HOW TO DRY YOUR HAIR

The Real Guide to Drying Your Hair (Without Destroying It)

I'll be honest: I used to blast my hair with the hottest setting on my blow dryer every single morning, holding it maybe two inches from my scalp because I was always running late. My hair looked great for about three hours, then turned into a frizzy, staticky mess by lunch. It wasn't until my colorist asked if I'd been "using a lot of heat" (translation: your hair looks fried) that I realized I was doing everything wrong.

That comment sent me spiraling into the world of proper hair drying techniques. I've since tested countless methods, wasted money on products that didn't work, and finally figured out what actually makes a difference. Here's everything I wish someone had told me years ago.

The Biggest Hair Drying Mistakes (I Made Them All)

Before we get into what works, let's talk about what doesn't - because chances are, you're doing at least one of these:

Rubbing your hair dry with a regular bath towel. Those fluffy cotton towels? They're creating friction that roughs up your hair cuticle. I switched to a microfiber towel last year and the difference in frizz was noticeable within a week. If you don't want to buy anything new, an old soft t shirt works just as well.

Starting on high heat immediately. I get it: you're in a hurry. But blasting wet hair with maximum heat is like trying to cook a steak on high and wondering why it's burnt outside and raw inside. Start on medium or low, especially when your hair is soaking wet.

Skipping heat protectant (or applying it wrong). For years I'd spray heat protectant on half dry hair, thinking it still counted. It doesn't. Heat protectant needs to go on damp hair before any heat touches it, otherwise you're just spraying product on already damaged hair.

Blow drying until bone dry. Your hair should still feel slightly damp to the touch when you stop. It'll finish drying naturally, and you'll avoid that crispy, over processed texture.

What's Your Hair Type, Really?

Here's the thing about hair type - most of us get it wrong. I thought I had straight hair for 25 years until I stopped brushing it wet and realized I actually have waves. Your hair type affects everything about how you should dry it.

If you have straight hair: Your main enemy is flatness and oil buildup. Your hair probably dries fast (lucky you), but it also shows damage easily because there's no curl pattern to hide split ends. Focus on root volume and don't over wash: I know it gets oily fast, but washing daily strips your scalp and makes it produce even more oil.

If you have wavy hair: You're in this weird middle zone where your hair can look amazing or like you stuck your finger in an electrical socket, with nothing in between. The key is encouraging your wave pattern, not fighting it. I spent years straightening my waves away until I learned to work with them.

If you have curly hair: You already know your hair is high maintenance. It gets dry, it shrinks, it frizzes if you look at it wrong. The good news? Once you nail your routine, curly hair can go days between washes and still look great.

If you have coily/kinky hair: Shrinkage is real, moisture is everything, and heat should be used sparingly. Your hair is the most fragile when it comes to heat damage, so protective styling is your friend.

Air Drying: The Method Everyone Gets Wrong

Air drying seems foolproof: just let your hair dry naturally, right? Wrong. I used to let my hair air dry while it was soaking wet, and it would take literally four hours and look stringy and sad.

Here's how to actually air dry properly:

After washing, don't just let water drip everywhere. Gently squeeze (don't wring!) excess water out in sections. Then take your microfiber towel or t shirt and scrunch your hair upward in sections, pressing to absorb water. This is called "scrunching out the water" and it cuts drying time in half.

Apply your products now: not later. I use a leave in conditioner on my mid lengths and ends (not roots unless you want to look greasy). For my waves, I add a light curl cream. The key is to apply products when your hair is still quite wet, so they distribute evenly.

Here's the part that changed my life: don't touch your hair while it dries. I know it's tempting to scrunch it, play with it, check if it's dry yet - but every time you touch it, you're creating frizz and disrupting the curl pattern. Let it be.

If you have straight hair and want it to look sleek when air dried, comb it through with a wide tooth comb while it's still damp, then leave it alone. If you have texture and want to enhance it, use your fingers to shape your curls or waves, then step away.

The real question everyone asks: Can you sleep with wet hair? Technically yes, but you'll wake up with a weird flat spot and possibly some funky smelling hair (that damp smell means bacteria is having a party on your scalp). If you must, sleep with it in a loose braid or bun on top of your head, on a silk pillowcase.

Blow Drying: The Fast Method That Requires Technique

I've blown out my hair thousands of times, and I still sometimes mess it up. Here's what actually works:

Prep is everything. Start with towel dried hair that's damp but not dripping. Apply heat protectant: I've tried expensive ones and drugstore ones, and honestly, the TRESemmé Thermal Creations spray (around $5) works just as well as the $30 bottles. Spray it all over, focusing on your ends which are the oldest and most vulnerable parts of your hair.

