Leave in conditioner before blow drying natural hair

Q: Can I blow dry my hair after leave in conditioner?

Since you dont need to wash leave-in conditioner out after, you can simply apply it to your wet hair before bed, for example. Let your strands absorb it while you sleep, or use it before blow drying or using heat styling to offer a layer of protection.

Reader Q&A: CurlyNikki Reveals How to Safely Blowdry Natural Hair

CurlyNikki reveals how to safely blow out natural hair sans heat damage.

Table of Contents Show

Reader Q&A: CurlyNikki Reveals How to Safely Blowdry Natural Hair
What makes all the difference when it comes to drying your hair is that the leave-in conditioner is also a heat protectant
4 leave-in conditioners that are also heat protectants
Pureology Color Fanatic
Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In
Sun Bum Revitalizante 3 in 1 Leave-in
Redken One United All-In-One
Can I use a flat iron or curling iron if I applied a leave-in conditioner?
Conclusions
Do you put leave in conditioner before blow drying natural hair?
Can I blow dry my hair after leave in conditioner?
Can I use leave in conditioner before heat styling?
How do I prepare my natural hair for blowouts?

Calling all naturalistas: Do you have urgent tress questions? If so, you’re in luck. Every Thursday, natural hair blogger extraordinaire CurlyNikki will be solving your curly hair conundrums! Submit your questions by tweeting them to @EssenceMag with the hashtag #AskCurlyNikki.

READER QUESTION: Nikki, I love your blow-out results. How do you do it? Are you afraid of damage or curl loss?

CURLYNIKKI’s RESPONSE: Thanks chica! I love a good blow-out as it allows me to channel my inner Chaka-Diana-mega-diva and also serves as a great primer for sexy updos and voluminous twist-outs. I try not to do it too often and reserve them for more thorough trim sessions and special occasions. Below, you’ll find my tried and true and least damaging methods for blowing out my curls:

Cleanse thoroughly (shampoo, not a cleansing conditioner), condition and deep condition for 30 minutes.
Detangle and apply a light coating of leave-in conditioner and/or oil (locking in your moisture) and apply a heat protectant. Some products will both seal and protect!
Blot excess moisture and allow hair to air dry for 15 minutes prior to starting. Blow drying wet hair can lead to loss of elasticity and in the long run, breakage.
Keep the heat setting on low-medium, speed on high with the air from the nozzle blowing down the shaft (not up the strands or straight on, as it will disturb the cuticle).
Blow dry in small sections, twisting completed sections to keep them out of the way as you continue.
I use a high quality ceramic dryer with a comb attachment as it allows my uncoordinated self to quickly move through my entire head without having to juggle a paddle brush in one hand the dryer in the other. Plus, I find the well spaced teeth on the comb less damaging than a brush of any kind. I also find the short blow-out time (thanks to the nifty comb attachment) allows for less heat exposure which of course means less potential for damage.

When I want less manipulation, I like to tension blow dry in which you simply stretch your hair with one hand and in a downward motion, blast your roots with warm (not hot) heat. It’s less manipulation than your typical blow out, and gently straightens your roots, which will result in less shrinkage and great twist-outs and braid-outs!

I hope this helps you achieve diva-licious hair with less stress and worry of damage!

Nikki “CurlyNikki” Walton is a successful psychotherapist and creator of one of the most credible online sources about natural haircare, maintenance, and decoding the psychological ties between black women and their hair. Visit her at her blog CurlyNikki or follow her on Twitter @CurlyNikki.

Yes, you can blow dry your hair with a leave-in conditioner as long as the product has heat protectant properties.

This should be clearly stated on the product label.

Some leave-in conditioners that have heat protection at the same time are:

Pureology Color Fanatic
Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In
Sun Bum Revitalizante 3 in 1 Leave-in
Redken One United All-In-One

Let’s see. When faced with this type of question, I like to appeal to common sense.

If you’re using a leave-in conditioner, it’s because you were somehow unhappy with the appearance of your hair.

Maybe it was frizzy, or you couldn’t control it when you tried to innovate with a new hairstyle. Or, you simply wanted to improve your hair nourishment routine.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: 7 pros and cons of leave-in conditioners (hint: the cons aren’t so bad)

So, along the lines of common sense, you already know that if you abuse heat tools, no conditioner will help.

The hair’s worst enemy is excessive heat, whether it’s prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays without any protection, the heat radiated by blow dryers or flat irons.

Continuing with common sense, since you need to dry your hair and do it with maximum protection, you should use a particular type of leave-in conditioner. It should also be a heat protectant.

Too wonderful to be true?

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: How hot does a hair dryer get? What is the best temperature for drying hair?

Not at all. To prove it, I’ll even tell you what the best leave-in conditioners are so you can even use your blow dryer.

