How to Blow Dry Hair Without Frizz

Co-authored by Gina Almona

Do you find yourself combating frizz each time you blow dry your hair? You can let it air dry, but this is not always an option, especially if it is very cold, or if you have to go to work or school. Fortunately, there are ways to blow dry your hair without getting it all frizzy.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Blow Drying Your Hair

1
Comb out any tangles using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb. Start at the ends of your hair, and work your way up to the roots. Never run a comb down from the roots to the ends if your hair is tangled. Make sure to do this while your hair is still wet, not after it dries.
- Avoid using hairbrushes on wet hair, especially if you have curly hair. This can lead to frizz.
2
Soak up any excess moisture with a towel. Do not rub the towel over your hair. Instead, use it to gently squeeze out any excess water from your hair.
- If you have curly or delicate hair, you might want to use a microfiber towel or an old, clean t-shirt instead.^{[1]
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  Research source} The coarse fibers of a regular towel can snag and tear delicate hair.
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3
Consider letting your hair air dry part-way before you use a hairdryer. Depending on how thick or long your hair is, this can take anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes. You want your hair to be damp when you blow dry it, but not soaking wet. This can help reduce frizz.
4
Hold the hairdryer about 12 inches (30 cm) away from your hair to rough dry. Rough drying is when you blow dry your hair without using a hairbrush. The only time when you can bring the hairdryer closer is when you are styling your hair. Holding the hairdryer too close to your hair can result in heat damage, and damaged hair is often frizzy.
5
Point the nozzle downwards when you blow dry your hair. Divide your hair into sections and blow dry 1 section of hair at a time. Aim the air downwards from your scalp. Repeat this for each section. This way, the airflow will cause the hair cuticles to lay flat instead of curling upwards. It will make your hair appear shinier and smoother.
6
Use your fingers to keep your hair smooth while your blow dry it. Avoid using a regular hairbrush, especially if your hair is still wet. The brush can damage your hair and make it look frizzy.
- Once your hair is about 80% dry, you can transition to a hairbrush, unless you have curly hair and want to keep it curly.
- If you have curly hair and want to keep it curly, wrap the curls around your fingers and blow dry these coils on a low setting. Don't use a nylon-bristle hairbrush because it will disrupt the natural curl pattern of your hair and lead to poof.
- To straighten curly hair, use a large, round, boar-bristle brush.
- To style straight hair, use a denman brush, nylon-bristle flat brush, or ceramic-core round brush.
7
Consider using a vented round brush to make your hair straight. Do this only when your hair is almost all dry. Place the brush under a section of hair, close to the roots. Point the nozzle of the hairdryer over the hair section. Slowly bring the brush and hairdryer down towards the tips of your hair at the same time. Keep the hair sandwiched between the brush and the nozzle. You may have to repeat this a few times before the section is smooth.
- If you don't have a round hairbrush, you can try substituting a regular paddle hairbrush.
8
Finish your look by giving your hair a blast of cool air. Turn your hair dryer to a cool setting. Aim the nozzle downwards, and blow dry your hair using smooth strokes. Start from the roots and move the dryer down to the tips. This will help smooth and seal the hair cuticle, making your hair appear shinier and smoother.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using the Right Products

1
Apply a leave-in conditioner to the ends of your hair. Make sure that you do this before applying any other products. This will help your hair retain moisture while you blow dry it. One of the reasons hair might appear frizzy is because it is dry and damaged.
2
Use a tiny bit of argan oil, jojoba oil, or shine serum on your hair before you blow dry it. Start with a pea-sized amount, and apply it to your hair, focusing on the ends. If you have longer hair, or very thick hair, you might need to use more.
- You can also use these oils and serums on your hair after it dries to give it some additional shine.
3
Use a heat protection spray before your blow dry your hair. This is essential if you have curly hair, which is more prone to heat damage than straight hair.
- Some heat protection sprays also have built-in frizz control.
EXPERT TIP

Gina Almona
Professional Hair Stylist
Gina Almona is the Owner of Blo It Out, a New York City-based hair salon. With over 20 years of beauty training experience, Gina's work has been featured in People Magazine, Time Out New York, and Queens Scene. She has been able to keep a fresh perspective in the industry by demonstrating and participating in trade shows and workshops like the International Beauty Show. She received her cosmetology training from the Long Island Beauty School, Astoria.

