Can You Air Dry Your Hair Straight? Turns Out, Beauty Miracles Exist

Not everyone has the luxury of waking up flawless, a la Beyoncé. If you're anything like me, your morning routine consists primarily of pressing the snooze button so many times that, by the time you're fully alert and vertical, you've got to cut some corners when it comes to grooming. Now, I love blow dryers and flat irons just as much as the next person, but I rarely have the time to use them. That's why I've often wondered, can you air dry your hair straight? As far as humankind has come, surely there must be a way to get your strands looking sleek without having to risk losing precious time or causing heat damage.

So, is it actually possible to achieve smooth tresses without the use of any hair tools? Well it turns out there are some beauty basics you'll need to know before you start down the road towards locks straighter than Sia's impeccable style. But before you get discouraged, thinking you might have to resort to wigs for that polished look, it appears that air-dried, straight hair is possible. As hairstylist Julie Featherman told Women's Health, it all starts with using, "a microfiber towel, removing as much water as you can." What purpose does this extra little step serve? "Not only does this towel prevent frizz, it takes water out quickly and will literally cut your drying time in half," Featherman explained.

Sounds pretty good so far, right? If you're waiting for the second shoe to drop, you might be disappointed because this process is surprisingly simple from start to finish. After you've squeezed out as much moisture from your locks as possible, you're nearly done. In an interview with Elle, celebrity stylist Ricardo Rojas recommended, "grabbing sections and pinning them around your head, wrapping them all around." Rojas credited his Argentinian heritage with this tradition as he explained, "my sisters did this [with a technique called toca] at night and would wake up the next morning with straight and silky hair."

The last step in your quest for a smooth mane is probably something you already do anyways. "A great leave-in conditioner is essential to avoid that undesired fluffy, frizzy look," Lauren McCowan, a hairstylist and creative director of Evo Hair Products, told The Huffington Post. So there you have it. It's as easy as removing excess water, setting your strands, and finishing with a little product to protect your heat-free, air-dried straight hair.