Type 4 hair is the curliest, twirliest hair type, and 4B hair is a special type 4 hair with its zigzag pattern. Since type 4B hair is kinky textured and has different Z shapes, a lot of people with these 4B curly locks may face a challenge – how to blow dry 4B hair correctly to avoid damage and achieve sleek results?
How to Blow Dry 4B Hair – Tutorial & Tips
Step 1. Moisturize and Condition
Many people may not know that shampooing and conditioning hair in the shower really matters to blow-drying 4B hair. As we know that 4B hair is not that easy to manage and style since it has kinky and twisted curls. Having a shampoo and a hair conditioner that soften your strands will make the blow drying process much easier. And using nourishing hair washing products is going to help your hair look more fresh and healthy after the hot blowout.
Step 2. Heat Protectant
4B hair needs a heat protector to prevent strands and cuticles from being burnt by the high heat. Usually, type 4 hair needs more time to get completely dry, so it will get more heat damage. And a heat protectant to make sure those curls and waves stay moist and full is important. Besides, a good heat protectant can also penetrate hair strands, making your hair look shinier and flourishing, which is pretty decent for 4B hair as well.
Step 3. Detangle and Comb
Before starting blow drying hair, I do recommend all the people with 4B hair should detangle their hair roughly first. You are not able to deal with all the hair knots when your hair is dry as those twists and ringlets will drive you crazy.
Since your hair benefits from the nourishment provided by the conditioner and heat protectant, it will make your hair smoother and easier to detangle. Nevertheless, go for a brush or comb with wide teeth. My hair always gets pulled off when I brush my wet hair with a fine-teeth comb.
Step 4. Work in Sections
Basically, sectioning your hair into different parts can help you distribute the heat to hair evenly. Your hair sections won’t be too dry and stiff after the blow drying routine. And it’s also convenient to style each section separately when you are using a round brush.
Step 5. Choose the Right Temp and Styling Brush
I heard some people saying things like always use medium heat so your hair won’t get hurt by damage, but medium heat does not always work for Type 4 hair. We know that 4B hair is usually pretty thick and very curly, blow drying 4B hair with a weak blow dryer can cost you more than 1 hour!
My advice is that you can set the heat settings to high and use a round brush or paddle brush to roughly get your hair dry and straight, it is because high temperature can shape 4B hair quickly. After that, you can precisely style your hair section with medium heat and your brush.
Blow Drying 4B Hair – Similarities & Differences Compared to Drying 4C Hair
When it comes to the technique, I don’t think there is any difference between drying 4B and 4C hair. Basically, you just need to pull your hair straight with a brush and direct hot air to the hair to form the shape and repeat the steps till your hair is fully manageable and voluminous so that you can create more styles including braids or locks.
However, 4B hair has its unique Z curl pattern and it is prone to break, stuck, and become over-dry when you are drying it and brushing it with a fine-teeth brush/comb. Try to get a brush with soft bristles or a wide-teeth comb, and make sure you apply enough heat protectant to keep it well-conditioned.