How to Dry Your Hair Fast – Everything You Need to Know

Wring Out Excess Water in Shower

So, how does your shower normally go? You wet your hair, apply the shampoo, maybe put in some conditioner, rub the towel, and step out. Right? Well, if this is your routine, you’ve been skipping one of the simplest steps that can make drying your hair a breeze – wringing out excess water.

Sounds simple? It is. All you need to do is squeeze out excess water from your hair right in the shower. You do it to your clothes when you get caught in the rain. Why not to your hair after a wash? Just make sure you don’t twist while wringing your hair. If you have extra-thick or extra-curly hair, we suggest sectioning them before wringing each section individually.

You don’t really need us to tell you how this little action will help your hair dry faster, but we’ll do it just to be sure. When you wring your hair in the shower, you’re essentially taking away all the water that is trapped in your hair after they’ve absorbed all that they can. This makes the job of drying your hair much easier for your towel and your hair dryer.

Shake Off Excess Moisture

Shaking off excess moisture can speed up the process too since you’ll be using gravity to help you along. You don’t even need to shake your hair too strongly. All you need to do is flip your head over and gently rub your fingers through the roots of your hair.

This will help the water in the scalp and root of your hair to move down the hair shaft, helped along by gravity. You can even help it along by moving your fingers through your hair from the roots to the tips.

Get Out of The Humid Environment

This is another incredibly simple change that can make a huge difference in how quickly your hair dries. The rain analogy applies here too. You wouldn’t try to pat yourself dry in the rain. You’ll get indoors first, right? So, why are you trying to dry your hair in a humid environment?

The difference between rain and steam or even plain humidity is just the difference in the quantity of water in the air. Your hairs absorb moisture when in a humid environment and if you need proof of this you have personal experience in the way they get frizzy when it rains.

If you only step outside of your bathroom to dry your hair, it will make a huge difference in the amount of time you take.

Separate Your Hair into Sections

Sectioning your hair is a great idea. Period. It doesn’t matter what you want to do with your hair. By sectioning them, you’ll make everything easier regardless of whether it is drying or creating an elaborate hairstyle. It may seem like you’re spending extra time sectioning your hair, but you’ll more than make up for it in how quickly your hair will dry.

How many sections you make will depend on the type of hair you have. For drying, four sections will be enough for most people. However, if you have very thick, coarse, or curly hair, then you may want to create multiple smaller sections.

Start by Drying Hair Roots First

The tips of your hair are the easiest to dry and the shafts easier than the roots simply because they don’t get enough air circulation. This is why they take the longest to dry.

Therefore, you have to pay special attention to the roots. Focus on the roots and scalp when toweling your hair. Focus on them even when you’re using your hairdryer.

However, while you need to give your roots more time with the towel and the hairdryer, you can’t err on the side of excess.

When toweling, you need to be gentle because rough treatment will damage your follicles. Similarly, when using a hair dryer, you need to prevent yourself from focusing on one area because heat will damage the follicles. We’ll delve into this in our hair dryer section below.

Use the Professional Rough-Drying Trick

You may have seen hairstylists employ this trick in the salon but not realized its importance. You would have definitely seen movie scenes with this trick and figured that they’re only there for style.

We’re talking about an actual trick that professionals swear by. It is called rough-drying. While rough-drying your hair, you’re tousling your hair roughly with one hand and pointing the hair dryer with the other.

Rough-drying has one purpose – to dry the roots as quickly as possible. You can get back to using the brush and hairdryer combination after you’ve achieved 50% dryness.

Always Do Under Layers First

Imagine this. You’ve dried the outside layers first and are now focusing on the under layers. What happens? You realize that your outer layers aren’t dry enough and either end up drying them again or letting it go because you don’t have enough time.

This happens because the outer layers absorb water from the lower layers after you’ve dried them. To avoid this, dry the under layers before the outer layers. This should quicken things up for you.

Get A Different Towel

Change your towel. If you’re like 90% of the women out there, you’ve been using a cotton towel. Cotton is good for absorbing a lot of water but is also quite accomplished at catching and tugging your hair free of your scalp.

