Whether you’re rushing out the door for an afternoon outside or you’re running from meeting to meeting, hairstyling is often low on the priority list. But even if you don’t have time for a full blowout, you can still look great and have beautiful hair.
Every woman should have a few quick hair tips in her arsenal, says Kristan Serafino, a celebrity hairstylist who’s worked on the tresses of Naomi Watts and Elizabeth Berkley. “Put away your styling tools and embrace your hair’s natural texture with confidence,” she says. Check out these tips for how to bypass your blow-dryer and get beautiful hair fast.
Air-dry Hair in Style
As long as the temperature’s warm enough, air-drying hair is quick and can make you look beautiful. Take these steps to create a pretty, beach-inspired look in a flash:
For straight hair:
- Part damp hair down the middle and divide into four sections (two on each side). Braid each section and let them air-dry. To speed things up in the a.m., you can shampoo at night and sleep in the braids.
- Once it’s dry, undo the braids and tousle your hair with your fingers. A tip to combat frizz is to rub a small amount of shine serum between your palms and rake through your hair.
For curly or wavy hair:
- Apply curl cream to hair, coating from roots to tips. Next, twist pieces of hair around your index finger, leaving them coiled as you slide out your finger.
- Resist touching your hair again until it’s completely dry, says Serafino. Rustling strands can lift the cuticle (your hair’s outer barrier), which can invite frizz-causing humidity.
- Once your hair is dry, gently massage your scalp with your fingers to tousle and get lift at the roots.
Embrace Headbands
Hair accessories, especially headbands, take seconds to put in and give instant style. “They keep hair off your face on hot days, and by pulling hair back and taut around your face, it looks smoother and more polished,” says Serafino.
In lieu of a traditional headband, you can also try a scarf knotted at the nape of your neck. (You can even braid three skinny ribbons or scarves together.) Wear the scarf an inch or two back from your hairline. If it shifts around, crisscross two bobby pins over the scarf in an X just behind each ear to secure.
Make Over Your Ponytail
Ponytails are the ultimate go-to when you’re in a rush and need a quick hairstyle, but if you rely on them day after day, it’s easy to get stuck in a style rut. Instead of your usual ponytail, try a more polished version by incorporating a pretty scarf: Pull hair straight back into ponytail. Then, wrap a scarf around the rubber band, knotting underneath the ponytail and letting the ends hang loose. If your hair and scarf are long enough, braid them together by dividing your ponytail into three sections, adding the scarf to two of the sections and braiding as usual.
Get creative with tips like these, and styling your hair quickly and beautifully will be easier than you think!
