How to Blow Dry Short Hair

Basic Blow-Drying Techniques

Pat out excess moisture. Long exposure to blow dryer heat will damage hair. Reduce the blow drying time by absorbing some water with a soft towel. Pat gently until your hair stops dripping. Avoid rubbing with the towel, which can cause frizz and breakage.

Apply serum (optional). To dry your hair like a professional and make it shiny and smooth, rub hair serum into your hair ends. You only need to use a coin-sized amount for your full head of hair. Rub this between your hands first to ensure you apply it evenly. Some people apply one or two drops of oil to their hair instead. This may cause damage during a hot blow dry session, so use this with low-temperature blow-drying only. Try a light oil such as jojoba oil or coconut oil.

Comb in heat protectant. Spray heat protectant lightly onto your hair from at least 20cm (8 inches) away. Gently comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb to distribute the protection throughout your hair. Do not use a narrow-toothed comb, and don't try to comb out tangles. These approaches may tear out wet hair.

Adjust air flow with a narrow nozzle (optional). If your blow dryer comes with multiple nozzle attachments, compare the width of each one. If the nozzle is too wide (side to side), you may waste air flow directing it at short hair. However, the more narrow the nozzle opening is, the more likely it is to cause damage. Consider sticking to a wide nozzle if your hair is fragile or thin. Reduce the air flow setting to low or medium as well.

Select the right temperature. If your hair is easily damaged, reduce the temperature setting on your blow dryer to medium or low, until the flow of air feels comfortable on the back of your hand. If your hair is strong, or short enough to dry in a few minutes, blow dry on high heat. See the guides below for specific styles.

Comb while blow drying. For a quick and easy dry, point the blow dryer downward. This reduces frizz and fly away strands. As you blow dry, drag a comb or your fingers through your hair to ensure even drying. To keep straight hair smooth and well-shaped, pull the ends of your hair as you blow dry. You can do this with your fingers, but for best results, use a brush adapted to the length of hair. Pull very short sections with a small brush, and use a brush with longer, thicker bristles to wrap around the ends of medium-length sections.

Adding Volume to Short Hair

Part your hair. Divide your hair into four sections: the left, right, front, and back. Clip three of the sections, leaving the last one free. It's generally easiest to start with the back section free and move forward. Part thick hair into more than four sections.

Wrap the section around a brush. Wrap one section of hair around a round brush. Bring the hair forward so you can reach it easily with the blow dryer.

Select your temperature. High heat blow-drying has a more significant effect, but can easily cause damage. Set your dryer to a medium temperature instead unless you have resilient hair.

Blow dry from all sides. Pull the hair gently with the brush to expose a straight length of hair. Hold the blow dryer about ½–1 in (1.25–2.5 cm) away from the hair, gliding along this length without touching your scalp or the brush. Repeat several times from below, above, and both sides. Gradually roll the brush to reveal more hair as you blow dry. Direct the air away from your head, not toward it. For everyday blow drying, it's best to keep the nozzle 8 inches (20 cm) away from your hair. This will reduce damage to your hair, but will make it much more difficult to style.

Twist the hair and let cool. Rotate the brush to form a half or full twist, to encourage more volume. Leave your hair in this position until it cools. To prevent your hair flipping up, twist this toward your head, not away.

Blow dry again while pulling forward. Bring the brush as far forward on your head as you can to maximize volume. Pull the brush forward so your hair is tense; this will make your hair more shiny. Blow dry from all sides until dry, adjusting the section to expose wet areas.

Blow dry the remaining sections away from your face. Move on to the front section, blow drying it while pulling it to one side of your face. Pull the sections on the left or right away from your head, to increase bounce and volume. If the ends of your hair tend to flip up and disarrange your hairdo, blow dry them from above, with the dryer pointed straight downward. You'll still add volume as long as you keep your hair pulled tightly away from your head.

Blow Drying Curly Hair

Add a diffuser. A diffuser attaches over the nozzle of your blow dryer. These lower the air flow, keeping your curls intact instead of creating a mountain of frizz. If your blow dryer didn't come with a diffuser, buy a "universal" model, or a diffuser specifically meant for your blow dryer.

Wash and apply products. Just as described in the basic method, you should blow dry while your hair is damp but not soaked. Apply heat protectant before you begin, plus hair serum or oil if you want added shine.

Reduce heat. Curly hair is especially vulnerable to heat damage. Reduce heat to low, or over time you might end up with limp, straight sections in the middle of your curls. If your hair starts to break easily or looks damaged, take a break from heat treatments. Use the cool setting on a blow dryer, or air dry instead.

Place your hair in the diffuser. Flip all your hair to one side of your head. Let it hang into the "teeth" of the diffuser, with the blow dryer on.

Blow dry with gentle movement. As you blow dry from beneath, lift the diffuser up onto your hair strands. Avoid quick movement that could disrupt curl formation. Make sure no strands of hair are caught in the teeth when you move to the next area.

Move your hair back (optional). Some people find that blow drying with their hair all on one side leads to flat hair on the crown. If you encounter this problem, just flip your hair back to a more typical arrangement after a few minutes. Tilt your head as you finish blow drying, to allow your curls to fall into the diffuser teeth.