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On thicker hair, a good blowout can last two, even three days. On fine hair, however, you’ll be lucky to get an hour of sleek, bouncy shine. By lunch, your roots have gone flat, your ends are starting to separate, and it’s hard to tell you styled it at all. Fine strands are thinner and more fragile than other hair types, so they lose their shape quickly, show damage fast, and once heat or a towel roughs up the surface of the hair, humidity is the final nail in the coffin.
How to Blow-Dry Hair Without Frizz, According to Vogue
- Best Shampoo: Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo, $32
- Best Detangling Brush: Tangle Teezer Ultimate Detangler Brush, $17
- Best Microfiber Towel: Act+Acre Microfiber Hair Towel, $47
- Best Heat Protectant: Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 Heat Protectant, $14
- Best Anti-Frizz Cream: Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother, $32
- Best Round Brush: Oribe Large Round Brush, $125
- Best Finishing Oil: Verb Fine Hair Oil, $22
Step 1: Start With a Shampoo and Conditioner Catered to Your Hair Type
A smooth blowout doesn’t start at the vanity—it starts in the shower. “Successfully drying hair without frizz always starts with a good wash,” says celebrity hairstylist Olivia Lusala, who tells her clients that shampoo and conditioner “set the foundation for the entire look.” Celebrity hairstylist Gregory Russell stresses choosing formulas that speak to your specific texture. “Everyone’s different, so I really believe in using a shampoo and conditioner that are personalized to your hair’s specific needs, including thickness.” He looks for moisture-retaining ingredients like hyaluronic acid and argan oil, because “starting with properly hydrated hair makes such a difference in achieving a smooth, beautiful blowout.”
Start by saturating your hair with lukewarm water, then work shampoo primarily into the scalp, massaging with your fingertips, and rinse thoroughly. Follow with conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends only—where hair needs moisture most—this will keep fine hair from falling flat at the root.
Ouai
Fine Hair Shampoo
This shampoo is made specifically for fine hair, cleansing thoroughly without stripping, leaving strands with lift and bounce instead of without volume. Bonus points for Ouai’s signature fragrance, which lingers long after the rinse.
R+Co
Bleu Essential Shampoo
R+Co’s elevated Bleu line is a favorite among stylists and colorists alike, and this gentle everyday shampoo is a great place to start if you’re looking to upgrade your hair-care regimen. It cleans without weighing hair down, creating a soft, healthy base for heat styling.
Step 2: Detangle Hair in the Shower
Wet hair tends to break more easily than dry hair, so it’s important to be careful when you’re detangling. Most stylists advise brushing before the shower while hair is still dry, shampooing thoroughly, and once more while hair is coated in conditioner. This last step adds a layer of protection and prevents your hair from knotting after a cleanse.
GHD
The Comb Out Detangling Comb
For seamless detangling, a widely spaced toothed comb is best. This one from GHD glides through wet, conditioner-soaked hair with minimal pulling, making it ideal for delicate strands prone to breakage. Use it before the shower or while you have conditioner in to prevent breakage while hair is damp.
Tangle Teezer
Ultimate Detangler Brush
Tangle Tweezer is a cult classic for good reason. Its flexible, two-tiered teeth work through knots gently, wet or dry, and the ergonomic handle makes it easy to use in the shower or on its own.
Step 3: Remove Excess Water With a Microfiber Towel
Drying our hair is where a lot of us undo our hard work before we’ve even begun. “Wet hair is particularly delicate, and being too aggressive with your towel can rough up the cuticle and create frizz before you’ve even started styling,” warns Russell. Celebrity hairstylist Sabrina Szinay counts rough towel-drying among the most common blowout mistakes, noting that friction lifts the cuticle from the start and creates frizz.
If you want to do it the right way, wrap your hair in a soft microfiber towel or turban and gently squeeze and press out the moisture rather than rubbing. If you’re in a pinch, Lusala says, an old cotton T-shirt works just as well.
Act+Acre
Microfiber Hair Towel
Act+Acre’s lightweight microfiber towel gently soaks up excess water and wraps easily, cutting down on drying time and keeping the cuticle smooth before the blow-dryer comes out. Its special waffle-knit fabric stops friction in its tracks so frizz is greatly diminished.
