Do’s & Don’ts of Proper Hair Drying Techniques for the Summer

Welcome to Summer 2018 ladies! The temperature is definitely rising, and we are doing all we can to keep our tresses in check for the next several months. Most of us will probably be wearing protective styles so that we won’t have to worry about our hair so much during the warmest time of year. Does this sound like you? If so, chances are that you will also need to ensure that you are taking care of your natural tresses in between styles.

Fun fact: What we do to our hair to prepare for a new style is just as important as what we do to it while it is in the actual style. In other words, how you shampoo, condition, and even dry your hair has a big effect on the overall health of your tresses. We don’t want you to be out of the loop on this one—it’s too important. Therefore, we’re going to give you a list of do’s and don’ts for proper techniques for managing your hair this summer by looking at hair drying techniques in particular.

Do get out as much water as possible before using a blow dryer.

One of the most important things you can do during the drying process it get out as much water as you can. Doing this will save you a lot of excess dry time and it only takes a couple of extra minutes to implement. It’s as simple as gently sectioning off your hair and squeezing any water off your tresses. Alternatively, you can just make sure to take a little extra time towel pat drying your hair after you get done shampooing and conditioning with Shedavi Crowned Shampoo and Conditioner.

Please take our advice on this one. Never try to go straight to blow drying soaking wet hair because you will end up either damaging your hair or wasting too much time. How? When your hair is soaking wet, it takes longer for it to dry. Period. With that being said, you having to keep that blow dryer on your head longer because it’s so wet makes it more prone to damage. Eliminate all these negative side effects by not blow drying your hair when it’s still dripping water.

If the goal is to keep our ends nice and healthy and free of split ends, then a microfiber towel is an excellent choice. The material is not as rough as a regular towel which helps to prevent breakage. Also, the microfiber towel is made for soaking up moisture quickly, making it the perfect addition to your drying regimen.

It almost seems obvious to mention this, but we just want to make it clear that regular towels and cotton t-shirts should be out of the question. Although a t-shirt is not as rough as a regular towel, it’s still cotton. You know how we tell you to steer clear of cotton pillow cases when you sleep for fear of breakage? Well, that doesn’t stop when you’re awake.  The same goes for your tool to dry your hair (for lack of a better term) as well. 

Having direct heat onto your tresses can be detrimental to your hair in the long run. No matter how tempting it is to just go straight from towel pat drying your hair to hitting it with a blow dryer, you have to fight that urge and put some kind of heat protectant on your hair prior to blasting it with the blow dryer.  If you’re going to be using heat to dry your hair, we recommend using some Shedavi Crowned Protein Masque after shampooing and conditioning the hair. The masque gives your hair an extra protein and moisture boost, making it stronger to withstand outside elements like heat.  

The heavier the product is, the more likely it will be to weigh your hair down. If you want to keep your tresses light and free, then go for lightweight products such as Shedavi Elixir oil. All you need is a little bit to reap the benefits.

When blow drying your hair, you have to keep moving in a downward motion. Don’t get caught up in focusing on only one small part of your hair at a time. This doesn’t mean just go crazy with the blow dryer—you want to separate it out into sections then move the blow-dryer up and down on the sections. What you don’t want to do is zero in on only one part, holding the blow dryer close to your head, and basically frying your beautiful hair.

The last tip we’re going to give you when drying your hair is to not use high heat. It’s common to be in a rush when doing your hair, but using high heat just sets your hair up for potential damage early. Instead, use the lower heat setting or if possible just use the cool setting the whole time. Sure, it will take a bit more effort, but your tresses will appreciate it and reward you with longer, healthier hair before you know it.

What other tips can you give other ladies regarding best practices for drying your hair? Tell us about it in the comments!

Authored by Bianca Scott