How to Air Dry Your Hair Straight

Co-authored by Noël Reid-Killings and Amy Bobinger

Last Updated: February 25, 2024 References

Air-drying your hair is a great way to take a break from damaging hot tools, but it can sometimes be hard to get it sleek and straight. Luckily, there are a few tricks you can use to air-dry your hair straight. If your hair is straight or slightly wavy, try brushing it every 5 minutes while it dries. If your hair is curlier, wrap it tightly around jumbo-sized rollers to smooth it out, or pin it around your head for straight hair with plenty of volume.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Air-Drying Straight or Wavy Hair

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1
Wash your hair as normal. Shampoo your hair and rinse away the suds, then generously apply conditioner from about mid-way down your hair all the way to the ends. Rinse out the conditioner thoroughly with cool water to help seal the cuticle, which will make your hair look shiny and smooth.^{[1]
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- If your hair is thick or frizzy, consider cutting back to only washing it 1-2 times a week, and use a deep conditioner about once a week. That can help your strands look smoother when they're air-dried.
Tip: Use a lightweight shampoo if you have fine, limp, hair or opt for a moisturizing shampoo if you have frizzy hair.
2
Detangle your hair with a wide-tooth comb while you’re in the shower. When your hair is wet, it’s fragile and more prone to breakage. The best time to detangle it is while it’s still slick and wet, right after you condition it. Before you get out of the shower, comb out any tangles, then smooth your hair into the style you want it to have.^{[2]
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3
Blot your hair dry with a soft towel. Once you’ve combed your hair, get out of the shower and gently towel-dry your hair. Squeeze your hair from the roots to the tips, but don’t rub vigorously, as the friction can damage your hair. Continue blotting until your hair is just damp.^{[3]
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- Microfiber towels or old T-shirts are great for gently drying your hair.
4
Work cream or straightening balm into your hair if it’s naturally wavy. To tame your natural waves, coat your hair evenly with a leave-in styling product like cream, spray, straightening balm, or hair oil. This will help your hair stay straighter as it dries, and it will make your hair look smoother and shinier when you’re finished.^{[4]
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- There are a lot of factors that affect how well a product will work on your hair, like the texture and thickness of your hair, your natural wave pattern, and your scalp chemistry. Keep in mind that it can sometimes take a little trial and error to find the perfect product.
- Some products are designed to be used with heat tools like a straightener or hair dryer.
5
Comb your hair into the shape you want it to dry.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 25 November 2020.} Part your hair in the center or on the side depending on the style you want your hair to dry in. Make sure to comb your bangs toward or away from your face to add a different style.
6
Place clips in your hair at the roots if you want more volume.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 25 November 2020.} By lifting your hair with clips, your roots will dry slightly lifted. This is a great way to get more volume around your face or at your crown, where hair tends to look slightly limp sometimes. Try using a plastic duckbill clip for the smoothest result.^{[7]
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- If you’re worried about having creases in your hair, put a small square of tissue between your hair and the clip.
- You can also clip your hair behind your ears for a sleek look.
7
Smooth your hair with a sleek brush every 5 minutes if you have one.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 25 November 2020.} If you have one, brush your hair out as straight as you possibly can every 5 minutes or so. Brush it as straight as possible. Continue doing this until your hair is completely dry.^{[9]
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- You can also use a wide-tooth comb if you prefer.
8
Spray hairspray onto a brush and smooth down flyaways. Once your hair is dry, spritz a little hairspray on your brush bristles. Then, brush your hair around your face and at the top of your head to help tame any stray pieces of hair that lifted while your hair was drying.^{[10]
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- Don’t forget to wash your hairbrush to remove any hairspray residue!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Straightening Curly Hair with Rollers

