How to Get Silky, Smooth Hair Without Heat
You can always count on heat styling to tackle and tame unwanted frizz. But good news: hair straighteners and curlers aren't your only route to smoother, silkier hair. Whether it's because you're wary of heat damage or you're looking for gentler ways to style, we've got the best heat-free styling methods for hair that looks and feels healthier.
So, let's explore how to smooth frizzy hair without heat. Put the straighteners down and try these techniques for straight, wavy, curly and coily hair...
Heat-Free Styling Tips for All Hair Types
Use Reparative Hair Care
If damaged hair is standing between you and a frizz-free, manageable mane, make ULTIMATE REPAIR part of your regimen. It repairs hair damage in 90 seconds* and leaves your hair 12x smoother**. Start with the ULTIMATE REPAIR Shampoo for an indulgent wash that removes even the tiniest debris, and then treat mid-lengths and ends with the creamy, rich ULTIMATE REPAIR Conditioner. After rinsing with lukewarm water, blot hair dry with a microfiber towel, before misting ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue from root to tip. This supercharged leave-in treatment works in 90 seconds, giving stressed strands a turbo boost of deep nourishment. For extra smoothness, follow with ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In, a delicate cream designed to fight frizz and shield against UV damage.
Rinse with Cool Water
Lukewarm water is a must for rinsing out shampoo and conditioner residue, but for smooth, shiny hair, we recommend giving clean strands a final rinse with cold water. This quick trick encourages the hair cuticle to lie flatter, so you see fewer flyaways. Bonus: that also means extra gloss, as smoother hair can reflect light more easily.
Always Blot Hair Dry
No matter your hair type, you should never rub your hair dry after washing. Instead, blot out excess moisture to avoid ruffling the delicate hair cuticle and causing split ends or breakage. A microfiber towel is your best tool, as it's ultra-absorbent, so it wicks away moisture fast. But because it's so gentle, it also leaves hair soft, smooth, and ready for your go-to hair serums or mousses. If you're towel-drying curly hair, try a 'press and twist' motion, so you're very gently squeezing moisture away while boosting your hair's natural texture and shape.
Blow-Dry Hair with the Cold Setting
Heatless styling doesn’t mean you have to put down the hair dryer. If you still need help from your hair tools, you can set your style in place with your dryer’s coldest setting. Grab a paddle brush or round brush if you’re styling hair straight or attach a diffuser if you’re boosting curls or coils. Then, dry as usual. Cool air will dry hair slower than hot, but it will also be gentler to the hair shaft, enhancing smoothness and shine.
Tweak Hair as it Dries
If your strands aren't super frizzy but they also aren't ultra-smooth, let your hair air-dry loose with just a comb and a few taming tweaks. Start by working a mousse, such as EIMI Root Shoot, through clean, damp hair, then evenly distribute the product with your hands (if hair is wavy or curly) or a comb (if hair is straight). Let your hair dry naturally – preferably with a humidifier on to keep moisture locked into strands. Then, keep an eye out for flyaways, and give your curls a gentle scrunch or comb straight hair each time frizz appears. You can also keep adding extra mousse if needed, until your hair is completely dry. Finish with a drop of ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In to keep strands protected against breakage.
How to Smooth Frizzy, Straight or Wavy Hair Without Heat
Secure with a Claw Clip
Air-drying hair loose isn't for everyone, so if you prefer to keep strands tucked away, use a claw clip. More than just a chic accessory, it secures your hair, creates a 'model off-duty' bend, and prevents frizz from springing out. Divide hair into sections first – one on each side will work – then loosely twist the lengths away from your face and hold them in place with a claw clip at the back of your head. Leave the clips in until your hair is 100% dry, and then let your style loose. You'll have zero-fluff, undone lengths that can be made even smoother with a drop of a taming lotion, like EIMI Perfect Me.
