Hair & Beard Care
How to Blow Dry Men's Hair for Volume, Shape and Curls
Short answer: To blow dry men's hair, towel dry until damp, set the dryer to medium heat, attach the flat concentrator nozzle and point the air down the hair shaft from roots to ends. Dry the roots first in the direction you want the style to sit, using your fingers or a vent brush to lift the front. Finish with the cool shot to set the shape. For curly hair, swap the nozzle for a diffuser and dry on low speed.
Heat and nozzle settings that protect the hair
Medium heat with a concentrator nozzle is the right starting point for most men's hair. High heat dries faster but can make hair brittle and frizzy with daily use, and short hair dries quickly enough that it rarely needs it.
The concentrator is the flat, narrow attachment that comes with most dryers. It focuses the airflow so you can direct individual sections, and pointing it downward along the hair smooths the cuticle rather than blasting it open. Keep the dryer 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) from the head and keep it moving so no spot gets too hot.
How to blow dry for volume, step by step
For volume, dry the roots against their natural fall first, then direct them into the final style. Roots set in the direction they cool in, so lifting them early gives height that lasts.
- Towel dry gently until the hair is damp and no longer dripping.
- If you use sea salt spray or a pre-styler, apply it now.
- Rough dry for a minute with your fingers and no nozzle to remove most of the water.
- Attach the concentrator. Starting at the front, lift the roots with your fingers or a brush and aim the air at their base.
- Push the front up and back for a quiff or pompadour, or forward and slightly to one side for a crop.
- Work back through the top to the crown, then smooth the sides flat with the nozzle angled down.
- Hold each section in place and hit the cool shot for a few seconds, then finish the whole head on cool.
Round brush or vent brush: which to use
A vent brush suits most short and medium men's styles; a round brush suits longer hair or big, rounded volume like a pompadour.
A vent brush has an open back and spaced bristles, so air passes through and dries the hair fast while you lift and direct it. It gives a relaxed, natural lift. A round brush lets you roll hair around it and dry it in a curve, which builds a smooth, polished height. For a pompadour, dry the front over a medium round brush and roll it back; for a quiff or messy crop, a vent brush or your fingers are usually enough.
Why the cool shot matters
The cool shot sets the style because hair holds its shape as it cools, not while it is hot. Hair shaped with heat and left warm tends to drop within the hour.
Most dryers have a button that switches to unheated air. Hold a section in place with your brush or fingers, press the button for a few seconds, then release. A final 15 to 20 seconds of cool air over the whole head also cuts down on frizz, which helps in humid summer weather.
Diffusing curly hair without frizz
Curly hair should be diffused, not blasted with a nozzle, to keep the curls grouped. A diffuser is a wide, cupped attachment that spreads airflow gently so curls dry without being blown apart.
- Apply leave-in conditioner and a curl cream or light gel to soaking wet hair first.
- Set the dryer to low speed and low or medium heat.
- Cup sections of curls in the diffuser bowl and lift toward the scalp, holding for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Avoid touching or scrunching until the hair is about 80% dry.
- Finish on cool, then scrunch out any stiffness once completely dry.
- More on the full routine is in our guide on styling curly hair for men.
How to blow dry men's hair: common questions
Is blow drying bad for men's hair?
Daily use on high heat can dry hair out. On medium or low heat, kept moving and at a distance, it is generally fine for most hair types.
Should I blow dry short hair?
It helps even on short hair. Thirty seconds of directed drying is often the difference between a cut that sits right and one that falls flat.
Do I need a heat protectant?
On medium heat and short hair it is optional. If you blow dry daily, use high heat or have long hair, a light heat protectant spray reduces dryness.
How do I get volume without a brush?
Use your fingers to lift the roots while aiming the air at the base, then cool shot. It is also how we suggest styling for thicker-looking hair.