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1
Wash, condition, and detangle your hair in the shower. Shampoo your hair as you normally would, then condition it from the roots to the ends. Be sure to fully saturate the ends of your hair with conditioner, since they tend to get the driest. Detangle your hair with a wide-tooth comb while your conditioner is soaking in, then rinse your hair thoroughly.^{[11]
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- Combing your hair while you have the conditioner in will help minimize breakage.
2
Blot your hair gently with a microfiber towel to remove excess water. Using a soft towel, gently squeeze and blot your hair, but try not to rub it vigorously, as this can be damaging. Continue towel-drying your hair until it’s damp, rather than soaking wet.^{[12]
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Did You Know? Regular towels can be rough on your hair, causing breakage over time.
3
Work a styling product into your hair. Look for a smoothing or straightening product that doesn’t need to be heat activated. If your curls are loose, you might only need a lightweight mousse or cream product, but if you have tight curls, a heavier product like a gel might give you more control over the finished product.
4
Divide your hair into sections. You’ll need 1 section for each roller. The amount of sections you’ll need depends on the thickness of your hair and the size of the rollers, but you’ll probably need at least 6 rollers—3 on each side.^{[13]
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- If your hair is tightly coiled or very thick, you may need 8 or more sections.
5
Wrap each section tightly onto a jumbo plastic roller. Place the roller under the ends of one of your sections of hair, then roll the hair tightly onto the roller. Roll all the way up to your scalp, then use clips or pins to secure the roller.^{[14]
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- Jumbo rollers are typically 1 ¹⁄₂–2 in (3.8–5.1 cm) in diameter, and you can find them wherever hair supplies are sold.
- Your hair has to be tight on the rollers in order to straighten out your curls.
- The angle you roll at controls how much volume your hair has. Lift your hair higher before rolling if you want to have more volume.
6
Leave the rollers in for 2-3 hours or overnight. Allow your hair to dry completely on the rollers. This might take as little as 2-3 hours, but if your hair is very thick, it could take longer.^{[15]
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- If you’re not sure how long it will take for your hair to dry, you might want to plan to sleep with the rollers in place. You may also dampen hair with a spray bottle instead of washing it if you want to rollers to set faster.
7
Remove the rollers and use your fingers to style your hair. Once your hair is dry, take the rollers out. Smooth your hair with your fingers, and use hairspray or a lightweight oil to tame any frizzy flyaways.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Wrapping Wavy or Curly Hair to Dry

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1
Wash and condition your hair. Cleanse your hair with your normal shampoo and rinse it thoroughly, then saturate your hair with conditioner. While you have the conditioner in your hair, detangle it with a wide-tooth comb. Once you’ve combed it out, rinse away the conditioner with cool water. ^{[16]
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- The cool water will help seal your hair’s cuticles, making it look shiny.
2
Blot your hair with a microfiber towel. Once you get out of the shower, use a soft microfiber towel or an old T-shirt to gently squeeze away excess moisture. Continue squeezing and blotting your hair until it’s just damp, not soaking wet.^{[17]
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- Do not rub your hair too vigorously, as this can lead to breakage.
3
Wrap a section of your hair around your head and pin it in place.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 25 November 2020.} Starting at the front of your head, take a small section of your hair and wrap it around your head just above your ears. When you get to the end of the strand, use a bobby pin to secure the section in place.^{[19]
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4
Continue wrapping your hair all the way around your head.^{[20]
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Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 25 November 2020.} Once the first section is pinned, take the next section from the same side and wrap it around your head as well. Pin it place, then continue for each section all the way to the back of your head. Then, start again at the front on the opposite side of your head and wrap the rest of your hair in sections.^{[21]
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- By wrapping your hair, it will dry with a gentle curve, but it should look smooth and straight once you take it down.
- Make sure you’re wrapping your hair all in the same direction.
5
Leave your hair to dry overnight, then style it with your fingers. It can take several hours for your hair to air-dry, especially when it’s wrapped tightly in this way. This is a great method for straightening your hair while you sleep if you like to wash your hair overnight. Once your hair is dry, remove the pins that hold the sections in place, then use your fingers to smooth out your hair and enjoy your straight style!^{[22]
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Tip: If you need to go out before your hair is dry, you can easily cover this hairstyle with a headscarf! You can also wear a scarf while you’re sleeping.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How often should I wash my hair?

Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist
Noël Reid-Killings is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Noël New York Salon & Boutique. With over a decade of experience, Noël specializes in curating and customizing hair solutions for all hair types and textures. She has worked with countless A-list celebrities including Alicia Keys, Ciara, Yara Shahidi, and Simone Missick. Her work has been featured on makeover shows and in magazines including Essence, Sophisticates Black Hair, Teen Vogue, Elle, 21Ninety, WWD, POPSUGAR, Allure, The Cut, The Huffington Post, and Swaay.

Noël Reid-Killings

Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

In general, it's best to wash your hair every 2-3 days to remove oil and build-up.

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Question

Does not washing your hair make it healthier?

Noël Reid-Killings
Celebrity Hair Stylist
Noël Reid-Killings is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Noël New York Salon & Boutique. With over a decade of experience, Noël specializes in curating and customizing hair solutions for all hair types and textures. She has worked with countless A-list celebrities including Alicia Keys, Ciara, Yara Shahidi, and Simone Missick. Her work has been featured on makeover shows and in magazines including Essence, Sophisticates Black Hair, Teen Vogue, Elle, 21Ninety, WWD, POPSUGAR, Allure, The Cut, The Huffington Post, and Swaay.

Noël Reid-Killings

Celebrity Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Up to a point, yes. Washing your hair every day can cause your scalp to produce too much oil, so I recommend washing your hair only every 2-3 days.

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Question

I moved to a humid place and now I have wavy hair. It is pretty straight when it's wet, but as it dries, it becomes wavy. Is there any way to help prevent this aside from chemical relaxers?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Rollers are particularly effective for straightening waves. You should also try using a straightening cream to style your hair, it will help repel the humidity.

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