Image Credit: @jentj.silver
Image Credit: @emmmbee
Style Loose Braids for Beachy Waves
Want to work smooth, soft, beach waves, minus the frizz? Then try braiding your way to tousled perfection. First, mist clean, damp, straight strands with EIMI Ocean Spritz, a salt spray that adds guts and texture, and makes fluffy hair more manageable. Then, divide hair into sections and braid them as tight or as soft as you want your waves to be. Keep in mind that more braids = tighter waves, so go for more or less, depending on the wavy look you want.
Once your hair is dry, release your braids, and mist in extra EIMI Ocean Spritz if needed. Follow with EIMI Glam Mist for added shine, so hair appears smooth yet beachy; the surfer-chic dream.
Wet Set with Hair Rollers
Another heat-free way of keeping frizz under control is wet-setting. If a bouncy blow-dry is your style, work EIMI Boost Bounce through clean, damp hair, and section it into four equal parts. Use a fine-tooth comb to pick out one-to-two-inch sections of hair, and wrap tightly around a Velcro or silicon roller, before securing with bobby pins or a grip clip. Keep going until every strand is secured in a roller, and then mist with EIMI Stay Firm hairspray.
From there, it can take several hours for your hair to dry – so you may want to do it overnight. If that's the case, sleep on a silk pillowcase or wrap your hair in a silk scarf, so your rollers are protected. In the morning, release the rollers and (very) gently brush out your hair. A drop of ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In will nourish your heat-free blow-dry and level up that silky hair feel.
Pro tip: Jumbo rollers give you straighter hair while smaller rollers give hair a curl. Make sure you're using the right size roller for your desired look.
How to Smooth Curly Hair Without Heat
Give Hair Plopping a Go
Smoothing curly hair doesn't mean straightening it – it means enhancing your beautiful texture. So, if you want to embrace your natural curls but ditch the frizz, hair-plopping might be for you. After washing and conditioning hair, the trick is to apply a rich, whippy, hair mousse for definition. Try glazing your wet hair with EIMI Boost Bounce mousse to tame frizz and prep for major movement.
Then, stand in front of your bed and lay out a cotton T-shirt. The bottom of the shirt should be closest to your body and the neck farthest away. Bend over, so damp strands fall onto the tee, and slowly lower your head to encourage curls to naturally coil up. When your head reaches the T-shirt, wrap the fabric around your hair, and tie the sleeves together to fasten. You can leave this on for 15-45 minutes, or even overnight if your hair dries slowly. Once released, scrunch in a little more mousse, and let your hair air-dry or diffuse with your hair dryer's cool setting.
Image Credit: @augustoallencar
Pineapple Your Curly Hair
While plopping is great for creating frizz-free curls, pineappling helps to maintain them. It's a quick and easy way of protecting your hair at night, so you don't wake up to crushed ringlets each morning. The name gives it away; the goal is to gather curls up high, so they look like a pineapple, then secure with a loose hair tie. A silk scrunchie is ideal, as it won't put stress on delicate strands. Then, go to sleep safe in the knowledge that curls aren't getting bashed around each time you roll over. In between washes, this method is your secret weapon for smooth, silky ringlets.
Use the Banding Method
A curly hair community favorite; the banding method dries your curlier hair into a looser finish. It's your go-to technique if you want to smooth your hair and stretch your curl without applying any heat. So, how does it work? First, split your towel-dried hair into two or four sections (depending on the thickness), and apply a nourishing styler. ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In or INVIGO Nutri-Enrich Frizz Control Cream are perfect primers for this look.
Then, take one of your sections and, starting at the roots, secure it with a hair tie or hair elastic. Stretch your hair and, directly under the first tie, add another. Keep repeating these steps until the full length of hair has been 'banded', before moving on to the next section. Once you've secured every strand, let your hair dry overnight. Gently remove the hair ties in the morning, shake lengths loose, and mist with NutriCurls Milky Waves for moisture. You'll be working smoother, bouncier curls in no time.
Looking for more ways to look after your hair? Discover our complete collection of hair care guides, packed with professional advice for every type of style.
* When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.
** When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.
