Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
While investing in the right products and tools for your hair is a no-brainer for many people, one last crucial hair care product is often overlooked: your towel. While using a regular towel to dry hair may seem fine, the standard cotton or terry cloth towel is actually too heavy and rough. This creates far too much friction on wet hair and will ultimately cause more breakage, fragility, and overall damage to the hair, explains hair stylist Virginie Pineda. Hair towels, on the other hand, are designed specifically to be gentle on hair and cut down on drying time — it was only after an unfortunate stint using regular towels in college that I realized how important they were for also keeping my hair healthy. So I turned to six hairstyling professionals and some beauty-savvy Strategist staffers to get their opinions on which hair towels are the best and have compiled a range of their recommendations below for every hair type (and included my own thoughts on a few of my personal favorites).
What
we’re
looking
for
Material
According to hairstylist Patricia Morales, you want your hair towel to be made from microfiber, satin, or soft cotton. “Microfiber towels, by design, reduce the amount of friction your hair is subjected to when towel drying,” she explains, and are the best at wicking away moisture. While satin won’t dry as quickly, it can be a good option for those with curly or wavy hair types who want to maintain their curl patterns. And soft cotton — like one would find in a T-shirt — is best for damaged hair types who need something extremely gentle.
Type of fastener
You’ll want to pay attention to the type of fastener a hair towel uses to ensure it will stay in place as you wait for your hair to dry.
Crown Affair The Hair Towel
$45
$45
Photo: Crown Affair
Material: Waffle microfiber | Type of fastener: Strap
Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens has been using hair towels for about ten years and says, ”They made an instant difference in the way my very fine, curly hair air-dried — softer, less frizz, more defined curls.” She has tried a few different options including Aquis (our original best overall) but says when she tried the Crown Affair towel about two years ago, she “never looked back.” She especially likes the towel’s waffle texture, which she says both “looks and feels nicer” than other hair towels she has tried. And its “slightly larger, unique shape” is great for containing all of your hair — no matter the length. Just slip the ends of your hair through the elastic band in the back and everything stays put, she promises. Kitchens keeps a stack of three on hand in her bathroom. And after testing, I second Kitchens assessment: While I initially liked the Aquis when I first purchased it, I found that the Crown Affair towel is much more absorbent and comfortable to wear around the house.
$45
at Sephora$45
at Crown Affair
Aquis Original Hair Turban
$25
$25
Material: Microfiber | Type of fastener: Button
Strategist contributor Rio Viera-Newton was the first to turn us on to the magic of the Aquis hair towel. “The turban truly — and I’m not being dramatic — changed my life,” she says, and suggests it to anyone “who struggles with frizz or hates waiting around for their hair to dry.” On her recommendation, I started using the turban after the brand kindly gifted me a sample and, after using them after every shower for the past several months, found that my hair looked much healthier than it had before. While I prefer the Crown Affair towel, Aquis is almost half of the price, making it a good budget-friendly option. Unlike traditional hair towels, Aquis’ microfiber uses an “Aquiflex fiber,” a water-wicking fabric made from a blend of polyester and nylon that promises to dry hair twice as fast as a standard bath towel. Both Jenna Perry, founder of Jenna Perry Hair Studio, and hairstylist Patricia Morales recommend the Aquis towel for fine or brittle hair types, because the material is quite lightweight and gentle. Beth Weber, hairstylist and founder of Refuge Hair, suggests it to clients with curly, delicate hair types. “I find that getting great curl definition starts right out of the shower with choosing the correct towel,” she explains. Since curls are most fragile when wet, it is critical to use a gentle fabric and Aquis’ is designed to give curls definition, Weber adds.
$25
at Amazon
Fromm Softees Microfiber Salon Hair Towels
$31
Material: Microfiber | Type of fastener: No fastener
For an even more affordable option, hairstylist Monaé Everett loves these microfiber hair towels from Fromm, which she says “help hair dry faster and reduce frizz.” A ten-pack is $20 cheaper than our best-overall pick, and they come in a variety of colors.
$31
at Amazon
Kitsch Microfiber Hair Towel
From $18
From $18
Material: Microfiber | Type of fastener: Button
Since fine hair is more fragile, hairstylist Marie Elizabeth of Salon deZEN recommends Kitsch hair towels, which have a soft, microfiber material that will reduce hair breakage. She loves that the stretch elastic trim can accommodate all hair lengths. “Pro tip: If you have thick hair, snag two wraps and switch out after five minutes for an even quicker drying time.”
