Blow-drying natural hair doesn’t have to be something you fear or dread. No matter your skillset, there are techniques you can use to avoid causing hair breakage and blowout wavy, curly, and coily strands with ease.

StyleSeat Pro Chrisa Clark shares her tips for blow-drying natural hair, including products and tools that will dramatically reduce blow-drying time. Follow the stylist’s step-by-step guide or watch the hair tutorial video to learn everything you need to know to make the process as smooth as possible.

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Step 1: Detangle hair and apply heat protectant

Once hair is freshly shampooed, conditioned, and treated with a leave-in conditioner, use a wide tooth comb or detangling brush to gently remove any knots. Styling tools that make it easy to detangle without pulling at the scalp is key.

Pro Tip: Remove excess water from hair with a microfiber towel.

Clark says a heat protectant “will be your best friend in the process because it helps to preserve the integrity of the hair” and minimize heat damage while blow-drying. Her go-to product is Design Essentials Silk Essentials. “It helps aid in the process of cutting down the blow-drying time, is very good on natural hair, and leaves the hair feeling really amazing.”

Step 2: Section hair into four parts

Clark strongly recommends that anyone with thicker, coarser hair section into four parts.

She explains, “You are able to focus on those particular sections. You’re guaranteed to blow-dry properly the first time around without having to go back and not worry about [creating] extra tension.”

Step 3: Blow-dry hair

Not all blow-dryers are created equally. When shopping for a blow-dryer, Clark believes it’s important to find one with “good and proper air flow and different heat settings.” She adds, “You don’t want to use a dryer that has a standard heat setting where you can’t control it and end up damaging the hair, even with using a heat protectant.”

Pro Tip: Look for a blow-dryer that comes with different styling attachments, including a comb, diffuser, and concentrator that can be used in combination with a paddle brush.

For this hair tutorial, Clark uses the Dyson Supersonic. “The attachments are magnetic and go on with ease. I love that it comes with more than one, so you have options for what you’re using the dryer for. What I love best is that it cuts down the drying time by so much,” she says. “It’s extremely fast, extremely effective. If you have a proper drying technique and you are using that dryer, I promise you won’t have to go back and make sure you got every section.”

The quietness of the Dyson Supersonic is also a plus for the stylist, as it’s not very loud and still very strong.

Pro Tip: Focus on the front sections first and then work your way to the back, as those strands typically take the longest to dry.

Whether you desire a voluminous blowout or sleek strands, the final result is totally up to you. Just remember to use the right products, tools, and techniques to successfully blow-dry natural hair.

Looking for a natural hair expert? Book with a StyleSeat Pro who can guide you on your healthy hair journey.