If you’re a beauty enthusiast, you’re likely well aware that heat styling your hair can wreak havoc on your strands over time. But unless you’ve worked out how to air dry your hair and still have it look great, you likely do it anyway—at least when you want to sport a smooth, sleek style. We get it (and we’re guilty of it, too), but there are ways to air dry your hair and ensure it looks fantastic. It all starts with understanding your hair type and texture and choosing the right products to keep potential concerns like frizz and poofiness to a minimum.
Whether your interest in air drying is due to damage or simply born from a desire to streamline your morning routine, keep scrolling. Ahead, we’re sharing our top tips, tricks, and product recommendations for achieving a flawless air-dried hairstyle—no heat needed.
Good hair day by @carachele
How to Properly Air Dry Your Hair
On the surface, air drying hair seems pretty straightforward (and it is). However, it’s not quite as simple as hopping out of the shower with sopping wet strands and letting nature do its thing. Here, we’re outlining the best way to air dry your hair to ensure a smooth, sleek end result.
1. Shampoo and condition
Many people stay away from air drying hair for one (very understandable) reason: frizz. Humidity is often blamed for causing frizz, but ultimately, this common hair concern results from a lack of moisture. When your hair is dehydrated, your strands may swell in an attempt to draw in moisture from the environment. This, in turn, causes your mane to look frizzy and poofy.
If you’re prone to frizz, prioritizing hydration during every step of your routine may help. Start by swapping out your regular shampoo for a moisturizing formula such as the Matrix Mega Sleek Shampoo. The frizz-fighting formula with shea butter helps control unruly hair, leaving it looking smooth and shiny. Follow it up with the Matrix Mega Sleek Conditioner for additional frizz-fighting benefits.
2. Detangle your hair in the shower
After working your conditioner through your hair, grab a wide-toothed comb and gently (emphasis on gently!) detangle your hair to remove any knots or snags. The conditioner should provide some slip so you can loosen up tangles without having to pull on your hair. Still, be gentle—your hair is more susceptible to breakage when it’s wet. Start at the ends and gradually work your way up to loosen knots without unnecessary tugging or pulling.
3. Manually eliminate excess water
Roughly towel drying your hair is another common mistake that can contribute to frizzy, unruly strands. Instead, we recommend gently squeezing the excess water out of your hair using your hands or blotting it with a cotton T-shirt before you move on to styling. These less abrasive approaches can help your locks look and feel smooth.
4. Apply a leave-in styling aid
When air-drying your hair, you’ll want to enlist the help of a few styling aids to keep frizz and flyaways at bay. The best air dry hair products can vary from person to person, depending on hair type and texture. Overall, though, we suggest looking for products that offer frizz control and add shine without making the hair feel weighed down, stiff, or greasy. (Keep reading for a look at some of our favorite picks!)
5. Add texture and volume
You don’t use heat to dry your hair just because it’s fast—hot tools can also add much-needed texture and volume to your ‘do. Fortunately, there are a few techniques that add that same oomph to your air-dried hair.
After you’ve applied your styling products, scrunch your strands to create texture. If your hair lacks volume, apply a volumizing product directly to your roots. Alternatively, you can use double-prong hair clips to hold sections of your hair up at the roots. Allow the clips to remain in your hair until your hair is completely dry.
6. Leave it alone
This may be the most important step as you learn how to air dry your hair fast. Once you’ve washed, combed, and styled your hair, don’t touch it until it dries completely. Touching your hair prematurely can cause your strands to lose their shape and even lead to flyaways or frizz. So, as tempting as it may be to rake your fingers through your hair, try to resist the urge.
8 Hair Products for Air Drying Hair
Before air-drying your hair, we suggest arming yourself with hydrating hair products that can help lock in moisture and ward off frizz. Here are eight of our favorites from the L’Oréal portfolio of professional products.
Good hair day by @pureology
Pureology Smooth Perfection Shampoo
Kick off your low-maintenance haircare routine with this concentrated shampoo. The sulfate-free contains vitamin E, shea butter, and camellia seed oil and gently cleanses all hair types while smoothing the hair. Plus, it’s made with a patented anti-fade complex to keep your salon (or DIY) color looking vibrant.
Pureology Smooth Perfection Conditioner
Use this creamy, shea butter-infused conditioner to help replenish your strands after washing your hair. It’s designed for all hair types and helps target dryness, smooth the hair, and fight frizz to leave hair looking sleek and smooth. For the best results, we suggest applying it from your mid-lengths to ends and letting it sit for about two minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water.
Biolage Professional Smooth Proof Mask for Frizzy Hair
Once a week—or anytime your hair feels like it could use some TLC—swap out your usual conditioner for this deep conditioning mask. The rich formula is jam-packed with plant-based emollients and leaves hair up to eight times smoother in a single use. It also helps strengthen the hair and fights against breakage. To use it, lather up with the brand’s Smooth Proof Shampoo, then rinse well and squeeze out any excess moisture. Work the mask throughout your hair and let it sit for three to five minutes. Then, rinse your hair again with lukewarm water.
Good hair day by @matrix
Matrix A Curl Can Dream Scrunch N' Go Defining Spray for Waves and Curls
If your waves or curls tend to fall flat without the help of hot tools, add this leave-in styler to your air drying hair arsenal. The lightweight formula with rose water and manuka honey provides up to 48 hours of pattern definition and frizz control without the weigh-down. Spray it from the mid-lengths to ends of your hair and gently scrunch small sections up toward your scalp to encourage wave formation.
Redken All Soft Moisture Restore Leave-In Treatment
Smooth, sleek styles are within reach with this hydrating leave-in treatment. The pH-balanced formula helps trap water in your strands and seals the hair cuticle to help your hair retain moisture. You’ll enjoy an instant improvement in shine and smoothness, plus up to 72 hours of long-lasting hydration. Though the formula is suitable for all hair types and textures, we find it especially helpful for those with dull, dry hair.
Shu Uemura Shiki Worker Blow Dry Primer
Don’t let the name fool you—this multi-tasking hair primer isn’t just for use prior to blow drying. You can also mist the lightweight formula throughout towel-dried hair to help lock in moisture and tame frizz before air-drying your hair. If you have wavy or curly hair, lightly scrunch your hair after applying the conditioning leave-in to help enhance your natural hair texture.
Good hair day by @mizani
Mizani True Textures Perfect Coil Oil Gel
If you find it hard to air-dry your curls and coils without losing definition, add this curl-shaping gel to your post-shower routine. It’s formulated with nourishing coconut, marula, and olive oils and helps smooth and condition hair for moisturized, defined curls. Unlike some other leave-ins, you’ll want to apply this when your hair is sopping wet for the best results.
Kérastase Elixir Ultime Refillable Hydrating Hair Oil
Once your hair is completely air-dried, finger-comb one to two pumps of this luxurious hair oil throughout your lengths and ends. The lightweight formula boosts shine, strengthens the hair, tames frizz, and leaves your strands feeling soft to the touch. The leave-in’s gorgeous woody floral scent is just the cherry on top.
Next Up: How to Moisturize Hair: 13 Tips to Hydrate Hair
Use our salon locator to consult a stylist in your area. Or, for more immediate pro-backed advice, be sure to take our Hair Quiz.
Header photo credits (left to right): @mizani, @carachele, @matrix