From $18
at Amazon$23
at Kitsch
Devacurl Microfiber Towel
$25
Material: Microfiber | Type of fastener: No fastener
We first heard about the DevaCurl Anti-Frizz Microfiber Towel from actress Sasheer Zamata. Morales is a fan and notes that it quickly dries curls while enhancing their shape without causing frizz. Everett adds that this towel is “larger and thicker” than the average hair towel, so it can more quickly dry curly hair.
$25
at Amazon
Kitsch Satin Quick Dry Hair Towel
$29
$29
Material: Satin-wrapped microfiber | Type of fastener: Button
According to Morales, a towel wrap that uses a combination of satin and microfiber is best for curly hair types. While the microfiber gently wicks away excess water without stripping hair of its natural oils, the satin protects your hair from breakage and split ends. The satin preserves your curl pattern, minimizes frizz, and can be used for overnight plop sets, she adds.
$29
at Ulta BeautyFrom $26
at Kitsch
Volo Beauty Hero Microfiber Hair Towel
$44
$44
Material: Microfiber | Type of fastener: Strap
For thick, frizz-prone hair, Weber suggests Volo Beauty’s Hero towel, which she describes, in one word, as “amazing.” This towel is made with “the softest, gentlest” microfiber fabric that is designed to absorb ten times its weight in water, which will halve your drying time and free you from post-shower frizz, she promises. Size-wise, the Volo towel is one of the largest on this list, which makes it great for those with longer hair lengths, and features a strap at the back to keep it in place.
$44
at Amazon
Act+Acre Intelligent Hair Towel
$30
$30
Material: Waffle-knit microfiber | Type of fastener: Button
When I saw that Act+Acre — the maker of some of our favorite shampoos and hair masks — had recently released a hair towel, I knew I had to get my hands on it to test for myself. Of all the towels I’ve tried, Act+Acre’s is definitely on the plushier end of the spectrum with a microfiber that’s far fluffier than both the Crown Affair and Aquis towels. While I personally prefer a less fluffy texture, I found the supersoft waffle-knit microfiber to be very efficient at absorbing water — it cut my usual drying time by about half. Because of its absorbency, I think it would work well for thicker hair types or those who have higher density. The towel is also $15 cheaper than the Volo above (our top pick for thick hair), but the size runs shorter, so I would recommend it for those with short-to-medium lengths.
$30
at Saks Fifth Avenue
Bathen Hair Towel Wrap
$35
$35
Material: 100 percent cotton | Type of fastener: Button
“My hair usually looks awful air-dried,” says Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla — that is, until she was gifted this hair towel from Bathen, which she says has helped her naturally curly, frizz-prone hair dry much more smoothly. Bathen’s two-toned towels are made with 100 percent cotton using ecofriendly dyes, and are handmade in small batches by artisan cooperatives in India.
$35
at Bathen
Muaves All Satin Hair Wrap
$55
$55
Material: Satin-wrapped microfiber | Type of fastener: Button
Weber prefers this hair wrap for anyone with hair extensions because of its extra-long length and satin-wrapped microfiber material that can be worn to bed to maintain hairstyles overnight while reducing damage, frizz, and bedhead.
$55
at Muaves
BreezyTee T-shirt Hair Towel Wrap
$28
$28
Material: 100 percent cotton | Type of fastener: No fastener
Since hair is most fragile when it’s wet, handling your damp, damaged hair too roughly “is a recipe for disaster,” Morales explains. “The key to drying damaged hair is to be as gentle as possible,” which is why she loves the BreezyTee T-shirt Towels, which are made from the same 100-percent cotton as your favorite tee and are even softer than microfiber, which reduces friction that can cause breakage and split ends. And for a DIY option, Morales says reaching for a soft cotton tee shirt would be a better choice than a bath towel.
$28
at Breezy TeeOur experts
• Marie Elizabeth, hairstylist at Salon deZEN
• Monaé Everett, hairstylist
• Simone Kitchens, Strategist senior editor
• Patricia Morales, hairstylist
• Rio Viera Newton, Strategist contributor
• Ambar Pardilla, Strategist writer
• Jenna Perry, founder of Jenna Perry Hair Studio
• Virginie Pineda, hairstylist
• Beth Weber, hairstylist and founder of Refuge Hair
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