blot or squeeze them with a super absorbent towel such as a microfiber towel. Use a new section of the towel every time you move on to a new section of hair to ensure maximum absorbancy. Do not vigorously rub your hair, as this can cause damage to your strands.
Other ways to dry your hair without a blow dryer
The best way to quickly air-dry your hair will probably be a combination of various speed-increasing methods. Exactly which methods you choose will depend on your specific hair type and length as well as the desired style you’re going for. Here are more ways to increase the speed with which your hair dries, which you can do alone or combine with any other methods discussed.
Use a microfiber turban
A microfiber turban absorbs water out of your hair to help promote drying. This is a convenient method because you can wear the turban while you finish getting ready so that your wet hair is out of the way and continuing to dry fast without any additional effort on your part. Wear the turban for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before allowing your hair to air-dry the rest of the way.
Comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb
Brushing your wet hair with a hair brush not specifically designed for wet hair is not recommended. Instead, try a wide-tooth comb, which helps reduce damage and frizz. Prior to using a wide-tooth comb, you may want to use a detangling spray to make sure your comb smoothly glides through your hair without hitting any snags. If you have long hair, try combing through the ends first before combing from the top of your head through the ends.
Brush your hair with a microfiber hair brush
A microfiber hair brush is designed to absorb water from wet hair while separating the strands to promote further air drying. These brushes should not snag your hair, but you can use a detangling spray before brushing if you want to better ensure a lack of tangles.
How long does it take for hair to dry naturally?
How long it takes to air-dry hair naturally varies greatly from person to person depending on their hair length and hair type. A person with short, fine hair can have their hair air-dried in as little as 15 minutes. Meanwhile, for a person with long, thick and/or dense hair, it can take hours. If you want to speed up how long it takes to air-dry your hair, we recommend using any of — or a combination of — the methods detailed above.
Best products for drying your hair without a blow dryer
Kristin Ess Hair Weightless Shine Air-Dry Creme
This time-saving and frizz-calming quick-dry lotion can be used on all hair types (including color-treated hair) to speed up the air-drying process. It softens and smooths strands while they dry, leaving them shiny.
JML Microfiber Bath Towel, 2-Pack
This 30-by-60-inch towel, sold in a pack of two, is made of lightweight and soft microfiber to better absorb water. It’s machine-washable, dryer-safe and comes in a variety of color and pattern options.
Drybar Dry Martini Microfiber Hair Wrap
This super absorbent microfiber towel helps speed up dry time and reduces frizz while doing so. It’s conveniently shaped to easily wrap into a light and non-bulky turban, and it has a button closure at the back to keep your turban secure. It’s sized to accommodate all hair lengths.
Goody Quikstyle Detangling Paddle Brush
Run this oblong paddle brush through your wet hair to absorb excess water and detangle at the same time. The secret is in the microfiber bristles, which help pull moisture from your hair, while the nylon bristles work to detangle your strands.
Final thoughts
Air-drying your hair can protect your tresses from heat damage caused by hot tools, such as a hair dryer. It can also save you time getting ready. There are a number of things you can do to help speed up the air-drying process; however, it’s important to select the proper tools and use the correct methods in order to air-dry your hair correctly without causing damage.
The best ways to quickly dry your hair include gently blotting with a microfiber towel and using a quick-dry lotion. Additional methods, that can be used in combination with the above include using a wide-tooth comb or microfiber detangling brush.
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Talia Ergas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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