How to Air Dry Relaxed Hair

Last Updated: September 12, 2022

Relaxed hair needs to be treated gently and rarely blow dried, but keeping it loose while air drying won't guarantee that it dries straight. This article will lead you through an easy regimen of twisting or using rollers to help to keep hair straight without causing breakage. Read on to learn what to do!

1

Wash and condition your hair.

Detangle the hair with a wide-toothed comb or brush.
- You can also opt to use a leave-in conditioner to further prevent hair damage.

2

Apply coconut oil to your hair.

Use 5 to 6 drops for short to medium hair. Use more for longer hair. Make sure to cover the ends of your hair thoroughly. Coconut oil protects the hair and produces a smooth texture as it dries.

3

Part your hair using your fingers or the end of a comb.

Comb the rest of your hair into place with a wide-toothed comb.

4

Grab the hair to the right side of your part.

Comb it through so it aligns into a ponytail. Make sure there are no stray hairs.

5

Split the hair into 2 bunches.

Twist them together until you reach the ends of the hair.

6

Place a soft roller underneath the end of the hair.

Then, roll the twist up. Flexible, soft curlers (otherwise known as a flexi-roller or flexible curler) are available at beauty supply stores and some drugstores. Roll the twist into the roller until you reach your skull. Bend the sides of the flexi-roller toward the top and center of the rolled and twisted hair.
- Repeat the twist and the roller on the left side of your head.

7

Wrap a satin scarf around your head while it dries.

You can cover it with a hat if you are going out.

8

Leave the twists in your hair for 2 to 24 hours, until fully dried.

This timing will differ greatly depending upon the thickness, texture and length of your hair. You want to wait until the hair inside the twists has dried to get the full smoothing effect of air drying with curlers.

9

Undo your twists.

Start from the bottom and working your way to the top.

10

Touch up with an iron if desired.

You can use a ceramic iron to smooth out any sections that you would like to be smoother.

11

Smooth drops of oil into the hair to further smooth down.

The results should last from 3 days to a week.

12

Finished.

Enjoy your hair!

Community Q&A

Question

Will the curlers curl my hair?

Community Answer

Yes, but not dramatically. It will be more of a wavy curl.
Question

I have short hair and I would like to achieve soft tight curls, how do I get these curls?

Community Answer

If it's not your natural curl pattern, then you're going to have to manipulate it into the shape you want. Use curling items that fit the type of curl you would like. If it is your hair type naturally, use some deep conditioner by Shea Moisture And TGIN (Thank God I'm Natural) or leave-in conditioners.

Warnings

Do not comb the hair after it has air dried. It may become frizzy.

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Repeated relaxing can lead to breakage, brittleness or loss of hair.

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