Relaxed: Airdrying Without Setting

[Isis]

I am a nexxus junkie and my usual routine is:

1. 'poo with nexxus thrappe
2. ACV rinse
2. condish with nexxus humectress (I detangle while hair is saturated with condish) If deep condishing, cover with plastic cap and leave for as long as possible, with or without heat.
3. rinse thoroughly and towel/squeeze dry.
4. apply nexxus headdress followed with my current oil of choice (jojoba, castor, nexxus botanic oil, avacado, etc.).
5. using a wide-tooth comb, smooth hair into bun -- I hold hair with one hand and wrap around with the other, alternating hand round and round, keeping hair smooth and sleek, using more oil on the ends as I finish the bun. I secure with 'couple of good day hair pins and tie down tight with a satin or silk scarf. If I HAVE to go out somewhere, I just remove the scarf and go.
6. when completely dry, take down the bun and hair is moisturized, smooth, straight and bouncy. I just finger comb and go. I usually sleep in loose bun with a silk or satin scarf -- in the morning, finger comb and go. It's like the most liberating experience with my hair -- easy to wash and go, no heat and looks great and healthy!

So you are not using a scrunchie or any kind of ponytail holder for your bun? And after smoothing and wrapping round and round, does your bun look like a large bantu knot? Thanks in advance, I'm trying to visualize this so I can get it right, hopefully the first time.

I just love the thought of a wash and go, especially since I wash twice each week. Like you said, that would be a very liberating experience!

 

[Neroli]

So you are not using a scrunchie or any kind of ponytail holder for your bun? And after smoothing and wrapping round and round, does your bun look like a large bantu knot? Thanks in advance, I'm trying to visualize this so I can get it right, hopefully the first time.

I just love the thought of a wash and go, especially since I wash twice each week. Like you said, that would be a very liberating experience!

No scrunchie required for my bun! I never thought about it, but it DOES look like a large bantu knot . . .

BTW, I alternate my bun direction every now and then to avoid weakening one side.

 

[sassyhair]

This all sounds so inspiring I think I will try this when I get my relaxer.

 

[Isis]

No scrunchie required for my bun! I never thought about it, but it DOES look like a large bantu knot . . .

BTW, I alternate my bun direction every now and then to avoid weakening one side.

Thank you Neroli for this valuable info! I think I have a good visual image of how to do it now.

 

[sassyhair]

I am trying this now, i will see how it goes in the morning.

 

[lahennesy26]

SOMETIMES WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE I PUT OIL IN MY HAIR AND DRIVE AROUND TOWN WITH MY WINDOWS AND SUNROOF OPEN AND LET MY HAIR DRY.LOL

 

[Isis]

I am trying this now, i will see how it goes in the morning.

That's great Sassyhair. Please share your results!!

 

[Isis]

SOMETIMES WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE I PUT OIL IN MY HAIR AND DRIVE AROUND TOWN WITH MY WINDOWS AND SUNROOF OPEN AND LET MY HAIR DRY.LOL

Your hair is very pretty too. I wish I could do that with my hair...

 

[Isis]

Neroli - it looks like it's taking 24 hours afterall to airdry my hair this way!
I washed & conditioned last night and wore my damp bun to bed, with a satin scarf. I wore my bun all day. My hair still feels damp now when I stick my finger in the bun. I'm trying to wait until it's totally dry before taking my bun down, to avoid frizziness. I guess I'll know later tonight or tomorrow.

Yes, it does save lots of time this way, rather than rollersetting. I want to see what it looks like though when it's loose.

 

[Neroli]

Neroli - it looks like it's taking 24 hours afterall to airdry my hair this way!
I washed & conditioned last night and wore my damp bun to bed, with a satin scarf. I wore my bun all day. My hair still feels damp now when I stick my finger in the bun. I'm trying to wait until it's totally dry before taking my bun down, to avoid frizziness. I guess I'll know later tonight or tomorrow.

Yes, it does save lots of time this way, rather than rollersetting. I want to see what it looks like though when it's loose.

Isis, I'm not surprised that it's taking YOU that long to dry with that long thick mane of yours! However, this may not work for you if you're washing every 3 days or so - what if it takes 3 days to dry completely?!! LOL! Keep us posted. . .

 

[sassyhair]

That's great Sassyhair. Please share your results!!

My results werent good, I still had to blow dry the middle and back of my hair, but I did it on warm setting. It did make my edges smooth.

 

[Neroli]

My results werent good, I still had to blow dry the middle and back of my hair, but I did it on warm setting. It did make my edges smooth.

Hey Sassy, how long did you leave it in the bun? sorry it didn't work for you . . .

 

[sassyhair]

Um about 12 or more hours.

 

[Isis]

Isis, I'm not surprised that it's taking YOU that long to dry with that long thick mane of yours! However, this may not work for you if you're washing every 3 days or so - what if it takes 3 days to dry completely?!! LOL! Keep us posted. . .

It better not take that long!! I think my hair will be dry by morning.

 

[Isis]

My results werent good, I still had to blow dry the middle and back of my hair, but I did it on warm setting. It did make my edges smooth.

Thanks for sharing your results.
I'm still drying mine in the bun so I'll know by tomorrow. The top of my hair and edges are smooth too.

 

[sassyhair]

I'm trying it again tonight, I think the little blow drying that I did is ok, since im not flat-ironing afterward anymore.