Technique matters more than your dryer. Yes, I'll talk about the Dyson in a minute, but first, technique. Section your hair into four parts: two in front of your ears, two behind. Clip up three sections and work on one at a time. This was the game changer for me because I used to just randomly blow dry wherever, which meant some parts got over dried while others stayed damp.

The actual drying process:

Start with the bottom layers first. Hold your dryer 6 to 8 inches away (I measured this once because "6 inches" means nothing when you're holding a dryer). Use medium heat, not high. Direct the air down the hair shaft, from roots to ends: this smooths the cuticle and reduces frizz. Going against this direction roughs it up.

If you want volume at the roots, flip your head upside down and dry the bottom layers while your head is inverted. I do this for just 2 to 3 minutes and it makes a huge difference.

When your hair is about 80% dry, switch to the cool setting. This isn't just for "setting" your style: cool air actually seals the cuticle and adds shine. I used to skip this step thinking it was optional. It's not.

Round brush technique for volume: If you want that salon blowout look, you need a round brush. Take 2 inch sections, place the brush under the section at the roots, and apply tension while directing heat at the brush. Roll the brush through to the ends, then roll it back up to the roots and hold for a few seconds with cool air. This sounds complicated but after doing it three times, it becomes muscle memory.

The Dyson Supersonic vs. Regular Dryers: My Real Opinion:

I saved for months to buy a Dyson Supersonic ($430), and I've also used a $30 Revlon dryer. Here's the truth: the Dyson is genuinely faster and my hair feels smoother afterward. The intelligent heat control means I'm not accidentally frying sections. BUT: and this is important: if you only blow dry once a week, save your money. The Dyson makes sense if you're doing this daily and have thick, long hair. For most people, a solid $50 to 80 dryer with multiple heat settings and a cool shot button works perfectly fine.

The Revlon One Step Volumizer (around $35) is actually brilliant for medium length hair if you're not trying to achieve a super sleek look. It's essentially a round brush and dryer in one. I use it when I'm lazy and want decent results in 10 minutes.

Plopping: The Weird Looking Technique That Actually Works

If you have any texture in your hair (waves, curls, coils), plopping will change your life. It looks ridiculous: you basically wrap your hair on top of your head in a t shirt: but it enhances your curl pattern and reduces frizz significantly.

How I do it:

After washing, I apply my curl products (I use a combination of leave in conditioner and a light gel). Then I lay a t shirt or microfiber towel flat on my bathroom counter, flip my head over so my hair falls onto the center of the shirt, then wrap the shirt around my head and secure it. The first time I did this I felt absurd, but the results were undeniable.

Leave it for 20 to 30 minutes. I usually do this while doing my makeup or making breakfast. When you unwrap it, your curls will be more defined and less frizzy. You can either let it finish air drying or use a diffuser.

Pro tip I learned the hard way: Don't plop for too long. I once left it for 2 hours thinking "more time = better results." Wrong. My roots dried flat and weird. 30 minutes max.

Diffusing: For When You Want Your Curls But Faster

A diffuser is that weird attachment that looks like a bowl with fingers. It disperses the air so you're not blasting your curls into frizz.

I resisted diffusing for years because it seemed complicated. Then I watched one YouTube tutorial and realized I'd been overthinking it. Here's the simple version:

Apply your curl products to damp hair. Take your blow dryer with the diffuser attachment on low heat and low speed: this is crucial. High speed = frizz city. "Cup" a section of your curls in the diffuser bowl and hold it there for 30 to 60 seconds. Don't move the diffuser around a lot. Just cup, hold, release, move to next section.

I diffuse until my hair is about 70% dry, then let it finish air drying. This cuts my drying time from 3 hours to about 45 minutes.

Common diffusing mistakes:

• Using high heat (you'll fry your curls)

• Moving the diffuser around too much (creates frizz)

• Touching your hair immediately after (let it cool first, then scrunch out any gel cast)

Products That Actually Made a Difference (And Ones That Didn't)

I've wasted so much money on hair products. Here's what's actually worth it:

Heat protectants that work:

• TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer ($5): cheap and effective

• CHI 44 Iron Guard ($15): better for high heat styling with flat irons

• Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Heat Styling Spray ($29): worth it if you style daily

I've tried $40 heat protectants that didn't work any better than the TRESemmé. Save your money here unless you're using serious heat daily.

For humidity and frizz: Living Proof No Frizz Humidity Shield ($29) is the only thing that's ever actually worked for me in humid weather. I'm in Florida, so I've tested this extensively. Most anti frizz products just make my hair feel heavy and greasy. This one actually creates a barrier.