Do you know which material doesn’t pull hair out and is a better absorbent than even cotton? Microfiber. Simply by switching to microfiber towels, you can save tons of time. Microfiber towels are perfect for not only drying your hair fast but also protecting them from harm.

They have other benefits too. They dry much faster than traditional cotton towels. Further, they’re even travel-friendly because once folded properly, they’re incredibly compact and lightweight.

Consider Using Blotting Paper

If you can’t get a microfiber towel, there’s a quick, affordable, and simple alternative – blotting paper or paper towels. These are easy to get and are even more effective at absorbing water than microfiber towels.

Further, they’re affordable to use too since you can dry and reuse them a few times. Also, they’ll force you not to rub your hair and instead blot the excess water. This way your hair won’t get damaged either.

Learn How to Tie A Turban

You can save time in your morning routine by performing other tasks before drying your hair. While you perform those tasks, you can wrap your hair in a turban with your towel. Making a turban wrap with your towel is very easy.

1. Flip your head so that your hair is hanging over the floor.
2. Horizontally arrange the towel at the nape of your neck.
3. Wrap your hair with the two ends of the towel.
4. Start twisting the two ends together with the hair inside.
5. Once the twist reaches your forehead, stop and stand back up.
6. Put the twisted towel on top of your head.
7. You can tuck in the hanging end at the back of your head or clip it in place.
8. If the towel gets too heavy, don’t forget to replace it with a new one.

The towel turban will be absorbing water in your hair while you do other things like dressing up and makeup. Its power to absorb will be greatest if you’re using microfiber towels.

Start Plopping Your Hair

Plopping does the same things that the towel turban does. However, it is meant for women with extra-curly hair because it keeps the curls intact while drying them. Plopping is even similar to wrapping a turban when it comes to the technique. The difference is that it is horizontal while the turban is vertical.

1. Lay a T-shirt or towel on the bed with the neck and sleeves facing away from you.
2. Flip your hair onto the T-shirt.
3. Take the bottom edge of the T-shirt and pull it to the back of your neck.
4. Take the top half of the T-shirt and lift it to the back of the neck where you’re holding the bottom edges of the T-shirt.
5. Use the sleeves to tie down the turban. If they’re short, tie them to the front and if they’re long, pull them around your head once and tie them at the back.

The entire thing will seem wobbly to you, but it tends to stay put if you don’t apply undue pressure on it. You can plop your hair as long as you want too. You can even sleep with it if you like to shower in the night.

Invest in Some Hair Caps

If you don’t want to go deep into the wrapping routine, whether vertical or horizontal, you can always get some towel hair caps. Hair caps are usually made up of absorbent material and worn on the head after a wash.

Hair caps are useful for many reasons.

1. They’re super absorbent.
2. They’re more stable than wrapped towels and don’t come undone with a sneeze.
3. They’re compact and stick close to the head.
4. You can wear a shower cap over them and continue showering without any worry.

There are various types of hair caps that you can get, but we’re particularly partial to this one – AuroTrends®Microfiber Hair Turban Wrap – for the following reasons.

1. It is made of super absorbent microfiber material
2. It is very easy to use
3. It is amazingly soft and fluffy
4. It dries up very quickly after use
5. We can choose from multiple color options
6. It can be used for plopping too

Use a Wide-Toothed Comb on Wet Hair

Most women use brushes to dry their hair after a good wash. Unfortunately, this is a mistake because they neither help dry hair fast nor keep them safe. Wet hair is particularly brittle and most brushes end up damaging them in that state

A better alternative is a wide-toothed comb. Wide-toothed combs do two things. While going through the hair, they create gaps which allow the air to dry the hair faster. Further, because their teeth are spaced apart, they rarely ever pull and damage hair

When it comes to wide-toothed combs, we suggest that you go for one with wavy teeth because they’re even better at drying hair faster than straight, wide-toothed combs. The Wetbrush Detangling Comb is a very interesting option to consider. We like it because:

1. It doesn’t pull hair at all
2. It works on all types of hair, regardless of their length
3. It can be used to spread oil and conditioner from roots to tip
4. Its build quality is very good
5. There are four color options to choose from
6. We can use it while we’re in the shower!

