How you dry your curly hair has a big impact on whether you’ll have a good, great or bad hair day. But like most things curly, the rules are pretty straight-forward and less is more. Here’s how to dry your curls with care.
1. Air dry your curls
If you’ve got the time, letting your hair air dry is your top option. This keeps curls away from a blow dryer’s high heat and allows their natural shape to emerge. Just make sure to apply an alcohol-free gel to hair when you get out of the shower and then don’t touch your strands until they’re completely dry. If your hair is dripping wet, toss a microfiber towel over your shoulders or wear a robe to absorb any water.
2. Hop under a hooded dryer
Hooded dryers are fabulous because they dry hair without creating frizz and do it quickly. Plus, since your hands are free, you can read, surf the web or whatever all while making your hair gorgeous. The hooded dryer I got at Amazon.com for around $50 is a table-top version, but you can also find a few styles on wheels either online or at beauty supply stores.
3. Diffuse correctly
Traditional diffusers have always claimed to help curly hair, but they always leave my hair looking more poodle-like than human. Instead, try a diffuser made for curly hair like the hand-shaped DevaFuser. Its unique design allows for 360 degree diffused air flow. I’m not exactly clear how that makes my curls look so soft and beautifully shaped, but it does!
4. Remember the drying don’ts
Don’t apply the heat of a traditional dryer directly to hair. It’s too hot and harsh for curly hair, which is naturally fragile, and can cause breakage as well as frizz. Don’t use a terry cloth towel on hair because its nubby surface causes fly-aways and frizz and never wrap your hair turban style as this stretches your curls and disturbs their natural shape.
How do you dry your curls?
