Going outside with wet hair in this weather is just asking for a cold. So unless you’re trying to get a day off work (clever, tbh), you’ll be using a hairdryer most mornings.
For most of us, this means blasting our wet mops with the highest heat setting possible to get it over and done with, while attempting to smooth down frizz with a brush.
But lately, we’ve been trying a new technique courtesy of Luke Hersheson’s book, Great Hair Days. And truth be told, it’s cut our drying time in half.
We’re calling it the ‘naked’ blow-dry and if you’re getting seriously p*ssed off with your hair in the mornings, we urge you to give it a try.
What is the ‘naked’ blow-dry?
Put down your hairbrush, because you’re not going to need it. The naked blow-dry has been nicknamed as such, for it only requires your hands.
“While your hair is still wet, it’s very vulnerable to damage and a brush is about as damaging as it gets”, says Luke. “As a hairdresser, I rely on my hands a great deal more than I do a brush. ”
So instead of brushing your hair before or during blow-drying, use your hands to ‘rough-dry’ your hair until it is about 95 per cent dry. “Then, and only then, should you use a brush. ”
How to do the ‘naked’ blow-dry at home
Start your hairdryer on a low heat and speed setting – this may seem counter-intuitive to your morning routine, but we promise the naked technique will make up the speed difference.
Using only your hands, manoeuvre your hair around, evenly distributing the airflow until it’s almost dry. If you have particularly thick hair, you may need to section it, but DON’T brush it. Then just before it’s dry to the touch, you can introduce your brush to create your parting and shape your style.
OR, don’t use a brush at all. We’ve found ditching it altogether to be faster AND with smoother results. According to Luke, most styling issues can be solved using hands only…
“To soften a cowlick, you should use your fingers like a comb to grab and pull your hair taut while it is still wet to smooth oddities”, says Luke. “Similarly, you can reduce the appearance of frizz with the same technique; keep the hair taut and the airflow from your hairdryer pointed downwards and in the direction you want your hair to fall. ”
Hairbrushes can actually create more frizz due to static, so using your hands to tame fluff isn’t a bad idea at all. Go on, get naked.
