3 No-Heat Hair Ideas to Air Dry in Style
While we know constant heat styling can cause serious damage to our hair, our air-dried strands leave a little (or a lot) to the imagination. To help achieve beach waves without plugging in a hot tool, we tasked celebrity stylist (and Herbal Essences spokesperson) Charles Baker Strahan to teach us three different techniques for no-heat hair that work on a variety of texture, length, and thickness.
Watch him in action in the video above, and follow his tips below.
long, curly Hair: Janine
After you shampoo and condition (Janine used Herbal Essences Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner), apply a small amount of a gel like Herbal Soft Control Crème Gel to your wet strands. Twist your hair to allow the water to evenly distribute the product throughout. Then, starting at the ends, comb the hair through to completely detangle it and part it in the middle.
While keeping a light tension on the hair to ensure that the hair stays smooth and straighter, put the hair into a soft larger braid. Allow the hair to air dry overnight in the braids.
Pro tip from Charles: “The key is to keep the hair flowing smoothly together and in the same direction. To assure this, it’s helpful to comb through each of the three sections of the braid and to work smoothly. Additionally, it can be helpful to use clips to hold the hair in place.”
Long, straight hair: Kimberly
Shampoo and condition the hair the night before and air dry overnight. The next morning, while the hair has as much of the natural texture in it as possible, lightly mist with water, then add a small amount of mousse like Herbal Essences Flexible Style Mousse and smooth it through for an even coating of product.
Cut an old T-shirt or cloths into roughly three-inch wide and five-inch long strips. Fold the fabric over a small section of the hair and slide it down toward the ends. Then, begin to roll the hair up. When you get about two inches away from the scalp, take the ends of the rag and tie it into a knot to hold it all in place. Allow it to set for at least two hours.
When the hair is fully dry, untie the knots and detangle the hair with your fingers. Set the look with a volumizing hairspray like Herbal Essences Volume Airspray.
short, wavy Hair: Ashton
After shampooing and conditioning (try Herbal Essences Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner), create a braided halo. To achieve the style, apply a gel like Herbal Soft Control Crème Gel to your wet strands and then twist your hair to allow the water to evenly distribute. Starting at the ends, comb your hair through to completely detangle it.
Then, create two buns on each side, Princess Leia-style, and secure with pins or elastics. Allow it to air dry overnight.
Will you be trying out these styles? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)
