Buzz
Using a blow dryer regularly can damage your hair and also wastes your preparation time. If you're looking for alternative ways to dry your hair quickly without taking more time, try out a few different methods.
Steps
Pat Your Hair Dry
Use Conditioner. When washing your hair, don't forget to apply conditioner. Conditioner not only nourishes your hair but also helps repel water. It coats each strand, allowing water to slide off rather than soak into your hair.
- If you have curly hair, it's recommended to apply leave-in conditioner. Leave-in conditioner will prevent frizz during the drying process. For thin hair, you can apply a little conditioner to the tips that tend to dry out.
Remove Excess Water Before Leaving the Shower. You can start drying your hair before even stepping out of the shower. Gently squeeze your hair to remove excess water. Once you’ve removed as much water as possible, run your fingers through your hair. Shake it out gently to separate the strands. This will help your hair dry faster.
- Try not to let your hair get wet again after rinsing. Clip your hair up after washing or avoid water splashing. This will reduce the amount of moisture in your hair.
Shake Your Hair. After stepping out of the shower, flip your hair forward and shake your head for a few minutes. Lift the roots of your hair with your hands to speed up drying.
- As you shake your hair, the air will move between the strands, allowing your hair to dry faster than if the strands remain clumped together.
Pat Your Hair Dry with a Towel. You can use a towel to gently blot excess water from your hair. Be sure to use a microfiber towel or an ultra-absorbent towel, not a regular cotton towel, as cotton towels can cause frizz and breakage. Choose a highly absorbent towel to soak up moisture. Gently blot each section of your hair, squeezing it lightly in the towel for a few seconds before moving to the next section. Continue blotting until your hair is mostly dry.
- Use a different part of the towel each time you move to a new section. This will prevent transferring water to other parts of your hair.
- Don’t rub too hard when drying your hair. Rubbing, even with a microfiber towel, can damage the hair cuticle.
- If you prefer, you can try using a soft cotton shirt or pillowcase to blot your hair. Cotton fibers are absorbent and gentle on your hair. Paper towels can also work, but they may be impractical if you have long or thick hair. This method will minimize frizz.
Focus on the Roots. When drying your hair, focus on the roots rather than the tips. The ends of your hair dry faster than the roots, so it’s important to remove as much water from the roots as possible.
- Gently blot or squeeze the roots with the towel multiple times. Use a smaller towel to get closer to the roots, as a large towel won’t be as effective.
- Continuously shake out the roots. Bend your head forward and run your fingers through the roots. Allow as much air to circulate through the roots as possible to speed up the drying process.
Use a Wide-Tooth Comb. Hair experts recommend avoiding brushing your hair when it’s wet. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb to gently detangle your hair, starting at the tips and working your way up to the roots. This will help reduce frizz and minimize damage to your wet hair.
- After combing, use your fingers to separate the strands or give your hair a little shake. This keeps the hair airy so that air can move between the strands.
- Consider using hair care products before or after combing to style your hair while it dries. Depending on your preferences, you could try using curl-defining lotion, anti-frizz serum, or sea salt spray.
- Once you’ve combed through, avoid touching your hair to prevent frizz from forming.
Let Your Hair Air Dry. After blotting your hair and separating the strands, let your hair dry naturally. The time it takes for your hair to dry completely depends on its thickness, the amount of water you've absorbed, and the weather conditions.
- If it’s taking too long for your hair to dry, shake it out in front of you every few minutes. This increases the surface area exposed to air, helping it dry faster.
- Alternatively, you can run your fingers or a comb through your hair every 10-15 minutes to help it dry more evenly.
Other Hair Drying Methods
Wrap Your Hair in a Turban Towel. Use a microfiber turban towel to wrap your hair after washing. Leave the towel on while you get ready, have breakfast, or do other tasks. Check in about 10-15 minutes, and your hair will gradually dry.
- Be sure to blot out excess water before wrapping your hair in the turban towel. Gently squeeze your hair to release any remaining water, then wrap it and absorb the moisture.
- If you don’t have a turban towel, you can simply wrap your hair with a microfiber towel instead.
Try Twisting Your Hair. Twisting your hair is an effective method for drying curly hair. Start by applying a styling cream or mousse. Then, use a soft cotton t-shirt to wrap around your head. Instead of wrapping it on top like a turban, twist the t-shirt around each side of your ears like a sausage. Secure both ends at the nape of your neck.
- Keep the twist for about 20-30 minutes before removing it.
- Be sure to blot your hair and remove excess moisture before twisting the t-shirt.
Brush Your Hair with a Microfiber Brush. A microfiber hairbrush has bristles made from microfiber material, which absorbs moisture from your hair. Keep brushing to remove water and speed up drying.
- Try brushing your hair a few times with the microfiber brush. Shake your hair to allow air to penetrate between the strands. Repeat every 5-10 minutes for the best results.
Shake Your Hair to Dry. After blotting and squeezing out excess water, flip your hair forward and shake it. Use your fingers to separate the strands and loosen the roots. Hold your hair in your hands and gently shake it up and down. Bend forward and rotate your head in circles.
- Shaking your head helps air circulate around the strands, breaking up any clumps of waterlogged hair.
- Be cautious when shaking your head, as it could make you dizzy after just a minute or two.
Gina Almona
Hair Styling Expert
Hair Styling Expert
Expert Tip: If you wash your hair at night, you can braid it before bed, and in the morning you’ll wake up to dry, wavy hair. You can also apply a small amount of hair care product to damp hair and let it air dry naturally.
Sit in the Sun. The heat from direct sunlight will help dry your hair. If you have time, you can sit outside or take a walk until your hair dries. Remember to blot out excess water and shake your hair before going outside. Loosen the roots to speed up the drying process.
- Your hair will dry even faster if you go outside on a windy day.
