Is It Better to Air Dry?

Is it Better to Air Dry Your Hair?

In terms of whether you should air-dry your hair or use a hairdryer, neither one is better than the other. Instead, you should be doing a mixture of both. It is recommended that you let your hair dry naturally until it is about 70% dry, and then take a hairdryer to finish it off.

Using a hair dryer to completely dry your hair every time can quickly deplete your hair of moisture, and in turn leave it feeling dry and brittle. Air-drying, on the other hand, allows your hair to stay hydrated for longer. So, leaving your hair to dry naturally for a short while before blow-drying it can help your hair retain more moisture. Furthermore, one of the issues with blow-drying your hair is that it’s applying heat to your hair, which can damage its protective layer. This leads to split ends, and you will find after time that your cuticles feel very dry and brittle.

However, one of the negatives of air-drying your hair is that it means your hair will be wet for longer, and it has been found that leaving your hair wet for long periods of time can lead to swelling and cracking of the cortex which can lead to permanent hair damage. We don’t want that!

Therefore, the best thing to do is to first towel-dry your hair, using blotting and squeezing actions to avoid being too harsh on your hair. Then, let your hair air-dry for about an hour or until it feels damp rather than wet. Next, add a good quality heat protectant and then blow dry your hair until it is completely dry. You should use a low heat setting and hold the hair dryer about 15cm away from your hair to help minimize the damage.

Is it Better to Air Dry Your Face?

It doesn’t make a huge difference whether you air-dry or towel-dry your face, however air-drying can be the better option for those who have sensitive skin. Having said this, towel-drying can be just as good an option, but the most important thing is that you aren’t too harsh when doing this.

Air-drying your face is a great option for people who have sensitive skin, and also for those who are very prone to spots and acne. Removing the use of a towel can help prevent any bacteria that might be residing on it from transferring onto your face and causing breakouts. Furthermore, if you have dry skin then leaving your face to be a little bit damp can actually help moisturiser to be better absorbed! So, if you’re wanting to hydrate your face more, then letting your face air-dry is probably the best option.

However, towel-drying your face is also a perfectly fine choice, as long as you are careful and gentle when using your towel or flannel. The key is to blot, rather than rub, as rubbing can cause redness and irritation. You also need to make sure you regularly wash your towel so that no nasty bacteria or other germs build up on it.

Is it Better to Air Dry Your Body?

Air-drying your body is a great option for those who have sensitive or dry skin. Sometimes towels can be harsh on your skin and cause irritation. If you use a clean towel and gently pat your body dry, this can be absolutely fine, however there are some added benefits if you air-dry your body. Leaving your body to dry naturally and adding your moisturiser or lotion whilst your skin is still slightly wet can allow it to be better absorbed, and so your body will feel much smoother, softer and hydrated.

The way to air-dry without getting water everywhere is to stand on your bathmat for a few minutes whilst the majority of the water drips off. If you want to get dry a bit quicker without losing the benefits of air-drying, then after standing on the bathmat for a few minutes, just grab a clean t-shirt and pat yourself dry. Sounds odd but trust me it works!

Is it Better to Air Dry Your Clothes?

Yes! Simply put it is better both for your clothes and for the environment to air-dry your clothes. Whilst you might have to wait a day longer to wear the fresh clothes, air-drying will help to significantly pro-long their lifespan.

Air-drying your clothes will help to save you energy costs as you won’t have to use extra electricity on using the tumble dryer. Also, using less energy will mean that you are putting a lot less strain on the environment, so you can air-dry your clothes knowing you’re doing your little bit for the planet. Furthermore, air-drying your clothes help to prevent your clothes from developing static, and will also protect your clothes from getting torn or damaged in the tumble dryer. You will no longer have to worry about clothes accidentally shrinking either!