Pumping piping hot air into your house during the dog days of summer isn't the brightest idea to begin with, but factor in the knowledge that repeatedly exposing your hair to high temps isn't doing it any favors in the look-good department and taking a break from your blow dryer can seem like a downright inspired concept. Except for the whole "my hair's going to look like cr**" drawback.

Nice rationalization, but I'm here to tell you (via British Vogue) that if you employ certain key techniques while air-drying your hair, you can step away from the socket without looking like you stuck your finger into one.

READ: The Ultimate Guide to Sun-Proofing Your Hair this Summer

George Northwood, noted London stylist to the stars, says that cut is of paramount importance when trying to eschew heat styling; "I always adapt any haircuts I do to suit the summer months as I know that when the sun is out, my clients are less likely to spend ages heat-styling their hair. So cut is key. I'd recommend having a longer cut with more of an undone feel to it - if your hair is longer then it's less likely to spring up into frizz as the length weighs it down."

Sounds logical and not even the slightest bit like he's trying to get your butt into a stylist's chair. (Ok, maybe a little.)

Next comes the towel dry, which, as it turns out, there's a right and a wrong way to go about. "Really try to get most of the water out -- that way it should be dry by the time you get to work, plus it adds more body. Rigorous towel-drying tends to make the hair a bit knotty, so lightly comb it through once if necessary, but then don't use a comb again after that -- you're trying to work with the natural texture." A tip I like is to use a tee shirt instead of a towel. The fibers of the tee will rough the cuticle much less, resulting in less frizzy results -- a clutch by-product when you're contending with steamy summer conditions.

Norwood also says (and I concur wholeheartedly) that, "With air-drying, a little bit of product is important to stop it from going fluffy. Most hair has a natural wave to it so I'd suggest a wave cream or curl cream." And, at the risk of sounding patronizing, be sure to pick one that isn't heat activated or you'll reap exactly zero benefits from it.

The final step is the hardest, one that'll truly test your mettle: don't touch.

"Just part it where you want and then leave it. The more you play around with the hair after that, the more you'll ruin it," Norwood says and other pros, like curl expert Ouidad, agree. The more you mess with it the worse it's going to look.



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