Picture this: You’re finally unpacking your bags at the resort you’ve been excited to go to for months when the sudden realization hits you – you forgot your blow dryer at home. “How will I ever dry and style my hair in time?” you frantically ask yourself. Fortunately, we’re here to help you dry your hair just as fast as it would take you to go online and order a new blow dryer! 

Our hair experts have devised a simple, fast, and easy-to-follow method of natural air-drying your hair – 7 steps and you’re done! Here’s everything you need to know. 

Table of Contents:

• Blow-Drying vs. Air-Drying
• How to Dry Your Hair Fast: The 7-Step Air-Drying Guide
• Condition it
• Squeeze it well
• Pat it with a Towel
• Plop it
• Comb it
• Use the Right Products
• Bask in the Sunrays

Blow-Drying vs. Air-Drying

While blow-drying your hair has the immediate advantage of time efficiency, especially for those with long locks, air-drying your hair is a lot more beneficial when it comes to long-term hair care. Here are a few reasons why you should consider air-drying your hair as much as possible, rather than using a blow dryer to dry your hair:

• Since you are protecting your hair from heat damage, your hair might start feeling smoother and moisturized. Heat opens up the cuticles and makes your hair frizzier and dryer. 
• Through air drying, your hair loses moisture organically, so it will stay hydrated for longer. On the other hand, blow-drying your hair will result in losing all the moisture immediately. 
  
  
• Color-treated hair will definitely benefit from air-drying. Heat causes the color to fade out faster, which is why you are also advised to rinse your colored hair with cold water or lukewarm water at the very least. Then air dry it, and the color will stay on for longer.
• Allowing your hair to air-dry also preserves your hair’s natural texture, which is especially beneficial for those with curls and waves. Alternatively, it’s also good for those not entirely sure of their hair type because of all the heat damage they have accumulated over the years. 
• Finally, this natural method of drying hair can prevent breakage too. This is because there is no heat concentrated on just one part of the hair, especially around the ends, and also no brush involved – as most people opt to blow-dry their hair while brushing it at the same time.

How to Dry Your Hair Fast: The 7-Step Air-Drying Guide

Now that we’ve seen just how efficient and (healthier) air-drying is, here’s an easy, all-natural hair-drying routine that will get your hair in a style-ready shape in no time!

First of all we recommend you choose a good quality shampoo such as WOW's Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo or Red Onion Black Seed Oil Shampoo.

Condition it

After shampooing your hair, make sure to condition it too, because it will help your hair dry faster. 

We know - moisturizing your hair when you want the complete opposite effect might sound a bit counter-intuitive at first, but you need to trust the process. Conditioning prepares it for all the work it has to withstand outside the shower because it adds a protective layer. 

This layer also repels water, so it will be easier to dry out your hair, even without a blow dryer. 

Squeeze it well

If you do not squeeze your hair well, the drying process will take painfully long, especially without a blow dryer. Therefore, make everything easier for yourself and gently squeeze all that water out. And when you think that you’re just about done, give it one final squeeze, just to make sure. 

Pat it with a Towel

Wrapping it in a towel once you’re out of the shower is the next step – and make sure it’s a microfibre one! 

Start by drying your roots well so there won't be any water going down your freshly patted ends. When you are sure that you've dried your roots as much as possible with the towel, go down towards the ends, but do not rub! 

As we’ve said before, rubbing can immediately lead to frizz and breakage. Take your time while patting and scrunching your hair gently. Finally, you might want to try a microfiber towel instead of your normal one because it absorbs more water and you will be able to dry your hair faster. As a bonus, a microfiber towel is not harsh on the hair.

Plop it

If you have curly or wavy hair, you might want to put your hair scrunched up in a t-shirt for about 10 minutes while you go about your business, saving some time. Even if you do not have this type of hair, you can still wrap it with a towel in a turban style for a few minutes. 

Comb it

Once the fabric has done its job, it’s time to get to work. Use an appropriate brush for wet hair and start combing through it gently. 

You can also try using your fingers. They are not as precise, but they are gentle and offer a bit of shaking off the excess water in your hair. 

Use the Right Products

Thankfully, some products on the market are formulated for this exact, no blow-dryer scenario – quick-dry and air-dry products. 

Hair mousse might also help speed things up, as it contains alcohol, which evaporates immediately, resulting in a fast chemical dry. However, be warned that, based on your hair type, your hair might not react well to it, so be sure to read the fine print before applying it. 

This is also the time to apply your usual hair-care products like oils such as onion oil or serums. Just because you are trying to get your hair to air-dry faster, that doesn’t mean that you have to neglect its routine. And if you would want to detoxify it before washing so that all that build-up gets washed away consider using an apple cider vinegar rinse.

Bask in the Sunrays

And there you are! There is nothing left to do other than to let your hair do what it does best – air dry. 

If possible, look for a place where the sun is shining so that your hair can absorb the warmth. Use nature to dry your hair faster! As an added tip, don’t forget to give your hair a little fluff at the roots or shaking once in a while – surprisingly enough, it really does help!