I have been air drying my hair for years but I'm trying to cut back—here's why

I grew up air drying my hair often. I would even wash my hair and then go straight to bed. I did this so often that I still find washing my hair and then sleeping on it quite comforting, though I try not to do it anymore (more on why, later). I do still air dry my hair though—who has time to heat style with every single wash? Not me, no siree. 

Recently, the discourse surrounding air drying has bubbled to the surface. It’s done so once before in 2021, when this video by Scarlett Rocourt, CEO of Wonder Curl, went TikTok viral for claiming that air drying is bad for your hair. As in, worse than heat styling with a hair dryer.

The truth of the matter is that it’s not so cut-and-dry. The way air-dried hair looks, feels and affects strands all depends on your hair type, texture and level of damage. Ahead, I ask three experts for their takes and dive into the pros, cons and best products to use when it comes to air-drying.

What is air drying?

The act of air drying is fairly self-explanatory. You wash, you step out of the shower, et voilà! Your hair is already air drying. When people talk about air drying hair, what they mean is leaving the hair to finish drying completely, without the help of a blow-dryer or other heat tool (like the fancy ghd Duet Style). People might opt to air dry to save time on styling or because they want to embrace their natural hair texture.

Is air drying good for hair?

This is where things get juicy. We already know that extreme heat styling can damage hair, making it dry and brittle if overused, but this damage is to the outside of the hair strand. The claim is that air drying can cause damage to the inside. 

This happens due to something called hygral fatigue, which is damage to your hair follicles from repeated swelling and unswelling of the hair strand. It’s caused by excessive moisture penetrating the inner part of the hair and can cause frizziness, brittleness or dullness. This sounds scary, but it’s actually not so bad. Hygral fatigue is a symptom of repeated swelling, so unless you’re washing your hair and leaving it to air dry naturally every single day, you should be fine. Anisa Sojka, founder of new haircare brand CELUI, maintains that, “Heat drying is only better when it is done properly.” So don’t crack out the extreme heat tools just yet.

Lucy Palmer, founder of Hair Gain, explains this further: “Those with damaged, colour-treated or high porosity hair (usually finer/straighter hair) can benefit from air drying rather than using a hair dryer, as long as they are not air drying too frequently and on a regular basis (i.e. washing and air-drying daily). If you do air dry, make sure you resist the urge to brush, scrunch or twirl your hair while it’s still wet or drying as wet hair is fragile and easily broken.”

It’s true: wet hair is fragile hair, which is why I no longer go to bed with it wet. When your hair is still soggy, friction can cause breakage. 

Lucy continues, “[Air drying] is not great for afro, curly or very thick, dense hair, as these hair types typically take much longer to dry naturally, which can attract bacteria and create an unhealthy scalp biome. Additionally, the weight of wet hair can cause it to stretch, making it more susceptible to breakage. For anyone with this hair type, I’d suggest blow-drying your hair on a low heat, at a low speed, keeping it at least six inches of distance, in a continuous motion.”

So, while you should be wary of hygral fatigue, air drying isn’t as bad as it's often made out. It saves on styling time, encourages you to appreciate your hair’s natural texture, doesn’t cause damage to the outer part of your hair and is better for the environment if you aren’t switching on a bunch of heat tools. When I spoke to Andrew Plester at Arkive, as well as Chad Maxwell, celebrity hair stylist and rep for Maria Nila, they both gushed about the benefits of air-drying “Air drying hair is great,” were Chad’s exact words.

But I had a question: If air drying is so good, then why does my hair always look so much healthier and shinier after heat-styling? I asked Chad, to which he told me that heat simply irons and seals the cuticle. To get a similar shine when air-drying, try using a gloss in the shower. I personally love the Ouai Hair Gloss.

How to air dry hair

To air-dry properly and safely, you have to begin with the basics: water. “If you live in a hard-water area, I’d be careful with air drying,” warns Lucy. “It would mean prolonged exposure to the elements in the hard water, which can cause hair issues such as dryness, brittleness and dullness.” Fear not! Shower filters are a great option for hard-water dwellers.

Once you’ve sorted your hard water problem, make sure you’re using a scalp treatment to encourage a healthy scalp biome. Just like the skin on your face, your scalp needs a little loving, too. A healthy scalp is the key to healthy hair, and it’ll stop your hair from looking overly limp, greasy or poofy. 

Next, make sure you shampoo and condition with products made for your hair type. “Laying the proper groundwork with the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type will help to retain moisture and reduce frizz as your hair dries naturally,” explains Lucy. 

I also had a chat with Chad about this. “People don’t realise that when it comes to air drying your hair, it’s all about the base. You need to cleanse your hair properly in order to get the best results, because [things like] day-to-day impurities and product build-up can then result in an uneven texture or less volume when you leave your hair to dry. Use a purifying shampoo first to remove everything and give you a clean base, then shampoo and condition according to your personal hair needs. So, if you need hydration, this is where you would use your hydrating shampoo and conditioner.”

If you have curly or coily hair and like to use a curl-defining gel, this is where you should add it. Try the Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel by Adwoa Beauty to ‘freeze’ your curl pattern in place without leaving a crunch or any residue.

Next, Lucy says to, “Lightly squeeze out excess water and detangle your hair gently, starting at the ends and working your way towards the scalp.” Remember that your hair is extra fragile at this point, so be gentle with a wide-tooth comb. The same goes for drying with a towel—do not rub! Gently pat. “Pat your hair with a microfibre towel  or wrap it up in an old t-shirt to absorb moisture, and then apply a leave-in treatment to hydrate and protect,” finishes Lucy.

Best air drying products

1. Act + Acre Showerhead Filter

2. Straand The Miracle Worker Scalp Scrub

3. Maria Nila Purifying Cleanse Shampoo

4. Hair Gain Hair Comb

5. Arkive The Good Calmer Cushioning Moisture Cream

6. CELUI Nourishing Hair Oil