Curl products I actually use:

• Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Cream ($8): great for waves and loose curls

• Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel ($3): cheap, gives excellent hold without crunch

• Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother ($30): expensive but makes my hair noticeably softer and more manageable

What didn't work for me:

• Expensive volumizing mousses (they all did basically the same thing as cheap ones)

• Most "smoothing" serums (made my hair greasy)

• Fancy blow dry creams (leave in conditioner does the same thing)

Environmental Factors Nobody Talks About

Humidity is real. I grew up in a dry climate and thought people were exaggerating about humidity. Then I moved somewhere humid and understood. Your hair absorbs moisture from the air, which causes the cuticle to swell and create frizz. Anti humidity products help, but also: sometimes you just need to embrace a different hairstyle on humid days. Fighting your hair's natural response to the environment is exhausting.

Hard water will ruin your hair. I couldn't figure out why my hair suddenly felt like straw after moving apartments, even though I was using the same products. Turns out my new place had hard water, which leaves mineral deposits that build up on your hair. A clarifying shampoo once a week (I use Malibu C Hard Water Wellness) solved this completely.

Sun damage is real. Your hair gets sun damage just like your skin. I never thought about this until I noticed my hair was getting lighter and dryer at the ends. Now I use a UV protection spray when I know I'll be outside for hours. Sun Bum makes one for $15 that doesn't make my hair feel sticky.

The Routine I Actually Follow

For my wavy hair, here's my realistic routine:

Wash day (twice a week):

• Shampoo, condition, apply leave in conditioner and curl cream while hair is soaking wet

• Scrunch out excess water with t shirt

• Plop for 20 minutes while doing other things

• Either diffuse for 15 minutes then air dry, or just air dry completely (depending on time)

• Don't touch until 100% dry

• Scrunch out any product crunchiness

Non wash days:

• Refresh with water in a spray bottle

• Add tiny amount of curl cream to any frizzy pieces

• Sometimes diffuse for 5 minutes if I need volume

When I want it straight (once every couple weeks):

• Blow dry fully with round brush

• Run flat iron through on medium heat (never high)

• Use shine serum on ends only

The Real Talk: Your Hair Won't Look Perfect Every Day

Here's what nobody tells you in hair tutorials: some days your hair just won't cooperate, and that's fine. I've followed my exact routine and had wildly different results depending on how humid it is, what products I used on my previous wash day, or apparently the alignment of the planets.

Give yourself permission to have bad hair days. I keep dry shampoo, hair ties, and clips for the days when my hair decides to rebel. A messy bun is not a failure: it's a valid hairstyle.

The goal isn't perfection. It's healthy hair that you feel good about most of the time, achieved without spending 90 minutes styling it every single day. Find what works for your hair type, your lifestyle, and your skill level.

And remember: literally nobody is examining your hair as closely as you are. That piece that's annoying you? No one else notices it.

Quick Troubleshooting Guide

My hair looks greasy even though I just washed it:

• You're probably using too much product or applying it too close to your roots

• Try applying products from mid-length down only

• Your water might be too soft (weirdly, this is a thing)

My hair is frizzy no matter what I do:

• You might need more moisture (deep condition weekly)

• You're probably touching it too much while it dries

• Check if you have hard water

• Your products might have drying alcohols

My blowout falls flat after an hour:

• You're not fully drying it (needs to be 100% dry)

• You're skipping the cool shot

• Your hair might be too clean (day-old hair holds styles better)

• Try a volumizing powder at the roots

Air-drying takes forever:

• Squeeze out more water before you start

• Your hair might need a trim (damaged ends hold more water)

• Try plopping or diffusing for just 10 minutes first

My curls look stringy:

• You need more product or water

• Try scrunching while applying products

• Don't comb through your hair after applying products

• You might be separating your curls too much

Final Thoughts

The best hair drying method is the one you'll actually do consistently. I spent years trying to achieve Instagram-perfect hair every single day, and I was miserable. Now I focus on keeping my hair healthy and working with its natural texture most of the time, with occasional styled looks when I feel like putting in the effort.

Your hair is unique. What works for me might not work for you, and that's okay. Use this as a starting point, experiment, and pay attention to how your hair responds. Take photos so you can track what actually makes a difference versus what just feels like it should work.

And please, stop using maximum heat on soaking wet hair. That's the one thing everyone needs to stop doing immediately.

Got questions about your specific hair situation? Drop them in the comments - I love talking about this stuff and I'll share what's worked for me.