So I never changed up my shampoo or conditioner and I never applied any product before drying my hair. If your hair is super long and thick, then you might have a few pieces sticking out of the Turbie Towel but the product has a pocket of fabric included in the design for this very purpose. Everyones hair is different and what works for you might not be the best option for another curly-haired lady. Definitely worked but kinda hard to keep it to stay up. I used for drying my hair by scrunching it and worked for sure. Participate in product testing surveys discussions etc. I was originally making a list of potential turbans & towels to try (based on suggestions from a question box in my stories). Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I also felt like I had to really pull on the twist of fabric which tugged on my hair line to try to get the towel to get in the loop. I like the pull-tie feature but the threads securing it seem fragile and I can see myself needing to stitch it up down the road. If youre looking to drastically reduce your blow-drying time and save your strands from heat damage and breakage, this lightweight towel is perfect. Cotton towels might work okay for certain hair types, however we only recommend microfiber since the majority of our audience has curly hair. They also have a copper version which I believe just helps to reduce bacteria that lives on the towel. :) Slightly skeptical to give up my old fave, I admit I was curious to see how the towel would perform in my hair, as opposed to the shirt. This reduces the friction on your strands, helping you maintain healthy hair and decreasing the risk of split ends and frizziness. Also, since your hair is drying on the top of your head rather than down your back, it will result in bouncier curls and more lift. She considered dozens of products for this roundup, evaluating each on how quickly they dried hair, quality, absorbency, and extra features. Some people like to cup a towel around their wet hair and scrunch it up but this isnt necessary with a good-quality microfiber cloth. The Crown Affair towel ended up being my favorite towel option it did a great job at absorbing water and was really comfortable to wear. The results I achieved were pretty normal for me, big hair, with slight frizz, and minimal curl definition. How To Take Care of It, Styles, and Products. Your hair thickness will also come into play so if youve got thick, long hair, youll need a towel thats big enough to dry all that hair. After getting out of the shower I wrung out my hair with my hands 3 times before putting it up in the towel/turban/t-shirt. The Turbie Twist removes just enough water so youre not dripping all over the floor but then you still have enough moisture left to apply your favorite styling products. Click here to read user reviews, see more images, check current pricing and to purchase the Turbie Twist Microfiber Towel. HOPESHINE Microfiber Hair Drying Towel Turban, 3-Pack, The Best Heat Protectants for All Types of Hair, Best for Curly Hair: I purchased 8 towels/turbans and one towel by The Perfect Haircare was provided by the company with no requirement for review. OConnor recommends plopping the hair by following the same steps as above, being sure to either use a microfiber towel or a t-shirt to wrap the hair. She noted that When left to air-dry, hair has a higher chance to get damaged. (quote from the caption of the linked post). Aquis tailors its products to all types of hair lengths and textures. Larger towels are always going to have a greater function for thicker and longer lengths, as you want to have your hair fully encapsulated and covered while soaking up excess water, she says. Compared to when I wrapped my hair in a cotton t-shirt for 10 minutes, the microfiber towels & turbans took 23% less time to dry my hair. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Material: Microfiber, polyester | Absorbency: Super | Hair Type: All hair types | Machine Washable: Yes. Step-By-Step DIY Guide, How Much Does Balayage Cost for Short, Medium, and Long Hair, Works well for curly, wavy, kinky and straighter hair types, Is lint-free, hypoallergenic and easy to clean, Maintains hairs natural texture and shine, Might be too small for people with longer hair. The Aquis brand is a mainstay in the haircare niche; plus, theyre passionate about female empowerment. Can a Microfiber Towel Keep Your Hair Healthy? Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Time to splurge. Microfiber towels are designed specifically for drying your hair with minimal damage. Theres also no loop to keep it in place so hopefully youre skilled at the plop method! Since microfiber towels are made of fine materials, youre better off hand-washing them. This drys my hair without roughing it up! We just wish it was slightly bigger since some people point out it can be a bit small for those with thicker and/or longer hair. Life-changing, simple to use, and effective are just a few of the words happy reviewers use to describe this extra wallet-friendly pick. When I compare it to a regular bath towel, the difference was smaller, but it still took 16% less time. Curly hair types are more prone to frizz, making a dedicated hair towel even more important. When I get out of the shower, I do wring my hair out with my normal towel, then I brush it out so it goes into this