Best Products for Air Drying Your Hair

People ask me all the time how I keep my hair so long and my number one secret is… I let it air dry. I know it sounds simple enough, but so many women don’t follow this rule. Instead of blow-drying your hair, then either straightening or curling it, every day (or even every-other day), keep your hair away from the damage of hot tools by letting it air dry. If you are a blow-dry or flat iron fanatic and just absolutely cannot stick to this air drying routine, I suggest letting your hair air dry 90% through and then using hot tools at a minimum. Or you could, you know, just get over your fear of not having perfectly straight, sorority-girl hair and learn to love your own natural texture. Up to you. Kiddddddingggg.

Air drying is how I style my hair usually 5 out of the 7 days of the week – sometimes even all 7 days. My hair is naturally wavy (with no uniform texture, mind you) and I keep it long with a few layers (layers are key to your hair looking halfway decent when you air dry it). I shower, dry my hair with my DevaCurl towel, and then apply one of the products I have on rotation to help with the air drying process. Then I go about my day letting my hair air dry and do it’s magical, natural thing.

If you’re wondering how air drying can work for you, I highly suggest trying one of the products below.

Shu Uemura Wonder Worker Air Dry/Blow Dry Multi-Tasking Primer

I like to stick to just one or two products in my hair at a time, but for those of you who can tolerate more (aka you were blessed with hair that doesn’t get greasy from product buildup), this primer is awesome. Since you don’t need heat to activate it, you can spray it throughout mid-lengths to ends (on wet, towel-dried hair), comb through to spread evenly, and then head out the door to let your hair air dry. The one caveat is that it’s hard to find – a Google search only shows it available on the company’s official website (so stock up on two bottles while you’re at it)!

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day™ 5-in-1 Styling Treatment

While this product was created for a variety of other hair woes, it certainly hits the mark on giving frizz-free texture to any air-dried hairstyle. An added bonus is that it’s free of oils and silicones, which can build up in your hair and weight it down. I like to apply it as part of my air-drying routine, and then benefiting from the 5-in-1 formula when I end up styling my 2nd-day hair with hot tools (only when it’s absolutely necessary) for a special event.

It’s a 10 Potion 10 Miracle Styling Potion

The fact that the word “potion” is in the title makes me want to buy this already, but the benefits it boasts don’t hurt either. The styling product smooths hair and defines your natural texture (it does a great job on curls and waves in particular) as your hair air dries. The lightweight formula can be used daily and is especially great during humid months when hair is more likely to frizz up.

Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow It

Bumble and Bumble, how I love you. I don’t love your prices necessarily, but let’s not focus on that. The hair geniuses at Bumble and Bumble created this product especially for those of us who are air drying fanatics. This first-of-its-kind cream enhances your texture as your hair dries and adds a little bounce to limp locks (obviously it won’t make your hair as voluminous as if you were blow drying, but that’s because there’s no heat). I’ve seen women with curly hair and straight hair alike use this with great results.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Air-Dry Waves Styling Foam

Some women are super picky about their hair products and will only use department- or salon based hair care products. Not this girl. I enjoy mixing it up with drugstore favorites and some splurges. This John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Air-Dry Waves Styling Foam is great for those of us on a budget. This one is a foam formula, which is great for naturally curly girls or those who hate dealing with sticky oils or creams.