If you asked us if there’s anything we wouldn’t do for the perfect hairstyle, we’d say absolutely not! We’d go to the ends of the earth and use the finest products to ensure our manes look flawlessly polished at all times! After getting to know us, however, you’d probably learn that as much as we love healthy-looking polished strands, sometimes laziness gets the best of us and we just can’t be bothered to do much with our dark brown hair. That’s why we love air-drying our hair.
All you have to do is wash your strands, apply a little product, and let the air work its magic—what’s not to love? However, because the best things in life are often too good to be true, we began to wonder if air-drying our hair isn’t as good for our strands as we originally thought. We know hair is most fragile when it’s wet, could leaving your hair wet for longer than you necessary lead to unsightly damage and brittle strands?
To get to the bottom of our burning question, we turned to the professionals. Tatiana Ramos, a stylist and Mizani brand ambassador, shared everything there is to know about air-drying our hair and whether or not we have to give it up for good.
Is air-drying your hair bad for it?
The short answer is, no! Air-drying your hair should not cause any damage to your mane no matter your hair type or texture. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any downsides to air-drying your mane, however. While air-drying is great for achieving a wash-and-go and for people who want to avoid heat styling their hair, Ramos says it can sometimes lead to frizz. Luckily, the stylist says that the problem is easy to fix as long as you have the right products.
“A good leave-in like Mizani 25 Miracle Milk would do well in aiding against frizz and taming some possible flyaways and adding shine once the hair is dried,” Ramos explains.
Even though air-drying your hair is perfectly safe, the stylist says you should probably use your blow dryer if you’re washing your hair close to bedtime.
“I don’t recommend clients or anyone in general sleeping with wet hair—some rough sleepers may wake up with knots,” she says.
Completely drying your hair before you go to sleep will not only help to prevent nasty snarls and frizz but also ensure your desired style is set.
What is the best way to air-dry your hair?
Like with most things hair, achieving the perfect hairstyle is all about technique—and air-drying is no different. Even though air-drying your hair sounds simple enough, Ramos says there are a few things to do if you want to ensure your mane looks flawless every time. After cleansing, conditioning, and completely rinsing out your hair, the stylist recommends using a hair towel to remove as much moisture from your strands as possible gently. This will help to speed the air-drying process along.
Not sure which hair towel is perfect for your mane? Check out our guide: The Best Hair Towels For Every Hair Type
After you gently towel dry your hair, Ramos recommends applying a leave-in conditioner like Mizani 25 Miracle Milk throughout your strands. 25 Miracle Milk is suitable for all hair types and boasts 25 benefits, including improved manageability and detangling, style priming, helps prevent heat damage, and frizz control.
Follow the leave-in with your regular styling products and leave your hair alone while the air does its thing!
All you have to do is follow Ramos’ steps, and you’ll have flawlessly air-dried (and healthy) hair every time!
Interested in more personalized hair care advice? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at a salon near you.
