In a rush? Here's how to air-dry your hair super quickly

There's an appeal to air-drying your hair—all you need to do is towel off and then let your hair do its thing. But if you're in a rush (and have thick hair), that can take hours to actually happen, leaving you with damp hair on your shoulders for way too long. This leaves hair open to frizz and limpness, which you'll need heat tools to smooth into submission anyway. Don't want to get stuck in that cycle? Here's how to air dry your hair, ASAP.

Don't skip conditioner

If your hair is wet, it is heavier than usual thanks to the water that it has absorbed. Tying this hair up or using a towel can pull the hair from the roots and lead to hair fall and breakage. To begin with, condition your hair well post shampooing. "The conditioner not only closes the cuticles but it also creates a layer and coats your hair to protect them [and repel water] and reduce frizz,” says celebrity hairstylist Priyanka Borkar. The silicone coats each strand and seals it down, which helps to repel water in the process, making the drying faster that much faster. Remember to comb through when conditioning your hair for even application and better results. 

Use cold water

Washing your hair with warm water opens up the hair cuticle, which can be a good step before you condition for better absorption. However, always rinse off your conditioner with cold water to seal the cuticles and have glossier hair. “Rinse your conditioned hair with cold water for at least 30 to 40 seconds to get all the product out. Now remove excess water, and towel-dry your hair 70 to 80 per cent. You can now use products such as leave-in conditioners to detangle and then comb,” says Amir Khan, style director, Jean-Claude Biguine India. 

Get out of the bathroom, stat

You don't want to keep hanging out in your humid bathroom while your hair dries—the dampness will just make your hair more prone to frizz and will take you longer to dry out. Instead, get out to a warm and dry room to make it as quick as possible.

Switch to microfibre towels

Aggressively rubbing your hair back and forth with a towel is only damaging your hair and not making the drying process faster. Instead, first, gently wring your hair to squeeze out as much water as possible. “We are used to thick towels and end up really scrubbing the hair. Instead, use microfibre towels or T-shirts, which are softer and will soak up a lot more water than a regular towel. This speeds up the process without causing frizz or damage,” says Borkar. Khan recommends getting a turban wrap made with a soft absorbent fabric, and use a tapping motion instead of rubbing your hair when using a towel. Don't have one on hand? Using a tissue paper to wring excess water out of your hair will kickstart the process without adding frizz to the mix. 

Spritz your strands with mousse

Pros like to hit the hair with mousse once it gets damp—the alcohol in it helps hair air-dry quicker, while stopping hair from puffing up and getting frizzy while it dries. Then, once you've added hair product, it's time to keep your hands off and resist the urge to touch it. 

Also read:

8 ways to add volume to thin, greasy hair

10 hair products that will save you the trip to the blow-dry bar

Experts reveal the trick to drying hair naturally, minus the frizz