I am the world’s laziest hair dryer. I have no patience for sitting there for so long, my arm gets tired holding the dryer and I am clueless about how to use a brush to create a smooth look.
Luckily, I learned how to blow dry my hair in the fastest way possible. Here are my tips:
Air dry as much as possible
The wetter your hair is, the longer it takes to dry. Letting your hair air dry for just 10 minutes before tackling it with the blowdryer can take out as much as 30 percent of the moisture, making the blow-drying song and dance that much shorter. Plus, this method is healthier for your hair! Blowing out sopping wet tresses causes more damage to the cuticle.
The best way to air dry is to blot your hair with a towel (rubbing causes split ends and damage!). Then, comb it out and shake your head to give it a little volume. If you like the way your hair looks when it is air-dried, you’re all set to go (and I’m jealous of you). If not, spend 10 minutes making coffee or ironing your clothes, then tackle the rest with the dryer.
If you have stubborn cowlicks, tackle those with the dryer first and let the rest dry a little naturally before blowing it all out.
Use the right brush
You probably picked your brush based on the length and type of hair you have, but the material your brush is made out of can make a huge difference in how fast you style your hair.
Pick a round brush that has a ceramic barrel instead of anything plastic. The barrel will heat up with the blow dryer’s air and conduct heat throughout, cutting your overall hot air time. Also, the way the barrel conducts heat acts like a curling iron while blowing, so you might be able to save yourself a step later on.
Rule of thumb for size: the longer your hair, the wider the barrel of your brush should be.
Take advantage of the diffuser
That nozzle-like attachment that comes with your hair dryer is not just to make it look fancy. The way it funnels the air out through a smaller opening makes the air compressed and the gust that much stronger. That means faster drying for you!
Bonus: The diffuser directs the air to reduce frizz and flyaways, and protects hair because it prevents it from getting too close to the heat source.
When I know I won’t have ANY time (or patience) to dry my hair in the morning, I will go to bed with wet hair. When I wake up, it’s dry! No, my bed head is not work-ready – I simply wet down the portions of hair that look bad and blow dry them back to normal, then style the rest of my hair. With my other styling tools, I usually find I don’t need my hair dryer at all the morning after.
To learn more, visit Keranique, on Amazon.
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