Summer hair comes with its own anxieties — from frizzy hair to greasy scalps to dreadful shedding. We often end up blaming our shampoos or busy itineraries, but it’s possible that our unhealthy hair situation starts with the basics, like the wrong kind of blowdrying.
We often start our grooming regimens brushing our freshly shampooed and wet hair before blowdrying or styling it, but as your stylist must have told you, hair is at its most fragile state when it’s wet. Ideally, you should not comb your hair until it’s almost fully dry.
This is exactly where naked blowdrying comes to the rescue. Simply put, the process involves drying your hair with the help of your hands and only brushing when you can finally feel your strands drying. You can even leave your mane alone for a few minutes while air-drying, especially if you have a short chop and are aiming for a silky, effortless style.
The point of this innovative method is to let your hair relax and dry so you don’t damage your locks with aggressive strokes, leaving behind a wet, flat mess. Naked blowdrying also reduces frizz and any roughness. Here’s how you can master the naked blowdrying technique at home.
Here's why the naked blow dry is essential for your summer hair
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First, the Basics
Naked blowdrying reduces your drying time because using your hands helps even out the air flow. So you don't have to pull up your hair while your scalp is still annoyingly wet. It's easier if you start drying from your roots.
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Go Low
GHD Air Professional Performance Hairdryer, $199 at Sephora
The point of this method is to give your hair some time to settle so set your dryer to a low setting. You can kick things off with cold air or a diffuser.
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Part Ways
If you have long hair, naked blowdrying will take some time. Start sectioning your strands from the top and dry them thoroughly using your hands to diffuse the flow around your head.
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When It's Done...
When you start feeling at least some dried strands and semi-dried roots, use a brush to create a part, then blowdry to achieve your desired style. Got 10 minutes? Allow your hair to air-dry before using a brush.
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For Perfect Waves
If you want soft, beachy, influencer-worthy waves that don't appear excessively styled, just use some texturizer at the roots after drying. If you have fine hair, you can use a volumizing mist while brushing your dry hair.
Image: Imaxtree