How to Air Dry Hair Without Frizz
Over the next few minutes we are going to go over a few suggestions and instructions on how to air dry hair without frizz.
We will be discussing different techniques on how to air dry wavy hair, curly hair, and how to air dry hair straight without heat.
How to Air Dry Hair Without Frizz
The basics-
- Use a deep conditioner regularly
Hair is naturally dry. Frizzy hair is generally when the cuticle, the outer shaft of the hair, is lifted in the effort of seeking out moisture and allowing it into the inside of the hair strand.
Using a deep conditioner will allow moisture into the hair and encourage the cuticle to stay down, thus eliminating frizziness due to extremely dry hair.
- Don’t shampoo every time
There are two reasons to not shampoo your hair every time you wash.
Reason #1- Most shampoos contain sulfates, which dry out the hair.
Reason #2- Over washing your hair will cause it to become dry because it removes natural oils that helps the scalp restore pH balance and maintain natural oil production, not over production of natural oils.
You can rinse your hair every time, or use a conditioner, but be sure that you only use shampoo on your hair once or twice per week. No more than that.
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- Use leave-in conditioner
Leave-In Conditioner helps keep the cuticle down, keep moisture in the hair, eliminate static electricity, and maintain the ends of the hair.
Using a leave-in conditioner does not make air drying your hair fast but it keeps the frizz away and helps prevent tangles as well.
- Don’t twist the towel, blot with the towel
We’ve all done it, when you twist the towel up on top of your head to squeeze the hair dry, if you twist too tightly it will tear the hair while it is at it’s weakest, while wet.
Blotting the hair is similar to twisting the towel except you squeeze the hair out instead of wringing it.
You can still twist your hair to get the water out but not so tightly that it tears.
- Try Drying with a T shirt instead of a towel
Instead of using a towel, try using a T shirt to blot water out of your hair.
For fine hair, sometimes the towel material is too rough on the hair, scratching the cuticle and making it lift or get tangled with other hair strands. A cotton T shirt is smooth and gentle enough that it might work better to help prepare your hair after the shower for air drying without frizz.
- Get a haircut, get rid of all of the split ends
Getting a haircut, a trim, to help eliminate frizz helps so much!
Split ends happen, they are normal. Regular wear and tear happens and the cuticle gets frayed and you have to get it trimmed off.
The more regular your trims, the less you have to cut off because of the maintenance you have provided for your hair, and it will dry smoother.
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- Don’t brush, comb!
Never brush wet hair! When the hair is wet the elasticity is at its stretchiest. Using a brush stretches the hair more than a comb because of the width and number of the teeth.
Using a comb to detangle wet hair is acceptable and safe because combs are only one tooth wide and will not over-stretch wet hair like a paddle brush will.
However it is acceptable to brush your hair ONLY with a wet-brush in the shower while you have conditioner in your hair.
In my personal opinion, I don’t like doing this because after the conditioner is rinsed out and you get out of the shower to blot your hair dry, it becomes tangled again, so for me it’s just extra effort that I don’t need to use my energy on.
- Don’t underestimate the effect of brushing with your fingers
Brushing air drying hair with your fingers can be just as effective as brushing dry hair.
I personally don’t brush my straight/wavy hair. I use my fingers when it is wet and again when it is dry and have no problems!
Especially when you use a leave-in conditioner and deep conditioner or mask you may not need to brush your hair at all but only use your fingers!
- Style your hair while it’s wet
One of the easiest ways to encourage your hair to air dry without frizz.
You hair will stay however its dried. For example, if you want to add volume to your hair you can easily part your hair on the wrong side and allow it to dry, then flip it back to where you want it but it will have lots of volume because it dried the other way.
If you want to wear your hair into a bun, twist it up while it is still wet, not tying or pinning it too tightly of course to preserve the elasticity’s integrity, put it up while it is wet to reduce frizz.
Braiding your hair wet or damp will also help smooth frizzy hair and once it becomes dry it will be smooth and wavy!
Using the Right Tools
- Towel blot with a T-shirt instead of a towel
- Rake your fingers through your hair instead of using a brush
- Use a wet brush in the shower with conditioner if you want to brush your hair, or a comb on wet hair
- Don’t tie the hair too tightly if you style while it is still wet
- Use a scrunchie to lightly hold back air drying hair to prevent a hair-tie lump in dried hair
Finding the Right Products for You
There are no miracle products that work on every hair type and help hair air dry faster or smoother.
Most hair oils are great for smoothing frizzy hair and helps keep the hair hydrated while it’s drying. Hair oil and beard oil work as a leave-in conditioner.
Products to Try to Help Hair Air Dry Without Frizz
- Hair oil
- Beard oil
- Leave-in conditioner
- Mousse
- Light hold pomade
- Hair cream
How to Air Dry Wavy Hair
There are tricks for every hair type and unfortunately, there isn’t a universal trick that works for everyone, so here are a few tips to experiment with while you are figuring out how to air dry wavy hair for you.
Naturally wavy hair will benefit air drying with leave-in conditioner as well as a touch of mousse to help keep the frizziness tamed and the locks detangled.
Air drying hair to make it look wavy can also be achieved by applying the same products, leave-in conditioner and mousse, and braiding the hair. You can do french braids, single or multiple, or basic three strand braids while the hair is lightly damp and allow the hair to dry the rest of the way. Voila! Beautiful, frizz-less wavy hair!
Sleep on damp hair to prevent frizz
Sleeping on damp hair will help it air dry faster, as long as it is not braided. Sleeping on braided hair does take longer for it to dry but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. If you want to try out the braided wave air-dry method, sleeping on lightly damp braids is the best way to achieve that look.
