When it comes to things we’d rather be doing than drying our hair, the list is vast and long. To help ease the monotony, we’re sharing eight smart tricks that will speed up your drying time—dare we say even cut it in half. These hacks are simple and incredibly effective, leaving you more time with your bed and less time with the hair dryer. Keep scrolling to see them all!
1. Condition and comb through
Here’s something you didn’t know: Conditioner not only smoothes your strands but can help them dry faster, too. The silicones coat each strand and seal it down, repelling water in the process. Here’s a beauty editor tip: Keep a wide-toothed combinside your shower, and always, always comb through when applying conditioner to ensure an even application. Trust us—you’ll see the difference.
2. Ditch your towel
News flash: Your towel isn’t doing your hair any favors, especially in the drying department. That excessive back-and-forth rubbing is only roughing up your hair cuticle, so skip it in favor of squeezing with a soft microfiber towel instead; the softer texture soaks up twice as much water without frizzing up your strands. You can wrap it up, turban style, or simply squeeze gently and allow to air dry, depending on your hair texture.
3. Do everything else first
Ask any hairstylist to share her best tip for helping your hair dry faster, and she’ll say one thing: Allow your strands to dry as much as possible before taking a brush and blow-dryer to it. Depending on your hair texture, you can gently wring it dry after your shower and allow it to air-dry and as you carry on with your skincare and makeup—then, you can start blow-drying. If your hair is frizz-prone, you’ll want to keep it wrapped up in a microfiber towel up until right before you’re ready to tackle the drying process.
4. Be picky with products
Clearly, the task of drying your hair is a plight many women would like to shorten—and thankfully, there are a lot of products on the market nowadays that can make that happen. Heat-conducting polymers in the products help wick moisture away from your hair, which leads to a shorter blow-dry; you can try Redken’s Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer ($22) or BlowPro’s Ready Set Blow Express Blow Dry Lotion ($21), both of which guard your hair from heatand reduce drying time. If you’re in a pinch, running a traditional mousse, like Tresemmé’s 24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse ($6), through damp strands before drying can speed up your process and give you added texture, especially if air-drying.
5. Turn down the heat
When you’re trying to get out the door ASAP, you might be tempted to turn your trusty blow-dryer to the highest heat setting. Doing this runs the risk of fried hair, so always apply a heat protectant beforehand. And opt for an ionic hair dryer so you can feel free to turn down the heat. The negative ions add shine by reducing static electricity and breaking down molecules, which leads to a quicker blow-dry.
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