Get A Microfiber Brush

A microfiber brush is a hybrid of a good comb/brush and a good microfiber towel. In simple terms, it is a brush with bristles that are made of microfibers. These types of brushes are excellent at grabbing and removing water deep in the roots, closest to the scalp.

As a result, they have the potential to shave a few minutes off your hair drying routine. While there aren’t many microfiber brushes out there, the Goody QuickStyle Paddle Brush does what it is supposed to do well. Here’s why.

1. It has super-absorbent microfiber bristles
2. It is particularly useful for thick-haired people
3. It dries off very quickly
4. It doesn’t get the moldy towel smell
5. It boasts of an ergonomically designed handle
6. It has an excellent sturdy construction

Consider A Detangling or Wet Brush

Detangling brushes are mainly used for removing knots, tangles, and kinks in the hair, but they’re also capable of removing excess water from the hair. Further, they keep hair from clustering together and this allows air to reach the roots.

They work so well because their bristles bend and flex as you brush your hair with them. Therefore, they never force the hair apart and instead cajole them free by gently gliding through the most difficult parts.

The Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush is a good option if you’re interested in a detangling, wet brush. Here’s why.

1. It is effective at what it does
2. It is gentle enough to be used on kids
3. It is available in two colors
4. It can be used on dry hair too
5. It has a massaging action that is a relief at the end of a trying day

Make Sure Your Hair Dryer Has Enough Power

It’s quite simple. If your hair dryer doesn’t have enough power, then your hair won’t dry fast enough. More powerful hair dryers can generate more heat and more blowing power. As a result, they dry hair much quicker than their weaker counterparts.

If you have very short hair, then a 500-watt hair dryer would probably be enough. However, if you have long hair, then you want a more powerful hairdryer.

For most women, a hair dryer with a power output rating of 1000 watts should be good enough. Of course, if you can get a more powerful hairdryer, you’ll get even quicker results.

This is why we find the BaBylissPRO Tourmaline Titanium 3000 Dryer to be a good choice. Here’s why.

1. It has 1900 watts worth of power
2. Its tourmaline titanium technology facilitates ionization
3. Its far-infrared technology ensures heat penetration
4. There are six settings to play with
5. There is a cold shot feature
6. It has an ergonomic, lightweight design
7. It comes with a concentrator

Keep Your Hair Dryer Moving

If you want to dry your hair fast, you need a powerful hair dryer. You also need to know how to use that hair dryer. One thing that many of us forget to do is keep our hair dryer moving. Whether it is because of fatigue or lack of concentration, when we do this, we slow down the drying process.

Essentially, by not ensuring that the hairdryer is constantly moving, we keep it where it is not needed. More importantly, we keep it from reaching where it is needed.

An added side-effect is that we end up frying our hair, particularly since we’re using extra-powerful hair dryers. The solution is simple. Keep the hair dryer moving and vow never to let it be stationary over your head.

Don’t Use A Hair Dryer Without Ionic Technology

Ionic technology is incredibly important in a hairdryer. It is vital because it prevents frizz and flyaway hair from appearing. However, did you that it is also important because it can speed up the drying process?

The negative ions can break up larger water molecules into smaller ones. When this happens, their surface area increases. A greater surface area makes it easier for the molecules to absorb heat and evaporate.

The Conair 1875 Watt Full Size Pro Hair Dryer with Ionic Conditioning is specifically designed with ionic conditioning technology to counter frizzy and flyaway hair. Along the way, it will help you dry your hair faster too. Here are some of its benefits.

1. It has built-in ionic technology
2. It boasts of tourmaline ceramic technology
3. It has a power output of 1875 watts
4. There is a cold shot feature
5. It has two independent switches for temperature and blowing speed
6. It is available in two colors
7. It is a lightweight device
8. It comes with a concentrator

Consider Far-Infrared Hair Dryers

Far-infrared technology makes it possible for the heat generated by the hair dryer to reach deep into the hair. Since hair dryers with this technology dry hair from the inside out instead of just on the surface, they speed up the drying process considerably.

We should also add that far-infrared heat is comparable to the heat received from the sun. This means that it is much healthier than the heat received from hot air blown by basic hair dryers.