towel fully brushed in front of my face, the same direction you you put this on. Material: Microfiber | Absorbency: Moderate | Hair Type: Curly and wavy | Machine Washable: Yes. Are you thinking about purchasing a microfiber hair towel? Im very glad I did! TWIST: Twist your hair securely as you would with a normal bath towel. Curl Centric has an affiliate relationship for some of the products that we recommend. When drying my hair, I use the plop method and let the shirt absorb any water for about 10 minutes. Other suppliers recommend that you hand-wash the towel and then allow it to hang dry. Then, bend over at the waist so that you can flip your hair over your head. Also, they can increase your chances of split ends. They also last longer, making them a worthy investment. I leave it for maybe 10-15 mins and when I take it down, my hair isn't tangle and it's damp all over. By the way, she is a wealth of knowledge and her IG page is an outstanding resource for all things skin and hair!). Dont feel like rocking a towel turban? Other than the price, I love everything about this. When it comes to hair towels, hairstylist and artistic director at Matrix Michelle OConnor says the first feature to look at is what material is made of to ensure it wont damage the hairand whatever you do, avoid traditional terry cloth. For context, the Perfect Haircare is 27.5 and the Crown Affair is 32 inches long). If it feels nice and soft on your face, itll be nice and soft on your hair, too. Just FYI, the size is best for short hair. With that in mind, those with shorter hair wont need all of that extra fabric and can opt for smaller designs. Press Esc to cancel. Material: Microfiber, polyester blend | Absorbency: Super | Hair Type: All hair types | Machine Washable: Yes. It is very similar to the AQUIS except this one is more plush and the elastic band is a bit more padded which made it slightly more comfortable. DevaCurl DevaTowel Anti-Frizz Microfiber Towel. I continued to dry my hair until it felt dry and then I stopped the timer and recorded the total amount of time in MM:SS. Its a good size for short and long hair and it stays put so you can go about your business while you dry your hair, which is great for getting ready in the morning. (To that point, the towel itself also dries super quickly.) You can also leave the towel on your head overnight if youre washing your hair in the evening. (I chatted with Annalisa about this and regarding the blow dry on cold she added that you can also use a heat treatment and blow dry on medium heat, which may be more comfortable in the winter. It comes in a variety of colors and two different sizes for different hair lengths. All the while still keeping your curls intact, given that it comes from a curly-hair-specific brand. I've stopped blow drying my hair because it's not so wet anymore. I asked my followers which other hair towels or turbans I should try (see the complete list of recommendations at the end of this post) and although I only planned to review 5once again curiosity got the best of me and I ended up reviewing 9 microfiber turbans/towels. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. What Is the Bleach to Developer Ratio? I also think this did a slightly better job than other microfiber towels in terms of reducing frizz. Melanie Rud is a Chicago-based writer with 10 years of experience covering beauty. This one is best for people that want to travel with a hair towel because it dries really quickly after use. This was my first attempt at using a microfiber towel to dry my hair, and the difference in materials definitely showed. While sitting or standing, lay a towel out vertically in front of you. I think this towel would work best for shoulder length hair, mine is about an inch from touching the end of this towel when I'm putting it on. Check out the video at the end that talks more about this one and shows a close up look at the fabric. At first I thought it was going to be too small, but I didnt have any issue with it (but in general I still prefer the larger size of the AQUIS and DevaCurl). Theyre less fluffy than a cotton towel but more effective at drying hair and reducing frizz. Cotton towels are also very drying and end up taking too much moisture out of your hair, leaving it prone to damage. DevaCurl DevaTowel Anti-Frizz Microfiber Towel, The Best Products for Curly Hair to Thrive, Best for Long Hair: Whether curly or straight, terry cloth tends to rough up the hair shaft, which causes frizziness and may even contribute to split ends, she says. Its smooth texture wont lift your cuticle so your hair stays frizz-free and gorgeous. Yes! Since it seemed unique both in the fabric and design, I decided to accept their offer and try the towel. For years I just used a bath towel to wrap my wet hair before air drying or blow drying, but then I bought an AQUIS hair turban and became a hair turban convert. Today, the brand is well known among haircare aficionados and even made it to the INC 500 list of the fastest-growing companies in America. There might be some trial and error that goes on before you find what works best for your particular hair type. Legal Information: Curl Centric services, articles, content, and products are provided for informational purposes only. In this article, we review the best hair towels for curly hair, however these towels are