 

[Isis]

I'm trying it again tonight, I think the little blow drying that I did is ok, since im not flat-ironing afterward anymore.

I'm sure it will turn out well after drying completely. Your hair will be extra moisturized with the two washings!

 

[pyxis777]

I airdried in a bun last night. Because my hair is very fine, and not that long, it dried just fine overnight. My results were about a 6/10 (pictures coming soon).

My hair was very bantu-knotty at the bottom, not smooth (maybe I'm doing things wrong?). This is OK, but not what I prefer. The top was smoothish. The hair in the front only reaches to the middle of the back of my head, so it didn't all go in the bun.

I will definitely try this again though, maybe next time I'll airdry in pin curls... hmmm...

 

[Isis]

My hair is finally, finally dry!! Now I know it takes a little longer than a day and 1/2 to airdry my hair in a bun. It did work though! I just took down my bun and I'm wearing it loose right now. My hair does have a lot of body although the texture is different than the rollerset. I have a lot more texture in my hair (no curl though) and it looks good. I was thinking, this may be the first time I've airdried my hair without a rollerset. :scratchch Thank you for this learning experience Neroli and thank you Pyxis777 for starting this thread!

 

[sassyhair]

my hair came out the same but this time I sat under the dryer on low heat.

 

[Isis]

I airdried in a bun last night. Because my hair is very fine, and not that long, it dried just fine overnight. My results were about a 6/10 (pictures coming soon).

My hair was very bantu-knotty at the bottom, not smooth (maybe I'm doing things wrong?). This is OK, but not what I prefer. The top was smoothish. The hair in the front only reaches to the middle of the back of my head, so it didn't all go in the bun.

I will definitely try this again though, maybe next time I'll airdry in pin curls... hmmm...

I look forward to seeing your pics Pyxis777.
Hmm.. airdrying in pincurls? Now there's a concept!

ETA:
I think it was Sylver2 who shared instructions once on how to airdry hair straight with a satin scarf. I don't know if this will work with my hair or not but it might with someone else's.

 

[Isis]

Neroli - I just want to let you know that my hair looks great - even better today! I'm wearing it down again and it's so swingy, lots of body.

I didn't sleep in a bun this time, I wore my usual satin scarf, swooped my hair up to the side (as Sylver2 does for her hair) and wore my silk bonnet over it. I wanted to keep this "straight" style and it looks good. Very low maintenance too. Next time, I'll make two buns to cut the time in half!

 

[pyxis777]

Isis - I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures with your results! I will post my pictures tonight.

Thanks again, ladies, for sharing your techniques and results.

 

[SweetCaramel1]

ok ladies. i'm trying an altered version of this. i couldn't get my hair in a bun without the ponytail holder. so i ponytailed, then put in a bun. hopefully i'll have great results.

i'm tired of being a slave to the blow/hooded dryer!!!

 

[Miss*Tress]

My hair air dries curly/frizzy - whether in a bun or loose. I wish this technique worked for me.

 

[sweetpineapple]

i didn't read the other post but this teqnique will work with the right products. ive dome this with no problem using a leave in conditioner then aplying Aubrey organics Mandarin Magic Ginkgo Leaf & Ginseng Root Hair Moisturizing Jelly and somtimes adding their B-5 Design Gel. the result=perfect waves w/o frizz. try it an let me know how it turns out HTH

 

[Neroli]

Isis: glad you like you results once it was completely dry . . . I love the fullness and body that I get with my bun dry, and I REALLY love the ease and freedom of "wash and go" without heat. I'm sure your modification of the technique (2 buns instead of one) will probably work out -- I'm might try it myself next time to speed things up. Thanks for the idea . . .

SweetCaramel1: I hope it works for you 'cause girl, I feel you on being a slave to hood dryer -- that's why I just HAD to find a way to dry my hair without heat and without being in those huge magnetic rollers and confined to the house and that dang hood dryer for hours and hours . . .

 

[Dee-Licious]

If my ends are frizzy/fuzzy, applying more products actually makes it worse! For super straight ends, once hair is completely dry, I take down the bun, add a lil' bit of oil to the ends and put in a *mohawk* with 4 or 5 extra large magnetic rollers for a couple of hours or overnight and that does the trick for me. A *mohawk* is rollers placed in center of head, front to back and its easy to sleep. I rarely do this though 'cause I'm so lazy I even LIKE my fuzzy ends . . .

Neroli.. do you (or anyone else) have any pics of the mohawks?

 

[pyxis777]

Ok I updated my pictures in fotki. Go to the Airdrying Methods and Results album.

 

[Neroli]

Ok I updated my pictures in fotki. Go to the Airdrying Methods and Results album.

Your bun dry looks good and your hair is beautiful, nice and thick! My bun dries pretty much the same, the top and sides are straight, little "ripples" in the middle where the hair was curved in the bun, and the ends are slightly curled. If I want "straight and sleek" then I do rollersets OR I do a mohawk after my bun dry. Happy experimenting while you find no heat drying methods that work for you. It was a very liberating experience for me, even when my hair was not quite "perfect" as I wanted, because it open up ideas for how to dry and work with my hair without use of heat -- never thought I could maintain style, bounce, body and smoothness without heat. Now, the skies the limit and I don't even have to use my hood dryer, it's truly unbelievable how simple my regimen is and how healthy and long my hair has gotten. . .