This Jinri Hair Dryer relies on far-infrared technology to dry hair, making it well-worth a quick consideration. Here are it’s other benefits.

1. It is a professional salon-grade hair dryer
2. It has a power output rating of 1875 watts
3. It boasts of tourmaline ionic technology
4. It incorporates two speed and three heat settings
5. It comes with a diff user, concentrator, and straightener
6. It is a long-lasting device
7. It is lightweight and ergonomically designed

Look into Supersonic Hair Dryers

Supersonic hair dryers represent the future of hair drying. They dry hair the fastest of all hair dryers because they blow air at supersonic speeds. Their high-velocity blowing capacity means that they can reach the areas near the scalp much faster than other hair dryers.

Supersonic hair dryers, like the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, have multiple other very useful benefits as well. As a sample, let us list the benefits of Dyson’s hair dryer.

1. It prevents hair from getting damaged by heat
2. It measures air temperature 20 times per second
3. It doesn’t make a lot of noise
4. It has an ergonomic, lightweight design
5. It remains cool even in operation
6. It has four heat settings and three speed settings
7. It comes in two colors
8. It comes with a magnetic diff user and concentrator

Invest in Hair Drying Brushes

A hair drying brush is a combination of two devices – a brush and a hairdryer. It saves you time while drying your hair because you don’t have to worry about drying your hair and then brushing it into some semblance of order. You just have to brush with it and it dries up your hair simultaneously.

Further, if you like blowouts, you can use hair drying brushes to reduce the effort you need to put into one. Since it is two devices in one, you can get a blowout with one hand. You can get hair drying brushes for curling as well as straightening your hair.

If you’re only interested in drying your hair fast, though, then you should invest in straightening hair drying brushes. The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Styler is a good example. Here’s why.

1. It straightens and dries your hair at the same time
2. Its bristles are designed to counter tangles
3. It has a decent power output of 1100 watts
4. It has ionic technology to speed up drying even further
5. It offers two heat and speed settings to play with
6. It has a 360-degree swivel cord for better maneuverability

Apply Conditioner in The Shower

It may be hard to believe, but conditioners can also help you dry your hair fast, especially if you apply them in the shower, itself. When you apply them in the shower, they coat your hair. They lock in the moisture absorbed by the hair and also repel excess water.

Therefore, when you wring your hair after your shower, you drop excess water much more easily. Similarly, when you try to shake off the excess moisture, it becomes easier. If you’ve applied a conditioner in the shower, every action you take to dry your hair afterward will be amplified.

You can save a lot of time by using a conditioner in the shower. However, you must apply it properly. We do recommend using a wide-toothed comb or a wet brush to ensure that your conditioner coats all your hairs properly.

Oil Your Hair in The Shower

Shower conditioners perform the same function that natural essential oils do. Natural essential oils are just healthier.

Natural essential oils like argan oil and sesame oil are both well-known for their ability to hydrate and coat hair. Further, since oil naturally repels water, you can also coat your hair with these natural and incredibly nourishing oils to ensure that your hair dries faster. To avail their nourishing properties, however, you’ll need to find a high-quality organic oil.

You can go one step further and adopt the “No-poo” technique. No-poo is a technique where you give up shampoos completely and use only organic, naturally occurring substances to wash your hair, like oils.

Argan oil is, by far, the best option natural oil you can try. We suggest Viva Naturals Organic Argan Oil because of the following reasons.

1. Argan oil is also known as liquid gold for hair
2. It is completely organic, 100% pure, and cold-pressed oil
3. It is USDA Organic certified
4. It contains multiple nutrients that hairs, nails, and skin thrive on
5. It is a natural conditioner
6. It has a very pleasant but light earthy scent

Get Sprays Designed to Speed Up Drying

If you tend to use a lot of hair products, then you can use them to help you dry your hair fast as well. All you need to do is select products that have “quick dry,” “blow dry,” or something similar on the label. Lotions, primers, and even masks these days are labeled with such terms.

These are specially formulated hair products that contain substances known for their heat conducting properties. As a result, they amplify the drying power of blow dryers.