What is air-drying, and is it actually better or healthier for your hair than blow-drying?
Air-drying doesn’t have to be complicated, and there are a handful of ways to do it. First, you can simply work your chosen product through towel-dried hair from root to tip, scrunch it in, and leave it to dry naturally in the air around you.
Second, you can use a diffuser attachment on a hairdryer to take the hair to a halfway-dry stage before letting the environment do the rest. It’s not cheating. According to Jonathan Van Ness, a professional hairstylist and founder of JVN Hair, “it’s all air” – just in different forms. “People used to go to the salon for a shampoo and set [where hair is fixed into a style using setting products then allowed to cool into shape], and using a diffuser is similar,” says Van Ness, just without the intense heat, friction from rollers or chemical setting products.
And it’s good news for those with fragile lengths. Lorraine Dublin, a celebrity hairstylist and educator, says that because air-drying relies on little to no heat, it’s often a healthier option than frequent heat styling, particularly for afro-textured hair. “Regular high heat can gradually lead to dryness, breakage and loss of curl definition, especially on textured hair,” she says.
But all hair types and textures can benefit from less heat. Ryan Wilkes, a London-based hairstylist and educator at Hershesons, Belgravia, says that while air-drying creates a look that feels “undone, effortless and cool”, it’s also a great way to start a healthy hair routine.
Without further ado, here’s how to air-dry every hair type – and the best products for enhancing your natural texture.
Best for fine, straight hair: Hershesons Air Dry Spray with UV Protection and Almost Everything Cream
Best for wavy hair: JVN Air Dry Volumizing Wave Spray
