Tips & Tricks #12: Air or Blow Dry?
September 16, 2009
Several readers have commented on the shine in my girls’ hair and asked if I air dry or blow dry their hair. It depends. I do both, although one more than the other…
Air Drying: The vast majority of the time, I air dry my girls’ hair. We wash their hair at night so that it has plenty of time to dry. When drying, it is important to blot the hair with a towel after washing (rather than rubbing the entire head) as it removes excess water without damage to the cuticles or causing split ends. You may also choose to wrap your DD’s hair with the towel and gently press with both hands on all areas of the head. After shampooing, conditioner, and towel blotting, then I use a spray-on leave-in detangler to make it easy to comb through and to promote healthy cuticles and shine. The next morning, with a gentle spritz of the spray bottle, I am ready to do the hairdo!
Blow Drying: It is important to still blot as much water out of the hair before using the hair dryer. (If not, then you will be drying for much longer… and the extended period of heat can damage the hair.) Then have your DD bend over with her hair hanging down and start at the scalp/roots and work your way down, being sure that the dryer is at least six inches from the hair at all times. Blow dry the hair until lightly damp, then proceed to do the hairdo. The small amount of moisture helps quite a bit in doing the do. (If you plan on using any type of curling iron, flat iron, crimper, 3-barrel, etc, you will want to be sure the hair is completely dry first.)
Super Helpful Tip: If you choose to blow dry, be sure to finish off with a cool blast of air as it closes the cuticles and provides a healthy shine.
Honestly, either option is up to you. Every person is different and certain types of hair react differently. Find what works for you and go with it!
Happy Hairdoing!
* Note from Mindy: Don’t forget to follow us on BlogLovin, a new easy-to-use blog reader!
what kind of tangle spray do you use?
What tangle spray do you use? Thanks for the tip because I am always wondering if I am damaging my hair.
its nice to know i hate blow drying my hair
thank you for the tips, i have really, really straight hair, but when i dont air dry my hair it gets my hair frizz
I have been using Curel body lotion on my daughter’s hair and it works better than detangler(for us,at least). It does not leave a scent and it is the same stuff we use on our skin. We also shower and air dry at night. In the morning just spray a little water and no tangles!
i air-dry my hair since it’s curly the heat from a hairdryer ruins the curls and make it frizzy and since i started doing that my hair has not been healthier i highly recommend air drying
Do they sleep on wet/damp hair then?
Did you get onto the amazing race?? Please tell us how y’all did in the entering. I live your styles
I hate the noise hairdryers make, so I wash my hair in the morning, leave it down and it air drys on the 20min walk to school! I just braid the front, to keep it out of my way!