If you are tired of spending so much time on styling your hair with blow dryers & flat irons, why don’t you try to air dry your hair instead?
You probably will say:” What if I have curly or coiled hair? it’s super hard to dry without a blow dryer.”
Don’t worry, we are here to help. Here is the best way to air dry your curly hair.
How to Air Dry Curly Hair
Step 1. The first step is to cleanse & wash your hair.
Although there is nothing special in this step, I do recommend you use a shampoo that is free of sulfates, parabens, and gluten. Because it is going to reduce the irritation of your skin.
I am personally not a fan of using a towel to get my hair half-dry after showering, and I prefer squishing the water out of my hair because a rough towel can make frizz & static occurred. If you want to shorten the air drying process without using a blow dryer, a microfiber towel is highly recommended as it is soft and absorbent. But the most important thing is to use it gently to reduce frizz & flyaways.
Step 2. Detangle your curly hair with a brush/comb
To detangle your strands smoothly, you can brush your hair with a nice comb while your hair is still soaking wet.
One of the reasons that people will have frizzy hair is that they brush their hair when there is not enough moisture in their strands.
If you have a tight coil pattern that is hard to detangle, try some hair conditioners that hydrate & smoothen your hair.
Step 3. To shorten air-drying time & boost result, use air-dry hair products
Air drying may sound magical to you, but actually air dry hair products have been developed for years.
To choose a great air dry style product for curly hair, I prefer something that is lightweight because it does not weigh your hair down and it takes a shorter time to dry.
If you want your hair to be more manageable & easy to style, you can opt for a cream-typed air dry hair product. Otherwise, you can choose an air-dry spray that enhances natural curls and waves.
Step 4. Want some volume on your curly hair? Try plopping
Plopping is not a necessary step for air drying curly hair, but it does make your hair more voluminous & cuts the drying time significantly.
If you don’t know what plopping is, plopping is a heat-free technique that you use a towel to define your curls. Plopping is also helpful when you want to cut the air drying time.
Basically, you need to cover your curls with a towel or a t-shirt. You can scrunch with the towel to get the water out quickly.
If you are not familiar with plopping, here is a video tutorial below:
Step 5. Let Your Hair Dry Naturally
If you choose not to use the plopping method, you can wait till your hair is completely dry. The drying time usually depends on the length & thickness of your hair.
You can go to bed when your hair is damp and let it air dry overnight. Also, you can plop your hair overnight if you want to make the process more simple.
Pros of Air Drying Curly Hair
No Heat Damage
Compared to using high heat, air drying curly hair is no going to give you any harm.
You don’t need any tools to style your hair and you can still get a perfect curly hairstyle.
Plus, without using heat, the whole process is much safer. And you won’t accidentally burn your strands.
Less Frizz
Blow drying hair can make your hair frizzy, and you should always apply heat protectant before using styling tools.
If your hair gets too dry in a short time, frizz and split ends will occur. In comparison, air drying curly hair is more healthy as your hair is getting dry gently and naturally.
Cons of Air Drying Curly Hair
Longer Drying Time
Well, although air drying is a healthier option for damaged hair, the long air drying time might be a pain in the neck for people who have curly hair.
Curly hair takes a longer time to dry usually. Even with a blow dryer, it’s still hard to dry the inside of your curls without burning the hair surface.
So if you are going to air dry curly hair, you should be ready for waiting a couple of hours.
Less Powerful Styling Result
Unlike styling tools that can shape your hairstyle immediately, you should not expect air drying can help you create a fabulous hair look.
You may have seen some air dry styler products on the market. However, they still can’t give you the styling result that a flat-iron can provide. In addition, these stylers can not maintain your hairstyle for a very long time.