Gina Almona
Professional Hair Stylist

Our Expert Agrees: Without products like heat protectants and tools like a nozzle attachment and a proper brush, you'll end up with frizz.
4
Try getting a nozzle attachment for your hairdryer if you have straight hair. It is also great for those with curly or wavy hair who would like to blow dry their hair straight. The nozzle will help direct the airflow better while you are blow drying your hair. It will help the hair cuticles lay flatter, and in turn, make your hair appear smoother.
5
Try getting a diffuser attachment for your hairdryer if you have curly hair. It helps guide the air around your curls without disrupting them or overheating them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Care of Your Hair

1
Know what makes hair frizzy. There are many things that can make hair appear frizzy, including genetics. One of the leading causes of frizz is damage. Learn to prevent damage to help keep your hair frizz-free.^{[2]
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2
Protect your hair from the elements. Both the sun and the wind can wreak havoc on your hair. If it is going to be a hot, sunny day, try to wear a hat or use a hair product with built-in SPF. If it is going to be cold and windy, try to wear a hood, scarf, or hat to protect your hair.
3
Rinse hair with cold water to help cut down on frizz. Once you finish rinsing your hair after washing and conditioning, give it a final rinse using cool water. This will help seal the hair cuticles and help them lay flat. Your hair will appear smoother afterwards.
4
Consider sleeping on a satin pillowcase. Most cotton pillowcases will soak up the moisture from your hair, making it look dry and brittle. Also, coarse fabrics, such as cotton and linen, can snag your hair and cause minuscule rips and tears. A satin pillowcase is smooth, and will help reduce hair-damaging friction.
5
Try to get your hair trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks. This is important, even if you are planning on growing your hair out. As your hair grows, the ends become split. There is no real way to permanently fix split ends, and if you leave them untended, the damage will only creep further and further up the hair shaft. As such, you will want to trim the damaged ends off.
- There are serums and creams that can temporarily seal split ends together. Look for products that say they will mend or seal split ends.
6
Don't shampoo your hair every day, especially if it is curly. Aim for washing your hair 2 to 3 times a week instead. Excessive shampooing can really dry your hair out, which can lead to frizz.
7
Choose appropriate hair products for your hair type. Using the wrong shampoo, conditioner, and styling products can result in hair that is frizzy. Choose products that match your hair type to ensure that you are getting the best possible amount of moisture for your hair. Check the label on the product before you buy it to make sure it is a good match for your hair.
- For example, if you have fine, thin hair, use products that are meant for fine, thin hair, such as thickening or volumizing products. If you have dry, damaged hair, use products that are meant for dry, damaged hair, such as moisturizing or restoring products.^{[3]
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8
Stop playing with your hair. While playing with your hair won't necessarily damage it, it will cause it to appear frizzy. The more you touch your hair, the more you mess up the cuticles. This is especially important for those with curly hair.
9
Avoid heat styling if you can, and use a heat protection spray when you do. Too much heat styling, such as straightening and curling, can cause hair to become brittle and dry. A heat protection spray will help prevent this from happening. However, it is better to leave your hair natural, and give it a few days break between straightening and curling sessions.
- When blow drying, straightening, or curling your hair, try to use a lower heat setting. Avoid using a high heat setting. It will take longer, but it will be gentler on your hair.
10
Avoid products that contain silicones and sulfates. While silicones are great for making hair appear smoother, they can cause build-up if not properly washed out. This build-up can make your hair appear limp and dull. Unfortunately, silicones can only be washed out with sulfates, which are harsh cleaning agents. Sulfates can make hair dry and brittle. This can lead to frizz.
11
Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo once per month. To remove build-up from hair products, you can use a clarifying shampoo up to 1 time per month. Clarifying shampoos are stronger than regular shampoo, so don't use them regularly. However, they are helpful as a once monthly treatment to deep clean your hair and remove excess oil and product residue.^{[4]
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12
Limit alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and processed foods. All of these can lead to frizz. Alcohol, caffeine, and smoking are all diuretics. This means that they absorb moisture from the body. No moisture means dry, frizzy hair. Processed foods offer little nutrition, which hair needs to be healthy. They can make frizz worse.
13
Limit the chemical treatments on your hair. Coloring, bleaching, and perms can all damage and weaken hair, causing it to become brittle and dry. All this can make your hair appear frizzy.

Community Q&A

Question

My hair is curly and frizzy, how do I fix that?

Community Answer

Try an anti-frizz hair mask, or just put coconut oil on wet hair, leave it in for 2 hours, then wash it out very well.
Question

What is the best shampoo and conditioner for a lot of thin, slightly wavy graying hair? I have a short bob haircut.

Unicorn Fangirl

Community Answer

A great shampoo and conditioner for that would be Nioxin. It's gentle, and it moisturizes the hair while making it thicker.
Question

When I dry my medium-length hair, it looks frizzy and poofy. How do I tame it? It's wavy and thick.

Community Answer

It may seem strange, but to tame my hair, I use an olive oil and brown sugar hair mask before I blow dry. You can use this once a week (if you use it more it'll over-grease your hair). Mix 2 tablespoons of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, massage it into the length of your hair, leave it for twenty minutes, shampoo out (also shampoo the ends, I wouldn't normally recommend this but it's necessary), and blow dry.