pretty universal and work well for nearly all hair types. I will say though, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to use the towel, and since I have purchased 3 of them (you can never have too many). When wrapping your hair in a towel, OConnor recommends first beginning with freshly washed hair thats saturated with your styler or moisturizer of choice, then laying your towel out on a chair, bed, or countertop. This one is an especially great choice, an Amazon standout that has nearly 30,000 (yes, you read that correctly) glowing reviews. On both of these occasions, I rocked a wash & go for my style and used the same products for each one, that way I knew I would get similar results. We may receive compensation if purchases are made using our affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. I always bought AQUIS turbans whenever they were on sale, and Ive given them as gifts because I like them so much. [] really help with shedding. Its clearly stood the test of time, and now Amazon shoppers give it five-star ratings time and time again. This towel is durable, super soft, and lighter than a conventional towel. So because of this, I now wear a hair towel even when I dont plan to blow dry my hair. We conducted hours of research on the best hair towels and tried out some of the best models on the market, our testers evaluating each on quality, absorbency, and value. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough hair towels from Black-owned and/or Black-founded businesses to meet this percentage. Lots of women found that the towel was too thick for the plop method so consider your hair length and thickness before purchasing. I also love the look and feel of this chic waffle fabric. Since its an efficient drying material, you dont have to rub your hair ragged. She recommends absorbing as much water as possible with a towel and then using a hairdryer on the cold setting but my compromise to that on a busy day when I plan to air dry my hair is to wear the hair towel for as long as possible before leaving for the day. The microfiber blend is made of 80% polyester and 20% polyamide for a soft, lint-free, and hypoallergenic fabric. Who else recommends it? The Target and the YoulerTex were a bit too small/short for my long hair & pieces of hair always stuck out. During my last order, I decided it was time to try and I picked this one. They limit frizziness and gently keep the cuticle smoothed, she says. My hair tend to be dry, this is one way to give them extra protection. The size is great for all lengths of hair, and the price cant be beaten even more so considering this comes in a pack of two towelsthat also come in all different colors. These towel-inspired scrunchies are, in our humble opinion, a brilliant invention. I think the large baskets of the AQUIS and DevaCurl were the easiest to capture all of my hair (and they were even better than the Turbie Twist which had a length of 30 inches but had a small basket). A big benefit of the AQUIS is that you can often find it for around $15 at places like TJ Maxx or sometimes the Today Show has this as a 50% Today Show Deal. productslearn more about For the two days that I did not use any towel/turban/t-shirt I just wrung out my hair and then immediately began blow drying it. Only thing is I couldn't get it to stay up on my head haha. So because of that it wasnt the most comfortable to wear. Just be sure to slowly lower your hair into the towel or t-shirt as you begin in order to preserve your natural curl pattern. Since this is available at Sephora, this is a good thing to buy when they have their sales. After drying your hair, apply your preferred styling product and allow it to sit in your hair undisturbed. LOOP: Loop twisted through elastic band and the hair towel will stay in place. YES! My go-to on my wash days when drying my hair is is to work with a soft, cotton, t-shirt, and then prep for hair for a twist out or wash and go, and then let it dry overnight. Just put it on, twist it, and loop the fabric to secure it around your head for a customized fit. Target Room Essentials Hair wrap$10 for 2I wanted this to be amazing, and perhaps if you have shorter hair this might be a winner, but I felt like it was too small for my preference. Absorb more water and cut down on dry time, Be more durable and last longer over time. From there, I went in and applied my styling products and I was good to go. Another feature OConnor recommends looking for is a towel that has the ability to button or fasten to stay on your head. If you want to bypass the towel turban process, then use your towel to cup your wet hair section by section and give it a gentle scrunch to remove excess moisture. I repeated the process twice for everything and took an average (I was very surprised to see how reliable this process was as usually my first and second time for each product was within seconds of each other). Kitsch Quick-Drying Hair Turban$23This is a nice option for a hair wrap. Some towels are machine-washable and can also go in the dryer. There are different types of curls and waves so if adding your styling product before drying works well for you, thats perfectly fine. My friend Annalisa on Instagram (@skinperspective) has a really fascinating post on hair health that highlighted how even air drying your hair isnt great because hair is weakest when wet. Does It Work? Theyre thicker than a standard scrunchie, made of a microfiber material thats similar to that of the brands towel that we love so much. Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. I think that something with at least 27-inch length tended to be best for me (to see the dimensions of other hair towels recommended by folks, check out the excel file). Yes, of course. What do buyers say? True story, you can use a plain old cotton t-shirt and reap many of the same benefits, says Panos. I did find that when using the shirt, it didn't absorb a huge amount of water, so I did have to squeeze the excess out of my hair before I felt comfortable putting product into it for my style. Vanessa did the research and found the best hair towel ever! So for that reason, I would say that I actually ended up liking this one more than the AQUIS hair wrap (which was the reigning champ before I started this review). Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. So what do you think? A great option for all hair typeseven super coarse and thick, which are the most prone to frizzthis both sops up tons of water and doesnt rough up the cuticle (which, spoiler alert, can lead to frizz). Theyre also wonderful at absorbing excess water without overly drying out the hair.. Specially created to be extra absorbent and gentle enough to prevent damage, hair towels help reduce frizz and speed up dry time. The shape is so smart (see the video below), the elastic strap is nice and large, the fabric feels lovely, and it looks chic on (that really doesnt matter but its worth noting that I feel nice in it). Its 80% more absorbent than other towels, working to quickly sop up the water. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.comand we will evaluate the product ASAP. I noticed that even though almost all of the hair towels or turbans were microfiber, the composition of the microfibers varied, as did the feel of the fabric (some were silky, some looked like looped terry cloth, some looked fuzzy and fluffy etc. Bustle. Here are a few top picks for curl-friendly microfiber towels that will reduce your drying time and your chances of breakage and frizz. Microfiber towels are made of fine fibers that are fitted close together along the surface of the towel. Best Microfiber Hair Towel for Curly Hair. Yes, this is a dedicated hair towel, but wed really like it if the brand made it in a full-size body versionits one of the loveliest, most plush towels weve ever used. On the whole, the DevaTowel is a high-performing microfiber towel from a reputable brand. Microfiber towels are better for your hair than using cotton towels, which could be damaging. I went with the XL version to differentiate it a bit from the Target brand and Amazon (YoulerTex) hair turban I already had. Youll also want to consider the size of the towel. But I have always just tried the original Lisse Hair Wrap). When it comes to your start-to-finish hair care routinewere talking from washing to drying to stylingwere willing to bet that the towel-drying part of the process is what gets the least attention. Material: Microfiber | Absorbency: Super | Hair Type: All hair types | Machine Washable: Yes. 93% of 800+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars and above. And, of course, you still get all of those frizz-fighting and speed drying benefits. The towels thin material is gentle yet effective and works on thick and thin hair with no need for rubbing or scrunching. At first I wondered if a higher percentage of polyamide would always be best because I read that the introduction of polyamide to a towel increases absorption. Unlike many other hair towels that can be very thin, this one is extra thick, made of an extremely absorbent microfiber. (Also, I have tried the AQUIS towel, but I didnt like that one because it didnt have anything to secure it to my head like the Crown Affair, and it always fell off. The towel absorbs just enough water to get you ready for your day without depleting your hair of moisture. How Do You Properly Clean a Microfiber Towel? Plus, you get four in one pack, so youll always have one on hand. Click here to read user reviews, see more images, check current pricing and to purchase the DevaCurl DevaTowel. Overall, the majority of users find it to be a good size and a great way to minimize the potential damage caused by drying curly hair. The day I used the t-shirt to dry my hair, I did have to use a bit more styling gel to really bring in more curl definition, but when I used the towel I didn't have to do this. I also came to realize that I am not a fan of turbans that dont have an elastic band because they felt too small and it was harder to get all of my hair wrapped up without any pieces of hair sticking out. After 30 mins unwrapped, it's mostly dry. I did still use my K18 every 4th wash and I didnt use that as part of this experiment. How Coconut Oil Ruined My Hair: The Dangers of Coconut Oil, Polo G Dreads: How to Get a Freeform Locs Style Like Polo G, What Is 4B Hair? PLACE: Place Turbie Twist over the back of your head with the elastic loop close to your neck. Their DevaCut quickly became well known in the haircare world and the company soon expanded into a line of styling products. Then place half of the towel at the nape of your neck and gather the sides, bringing them around to the front. My Stylist