Crown Affair
The Towel
True to Crown Affair’s ritual-first approach to hair care, this ultrasoft microfiber towel absorbs water quickly while minimizing friction, so you can skip the rough rubbing that leads to frizz. It’s ideal for any hair type, but especially fine, delicate strands that are prone to breakage when wet.
Step 4: Protect Hair Before Drying
A heat protectant is a nonnegotiable for frizzy hair. “Always protect the hair before drying,” says Szinay, who lists skipping it among the biggest blow-drying mistakes. Lusala agrees, and points out that the right spray does double duty: It shields hair from heat and helps guard against humidity. “It’s the very first move toward a smooth, frizz-free blowout,” says celebrity hairstylist Nicolas Flores. To start, shake your heat protectant well and apply it generously and evenly to damp hair, section by section, from roots to ends. Despite hair looking smooth while you’re styling, it can still turn frizzy as it cools or as you step into humidity, so seek out a protectant with anti-frizz benefits.
Eva NYC
Mane Magic 10-in-1 Heat Protectant
Ten benefits for the price of one: Think a heat protectant spray that helps with breakage, split ends, and frizz, enriching hair with antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins for less frizz and more shine. Plus, the vegan formula is lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh down fine hair.
IGK
Good Behavior 4-in-1 Prep Spray
IGK designed this spray to mimic the smoothing effect of a keratin treatment. The product instead uses a formaldehyde-free bonding polymer that coats each strand once heat hits it, while ingredients like spirulina, corn, soy, and wheat proteins help strengthen. Expect protection up to 450 degrees and humidity’s less than favorable effects to stay away for up to 24 hours.
Step 5: Apply Lightweight Anti-Frizz Cream
While it’s tempting to skip this step because those with fine or thin hair tend to want to avoid more products that can make their scalp more oily or weighed down. Despite the common misconception, you still need moisture to stay smooth (as long as the formula is light). Russell looks for products that “provide moisture and heat protection without leaving the hair feeling coated or heavy.”
How much you use matters just as much. Lusala starts small, with “roughly a dime to a quarter size depending on your length, density, and texture,” and keeps it on the mid-lengths and ends, well away from the roots. If your ends tend to feel dry, Szinay likes to work a little oil through before the dryer comes out. “It smooths the cuticle and seals in moisture, so your hair isn’t left craving hydration from the air,” she says.
Amika
Frizz-Me-Not Treatment
Amika’s Frizz-Me-Not works as a leave-in conditioner and a smoothing treatment at once, but the magic really starts when you blow-dry. The heat activates its smoothing complex and humidity shield, which keeps frizz away for up to three days, while sea buckthorn, the brand’s signature ingredient, adds softness and shine.
Olaplex
No. 6 Bond Smoother
If your hair has been through a lot of color or heat, this one earns its spot on your shelf. Olaplex’s patented bond-building ingredient works inside the strand, repairing the bonds that heat and bleach break down, so hair is stronger and less likely to frizz in the first place. Comb half a pump through damp hair and it’ll keep frizz down for up to 72 hours and cut down your drying time.
Step 6: Blow-Dry Hair With Tension
“The secret to a really beautiful, polished blowout is consistent tension and controlled airflow,” Russell says. The first step is to start by rough-drying with your hands and lifting at the roots, waiting until hair is about 70% to 80% dry (Russell goes up to 90% to limit direct heat). If you have curly hair, Lusala advises to skip this part because curls need that moisture to smooth out.
Next, clip hair into small sections. “Big sections are a common problem because the brush can’t grip all the hair, and the inside never dries smooth,” Szinay says. Next, hold the concentrator nozzle just above the brush and point the air from roots to ends. Celebrity hairstylist Miguel Luis opts for boar-bristle brushes because they “help distribute natural oils, enhance shine, and create a beautifully smooth finish.” Keep the hair taut as you go through each section. “Tension is key,” Lusala says.
As a final tip, make sure each section is completely dry before you move on. “Even slightly damp hair can puff up afterward and cause frizz,” Lusala warns. A hairstylist hack we had no idea about? Finishing each section with the cool shot. For added volume and an extra layer of bounce, Russell pin-curls one or two sections at the crown and lets them cool.