Tabla de Contenidos

What makes all the difference when it comes to drying your hair is that the leave-in conditioner is also a heat protectant
4 leave-in conditioners that are also heat protectants
- Pureology Color Fanatic
- Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In
- Sun Bum Revitalizante 3 in 1 Leave-in
- Redken One United All-In-One
Can I use a flat iron or curling iron if I applied a leave-in conditioner?
Conclusions

What makes all the difference when it comes to drying your hair is that the leave-in conditioner is also a heat protectant

Leave-in conditioners are designed to repair hair, but they have a limit.

If you bleach your hair three times in one week, you’re likely to end up picking strands up off the floor regardless of the amount of conditioner you apply.

If you color your hair and apply conditioner looking for a miracle, but use any type of shampoo, the color will fade faster.

Although leave-in conditioners are excellent, if you want to nourish your hair and protect it from the blow dryer, you should use a conditioner with heat protectant properties.

Yes, I know it’s extra work. There’s nothing more boring than reading product labels carefully.

But I can assure you that the extra work is worth it. The health of your hair is at stake.

You’re probably determined to improve it if you’ve opted to introduce a leave-in conditioner into your hair beauty routine.

As I don’t want you to give up on the first try, I’ve done the work for you. Here are the leave-in conditioners you can apply to your hair to blow dry it after.

I knew you’d breathe a sigh of relief. But before I give you names, let me give you a pro tip.

I recommend you use your hairdryer on medium heat for best results. As the cuticles open up with heat, they’ll absorb the conditioner faster.

Now let’s take a look at those products that will make for a perfect trio of wet hair, leave-in conditioner and blow dryer.

4 leave-in conditioners that are also heat protectants

Pureology Color Fanatic

This spray conditioner is vegan, sulfate-free, and contains a heat protectant.

If you color your hair and are concerned about its health after washing, you can use the blow dryer. It’ll protect your hair from heat and take care of your color to prevent fading.

Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In

Do you want to blow-dry your curls after shaping them with conditioner?

Then, here’s the answer to your prayers. This conditioner with a heat protectant is specially designed to blow-dry your curls.

Sun Bum Revitalizante 3 in 1 Leave-in

Are you one of the lucky ones who live in some of those wonderful beach spots, flooding social media with photos during vacations?

Besides making me terribly envious, I’m human. I’ll give you a tip.

The best thing to do if you want to use the blow dryer after applying the leave-in conditioner is to use this product.

It contains a sun protection factor (SPF) and will protect your color from the high temperatures of the sun. You can apply it on your straight or curly hair as it works wonders on all hair types.

It’s also valid for those who only enjoy the beach a few days a year.

Redken One United All-In-One

This brand offers a leave-in spray that is for all hair types and textures. It protects your hair from external factors by creating a shield. It’s great for managing frizz, and heat protectant if you want to use the blow dryer.

Now that we’ve clarified how the leave-in conditioner and curling iron get along, let’s move on to that question I’m sure is on your mind.

Can I use a flat iron or curling iron if I applied a leave-in conditioner?

Yes, of course, you can. However, you’ll need to blow dry your hair first, as both the flat iron and blow dryer are used on dry hair.

Of course, this is if you don’t have a straightener or curling iron for wet hair. Yes, times have changed, and some straighteners and curling irons are for wet hair.

That was unthinkable in the old days unless we wanted to start a fire in our clients’ hair. But everything is moving forward.

Now, if your flat iron or curling iron isn’t designed with this latest technology, don’t even think about using it on wet hair, Otherwise, you run the risk of having an accident or burning your hair.

Straighteners and curling irons should always be used on dry hair, except for those that are designed for wet hair.

Now that you know this, the routine would have three steps:

Apply conditioner to damp hair
Blow-dry your hair with a hairdryer
Style your hair with a flat iron or curling iron

A leave-in conditioner with a heat protectant will come in handy if you want to protect your hair from excessive heat damage.

What if you apply this product to your dry hair?

In that case, my advice is to wait a few minutes for your hair to fully absorb the conditioner. Then, you can start styling your hair.

Remember that the leave-in spray conditioner is absorbed much faster than the creamy one. So, you only have to wait a few moments.

Conclusions

Some leave-in conditioners also work as heat protectants. So, you can use the blow dryer after applying the product to your hair.

Remember that wet hair, straighteners, and curling irons never go hand in hand unless your tools are specifically designed for wet hair.

Do you put leave in conditioner before blow drying natural hair?

“Before blow drying any hair of any texture, you should always apply a leave-in conditioner (like MIZANI's D'Tangle Moisturizing Leave-In Milk) or blow drying serum,” shares MIZANI Artist Leatrice Carter of Time Studio.

Can I blow dry my hair after leave in conditioner?

Since you don't need to wash leave-in conditioner out after, you can simply apply it to your wet hair before bed, for example. Let your strands absorb it while you sleep, or use it before blow drying or using heat styling to offer a layer of protection.

Can I use leave in conditioner before heat styling?

Heat-Styling Before- and After-Care Leave-in conditioners are great for prepping your strands before using heat styling tools. Along with the use of a heat protectant, a leave-in conditioner can help protect against and even prevent damage caused by heat styling.