Anyone with curly hair knows one of the biggest questions in the curly community is whether air drying your hair is better than diffusing. Now, while this might not seem like an important issue since the drying step comes at the end of everyone's routine and is often overlooked. It is actually very important–your drying method can make or break the outcome of your hairstyles and even impact the overall health of your curls.
Well, it's time we settle the debate once and for all. In this article, we'll be discussing the benefits of air drying and diffusing curly hair and also determining which one is best for curly hair. Read ahead to see our final verdict.
Air Drying And Its Benefits For Curly Hair
Minimal Damage
Air drying does not require any external source of heat so there is essentially zero chance of causing any heat damage to your hair. This ensures your hair remains healthy and helps your curls flourish.
Less manipulation
Air drying removes one extra step out of your routine and saves you a lot of time if you're on a busy schedule as you can easily just step out after styling your hair and let nature do its thing. Additionally, air drying keeps you from over-manipulating your hair after styling, allowing your hair to stay moisturised for longer and preserve the desired look of your hairstyle.
Better Curl Definition
Leaving your curls to air dry lets your hair take on its natural shape and with the help of great styling products like our Curl Elongating Gel or Curling Mousse, you'll get more noticeable curl clumps and definition.
Cons Of Air Drying Curly Hair
Time Consuming
Air drying your hair takes a lot of time and if you have thick curls or low-porosity hair, it can take anything from several hours to a whole day for your hair to be fully dry after styling. So, it is not the most time-efficient way to dry your hair unless you're fine with going out with wet hair and waiting for it to dry.
Shrinkage
Curly hair is naturally prone to shrinkage because the curls love to fold into themselves and air drying your hair gives your curls even enough room to fold into themselves and shrink, leaving you with a shrunken look.
The amount of shrinkage you get often varies based on your hair type. The more loose your curls are, the less shrinkage you’ll get so you may not notice a big difference. However, those with type 4 curls can get a lot of shrinkage with their hair shrinking to up to 40% of its original length.
Less Control Over Final Look
When you air dry your hair, the final outcome of your hairstyle is completely out of your control and basically up to the weather and temperature outside. This means you may not end up with the same results every time you style your hair. Sometimes you may experience a lot of frizz while other days, you may not get the perfect volume you want.
Diffusing And Its Benefits For Curly
Reduces Frizz
Diffusing your curls sets your styling products into your hair before any frizz can start to form, so you generally end up with a more shiny and defined look.
Convenience
Using a diffuser significantly speeds up your drying time and saves you the discomfort of carrying wet hair around and waiting for it to dry. This makes it a great option for when you're in a rush.
Volume
Diffusing curly hair gives it a lot of bounce movement, resulting in a more voluminous look.
Cons Of Diffusing Curly Hair
Exposed Risk Of Damage
Diffusers disperse airflow and do not expose the hair to as much heat as other heat tools like flat irons but they still emit a decent amount of heat. With consistent use, that can increase your potential for heat damage. Additionally, if your diffuser is set to high, you may end up with heat damage.
Requires A little Skill
Diffusing is not exactly the most beginner-friendly drying option since it can take some time to master. There are a few different ways to diffuse your curls, so you'll have to go through a learning curve to figure out what technique works best for your hair.
Which Is Better—Air Drying Or Diffusing?
Air drying and diffusing both have their perks so the choice of which is better will depend on your personal preference. If you hate the thought of going out with wet hair and want to dry your hair as fast as possible while getting a more voluminous look, then diffusing is the best option for you. However, if you don't want to expend any extra energy on your hair after styling and want to limit heat exposure, air drying is likely the better choice for you.
However, you can also enjoy the benefits of both options by letting your hair air dry for a little bit until it's damp and then following up with a diffuser to hasten the process.
Tips For Diffusing Curly Hair
Use Low To Medium Heat: To keep your healthy and safe from damage, place your diffusing in the low to medium heat settings. This will also keep your scalp from overheating and prevent any scalp irritation.
Avoid Touching The Hair Too Much
After styling your hair with any of the products In our Stylers Bundle, it is very important to avoid touching excessively while diffusing. This will keep you from messing up the curl definition you spent time creating.
Fluff After Diffusing
Once your hair is completely dry, apply a few drops of Sofnfree's Hair & Scalp Oil to your fingers and gently separate and fluff your curls. This will give them more volume and also give the curl clumps a natural flow.
Whether you choose to air dry or diffuse your curls the most important thing is to make sure it is properly moisturised and styled with nourishing products like the ones in our My Curls My Way Styling Bundle.