Dyson
Supersonic Hair Dryer
Yes, it’s an investment, but the Dyson Supersonic checks its air temperature more than 40 times a second so it never gets too hot, which matters a lot when your hair breaks easily. It comes with five attachments, including a concentrator for smoothing and a gentle air attachment made for fine hair.
Oribe
Large Round Brush
Boar-bristle brushes add shine by moving natural oils from the scalp to the mid-lengths and ends. Oribe’s large round brush has a hand-varnished beechwood handle built for grip and enough hold and size to keep tension through every section. Plus, it looks oh-so-beautiful on any vanity.
Step 7: Use a Finishing Oil to Safeguard Against Humidity
According to Lusala, finishing oil or serum has two main functions: first to smooth hair during the blow dry to prevent frizz, and second to protect the finished hairstyle from humidity after it has dried. Once your hair is fully dry, rub one or two drops of oil between your palms and smooth it over the mid-lengths and ends, making sure to stay away from the roots. Luis’s technique involves a little cocktail-making—he blends oil with a styling balm to tame flyaways without making hair stiff. If you’re using a curling iron or flatiron afterward, he advises to add another layer of heat protectant first.
Verb
Fine Hair Oil
If your hair goes flat the second oil touches it, start here. Verb’s Ghost Oil includes a powerhouse of ingredients like moringa seed oil, a featherweight oil that smooths frizz and brings back shine, in addition to argan oil and bamboo extract to help strands hold up against breakage.
Moroccanoil
Moroccanoil Treatment Light
If the original Moroccanoil Treatment has always felt a bit too rich for your hair, this is the one to try. It’s made for fine and light-colored hair, so you still get the argan oil and linseed extract that soften strands and make them shine, just in a much lighter formula that won’t flatten your blowout. Work one pump through towel-dried hair before drying, and keep a drop on hand for flyaways once you’re done.
Everything You Need to Know
Why is my hair frizzy even when I blow-dry it?
Frizz after a blowout is especially maddening because it feels like you did everything right. According to Flores, it usually traces back to “moisture levels in the hair, humidity, damage, or the blow-dry technique itself.” Lusala sees the same routine over and over again: not enough brush tension, starting on hair that’s too wet, and products that don’t suit your hair type.
How do I avoid frizz when air-drying?
“The key to avoiding frizz when air-drying is applying the right products while your hair is still damp and then leaving it alone while it dries,” Flores says. Russell’s go-to product is a lightweight leave-in on fine hair and a styling cream on curly or wavy hair, applying it from the ends up to the mid-lengths, working the face-framing pieces and roots last. Szinay starts with an oil to seal in hydration, then adds an air-dry cream for light hold. After that, it’s of the utmost importance to stop touching your strands. “The less you touch the hair while it’s drying, the better the result will be,” Russell says. “The fingers tend to carry oil and debris.”
What are common blow-drying mistakes?
“One of the biggest mistakes is rushing the process,” Lusala says. Other common ones include starting on soaking-wet hair, working in sections that are too big, and pointing the dryer in the wrong direction. “Aim it down the shaft, from root to tip. That is what lays the cuticle flat,” Szinay says. She also warns against skipping the concentrator nozzle, which lets the air scatter and rough up the cuticle.
Too much heat is another problem. That includes and encompasses skipping heat protectant, holding the dryer too close, or staying in one spot too long. All of these mistakes dry out hair and lead to more frizz over time. Finally, don’t move on until each section is completely dry—because slightly damp hair is the first to puff up later.
How We Tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity hairstylists—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to anti-frizz products, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, texture, packaging, finish, and the hair-care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you. Read more about our testing methodology here.
Meet the Experts
- Gregory Russell is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist whose clients include Anya Taylor-Joy, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Lawrence.
- Nicolas Flores is a celebrity hairstylist and the cofounder of the luxury hair salon Flore.
- Olivia Lusala is a celebrity hairstylist who specializes in curly hair styling, texturizing, and color treatments.
- Miguel Luis is an editorial and celebrity hair stylist with over 10 years of experience.
- Sabrina Szinay is a professional hairstylist who has 15 years of experience as a session stylist on set for brands like Dior, Jacquemus, and Hermès.