Now, not every hair type looks frizz-less after sleeping on it. If you move around a lot in your sleep or have covers or a mask over your eyes while you sleep, that will rub on your hair and make it less likely for you to wake up without frizz.
Using a silk pillowcase also helps when air drying hair without frizz because the material of the pillow case doesn’t cause static and the cuticle doesn’t get caught on the fabric making the hair frizzy.
Towel Blot
Try towel blotting, not twisting your hair up into a towel to get the water out.
You can also try blotting the hair dry with a T shirt instead of a rough towel. This will keep the hair from getting frizzy from the texture of a towel.
Blow Dry Only the Roots
Try blow drying just the roots with warm air, not too hot, to give the hair a little volume but try letting the rest of the hair air dry without any other help.
Adding Mousse
Only put mousse in damp hair. The water helps the mousse spread evenly throughout the hair, helping the hair dry in whatever shape it dries in.
Mousse products also help smooth the hair, so that when you finish air drying it will help keep the natural texture and prevent frizz.
If you apply mousse to curly hair, scrunch the curls and allow them to dry without touching them. The more mousse you apply the more crunchy it will be, the less mousse you use the softer it will be.
How much mousse to use?
For short hair -mid neck or shorter- No more than the center of your palm
For medium hair -shoulder length- No more than the palm of your hand
For long hair – below the shoulders to shoulder blade- Twice the amount as short hair, apply to the roots first, and get more mousse for the length
For extra long hair -shoulder blade and longer- Start with enough mousse to fill the palm of your hand, begin at the roots and in sections apply more mousse as you go along. Keep in mind that the more mousse you use the crunchier your hair will look.
How to Air Dry Wavy Hair Naturally Without Frizz
Simply apply leave-in conditioner to your freshly-washed or wetted hair.
Next apply a touch of mousse. See the suggested application amounts for your hair length above.
Scrunch the hair while it is still wet. To scrunch you place your palm under the length of your hair and lift your hand, catching the hair as it is raised upwards, grabbing the hair to encourage waves and even curls.
When the hair is just barely damp, use a drop of hair oil and scrunch it through the hair ONLY IF you feel that the hair needs it.
Once the hair is dry, with the mousse and scrunching techniques the hair will have dried in the waviest it will be.
Another product to test out for wavy hair is a salt spray. Salt sprays encourage wavy hair to stay wavy. Combined with the mousse, sea salt spray gives the hair a gorgeous wavy look that will stay wavy!
How to Air Dry Curly Hair Without Frizz
Cocktail leave-in conditioner and beard oil or hair oil to your freshly-washed or wetted curly hair. The more moisture the better.
Next apply a some mousse. Please see the suggested application amounts for your hair length above. The length suggestions are for where your curls end while curly, not pulled straight.
Scrunch the hair while it is still wet. To scrunch you place your palm under the length of your hair and lift your hand, catching the hair as it is raised upwards, grabbing the hair to encourage your curls.
Scrunching works for every curl type.
When the hair is just barely damp, use a drop of hair oil and scrunch it again into your curly hair.
How to Air Dry Hair Straight Without Heat
To air dry hair straight without heat, meaning without a blow dryer or flat iron, is actually easier than you might think.
Your hair will stay however it dries. If it dries straight it will stay straight. If it dries in a braid or in a twist, it will stay that shape until it is washed next.
Simply apply leave-in conditioner to your freshly-washed or wetted hair.
Next apply a touch of mousse.
Comb the hair straight while it is still wet. When the hair is just barely damp, use a drop of hair oil and comb it through the hair.
Once the hair is dry it should be straight.
How to Dry Curly Hair Straight Without Heat Without Frizz
Repeat the instructions above but instead of using a mousse, use a light gel. Be sure that it is not a firm styling gel, that will be too stiff and will break the hair if you try this technique with firm gel.
Though it will look wet once the gel is applied, when the hair is combed straight, don’t touch the hair but allow it to dry. Don’t touch it!
The hair will not look wet once the hair is dried unless you apply too much.
When the hair is dry lightly comb the hair to eliminate any leftover crunch. But once the gel is dried, and the hair dried straight, it will stay straight!
This technique does work better for short and medium lengths.
How to Add Volume, Waves, and Texture While Air Drying
To make hair wavy, textured, and to add volume while air drying a few simple tricks can be applied.
- When the hair is still damp, use a scrunchie to tie the hair on top of the head. When the hair dries upwards, once let down it will be nice and voluminously full without the use of a blowdryer!
- Braid damp hair, either in a french braid or three strand braid and the hair will be wavy once dry. The more braids there are the tighter the waves will be, the more texture your hair will have, and the more voluminous the hair overall.
- The best texture technique to add to air drying hair is the scrunch. Scrunch those curls! Scrunch those waves! That will give you the best texture you can without adding frizz.
What Not to do When Air Drying Hair Without Frizz
❌ Do not use a brush on wet hair! It causes breakage and encourages frizz as the hair dries.
👉 Instead, use a comb or just your fingers to detangle your hair.
❌ Do not wrap the towel tightly around the hair causing it to stretch too far and tear.
👉 Instead, use a T shirt to dry and blot the hair dry rather than wringing the water out.
❌ Do not rub the hair too hard when blotting the hair dry so that the cuticle frizzes out.
👉 Instead, scrunch with a towel, which is what blotting is, both before and after applying mousse.
To Sum Up- How to Air Dry Hair Without Frizz
- Use a deep conditioner regularly
- Don’t shampoo every time
- Use leave-in conditioner
- Don’t twist the towel, blot with the towel
- Try Drying with a T shirt instead of a towel
- Get a haircut, get rid of all of the split ends
- Don’t brush, comb!
- Don’t underestimate the effect of brushing with just your fingers
- Style your hair while it’s wet
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