Says That I Should Apply Product Before Drying with a Hair Towel. The Best Vegan Hair Dyes and Cruelty-Free Hair Coloring Treatments, How To Create Passion Twists Hairstyles With Crochet Braiding Hair. We then combined these testing insights with stylist recommendations to compile a list of the best in show. I didnt think this silky microfiber would absorb water as well as it did, but it really surprised me. Is That Okay? The Aquis Original Microfiber Hair Towel gets the water out while keeping your hairs natural moisture in so your hair stays soft and shiny. lol, I think I have new fave when it comes to drying my hair and prepping for styling. Also, she noted that she keeps her hair in a towel for about 10 min. For turbans, I still prefer a bigger basket to easily gather up my hair. At the 2 minute mark I paused the timer and combed out my hair and then restarted the timer and kept doing a rough blow dry with no brush. Overall, I think there are better options out there. AQUIS Lisse Hair Wrap$30What I always liked about the AQUIS was the generous sized basket that it has to collect the hair (But as mentioned, I now prefer the DevaTwist which is the same larger size and a bit more comfortable around the elastic band). Can I Use Purple Shampoo on Orange Hair? The plop method is one of the most common methods of towel drying curly hair. Material: Microfiber, polyester, nylon blend | Absorbency: Super | Hair Type: All hair types | Machine Washable: Yes. The DevaCurl, A+ Turban, Kitsch Turban, and AQUIS turban all dried my hair between 3 minutes 30 seconds and 4 minutes. At 39 x 20, it may be too small if youve got a lot of hair. This Crown Affair micro fiber towel is the []. There will be no more balancing a bulky towel on your head and straining your neck! etc.). Is a hair towel still useful? Flip your head forward and lay your hair in the center of the towel, she says. DevaCurl DevaTwist$24This was a top recommendation from people and I can see why. I've enjoyed having my hair towel so fair, easy to use and keeps my 2a waves bouncy! Different microfiber towels will contain varying blends of polyester, polyamide, and nylon. Act+Acre Intelligent Hair Towel, Best Budget: Ahead, find our favorite hair towels to leave your hair silky smooth. I had to play around with the perfect wrapping method because at first some hair would like out (the photo is from my first time using it and you can see a strand didnt make it inside the wrap). DevaCurl is a company with 25 years of experience in the world of curly hair, starting as a salon tailored to women with curls. Be aware that some brands of microfiber towels will have slightly different cleaning instructions. Luxe Beauty Essentials Microfiber Hair Towel, The 15 Best Anti-Frizz Products for Every Hair Type, Best for Short Hair: To be fair, all hair towels will help dry your hair faster than a standard towel, but this one really takes the fast-drying cake. What Volume Developer Should I Use to Cover Gray Hair? Definitely prefer the auto-turban shape as mine always come undone if I move my head too much, and would love a better thicker microfiber fabric. It wasnt as thin and flimsy as the Turbie Twist and it wasnt as short as the Target one. Panos says this is her favorite for the curly-haired crowd. Besides, the plop method already scrunches up your curls to some extent, helping to further define your curl pattern. The way it works is the absorbed water gets distributed throughout the length of the towel, encouraging even drying and less swelling of the cuticle. I remember when I first natural in 2013, all of the blogs at the time mentioned that drying hair with a t-shirt was the way to go, so I rocked with it faithfully until my Naturally Curly girls challenged me to try out a microfiber towel instead. Efficient drying leaves your curls or waves nice and soft while the tapered design ensures a better fit on your head. The ultra-fine fibers cut down on friction and eliminate the need to rub your hair, resulting in way less frizz. No hair towel handy? Within 10 to 20 minutes, you should have dry enough hair that you only need to use a diffuser or let their hair air dry for a few minutes to finish up. Theyre also extremely gentle on hair, never pulling or tugging. YoulerTex Microfiber hair towel wrap$10 for 2If you really want a non-elastic hair turban, I think this would be my pick out of the Target brand or Turbie Twist. Youll drastically decrease your drying time with the DevaTowel while reducing frizz and maintaining the health of your hair. I've looked at hair towels for a while and just never felt sold enough to buy one. The Crown Affair also was great because of its unique shape (which looks like a house rather than a regular rectangle). I typically use a t-shirt when drying my hair after a wash day, so I grabbed one of my faves and put it to the test against the microfiber towel. The Original Turbie Twist Microfiber Hair Towel quickly and gently dries hair without damage from heat or friction. While the coarse fibers on a cotton towel can get caught on your strands, the fine fibers on a microfiber towel wont lift your cuticle or promote frizz. So be sure to review the cleaning instructions after purchasing a microfiber hair towel. (All of my least favorite picks are turbans without an elastic band). See the video at the end of the post for more info on this one.