Should you blow-dry your hair upside down? [pros, cons + tips]

You love the look of full, voluminous hair, but achieving it is a different story. While there are plenty of products and techniques you can experiment with to add lift, doing so can be tedious — and it can be frustrating if your efforts fall flat.

The best solution to any haircare challenge is often the simplest one. In this case, that’s blow-drying your hair upside down. Keep reading to see how this tried-and-true technique adds instant volume, plus discover expert advice on how to get out-of-this world volume that lasts all day while still protecting your strands.

The science behind why blow-drying hair upside down works

If you’ve ever tried blow-drying your hair upside down, you’ve probably seen the results: immediate volume at your roots and more body and fullness throughout the rest of your hair. But why is that?

It’s a combination of physics and airflow.

When the strands of your hair lie uniformly together, they can appear flat, especially at the root. Changing the direction of those strands — for example, by changing the part in your hair — temporarily causes your roots to lift and increases the distance between strands, making your hair appear thicker and more voluminous.

When you turn your head upside down, you let gravity do the work of ‘pulling’ your hair away from its natural direction. Applying warm air to your hair while it’s in this position softens the cuticle — the outermost layer of hair — and ‘sets’ your roots in a lifted position, again creating the appearance of thickness and fullness in a longer-lasting way.

3 good reasons to blow-dry upside down

You’ve seen the science but, if you’re still not sold on this simple method, here are three more reasons to try blow-drying your hair upside down:

1. It’s less damaging than other volumizing techniques. Teasing or backcombing your hair — using a comb to push sections of hair down toward the scalp — can be a quick way to make your hair appear fuller, but it comes at the expense of snarled strands, roughened cuticles, and breakage.

   Volumizing products such as mousses, powders, and sprays are gentler on strands but, if you become overly reliant on them or fail to cleanse your hair thoroughly, can cause buildup along the scalp and clog your follicles. This can cause scalp irritation, limit hair growth, and weigh down your hair, making it appear even flatter than before.

   While blow-drying [whether right-side up or upside down] does introduce heat, which can damage hair, with proper protection, it’s a much safer and easier option.

2. It’s one of the best ways to add volume to thin, fine hair. If you have thin or fine hair, you know firsthand that creating volume — let alone lasting volume — can be an uphill battle. But what you might not know is that many of the products formulated to add lift are less effective on thinner hair and can actually weigh your strands down even more.
   
   Here’s why: Thin or fine hair has a smaller diameter and less rigidity than thicker hair. Volumizing products such as thickener typically work by adding a coating to each strand, which increases the diameter and gives a fuller appearance. However, this effect is limited when the starting strand is very fine. Simply put, these products don’t add enough bulk to create sufficient lift.
   
   Then there’s the issue of buildup. Since thin, fine hair lacks the strength to support the added weight of product residue, volumizing products can have the opposite of intended effect, leaving your hair even flatter than before. But don’t despair: Blow-drying your hair upside down adds instant lift without the need for additional products, giving you raised roots and full, lasting volume without the weight.

3. It’s faster than drying your hair right-side up. No need to worry about straining your neck. When you flip your hair upside down, gravity separates it from your scalp and lifts your roots. This allows the hot air from your blow-dryer to circulate more easily than if your strands were laying flat and for moisture to evaporate. The end result is fuller-looking hair with more body and less time spent styling, so you’re out the door that much faster.

10 tips to help you blow-dry your hair upside down like a stylist

1. Start with a strong foundation. Voluminous hair starts in the shower with the right shampoo and conditioner, ideally ones specifically formulated to add lift. If you’re struggling with product residue, excess oil, or hard water buildup adding weight to your strands, try a clarifying treatment to achieve a deeper cleanse.
   
2. Work on damp [not wet] hair. You might be eager to get started, but not so fast: It’s important to remove excess moisture, first. When you apply heat directly to wet hair — whether that’s with a blow-dryer or other tool — any water trapped inside the cuticle will turn to steam. This steam creates fractures within the hair shaft, disrupting the cuticle and weakening each strand’s structure, all of which can reduce tensile strength and elasticity, leaving your hair prone to breakage.¹
   
   Before picking up your blow-dryer, grab an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel and use it to gently squeeze out any excess water; this technique is called rough drying. The key here is to rough dry your hair until it’s approximately 80% dry before you apply heat.
   
3. Apply a heat protectant. Blow-dryers and other hot styling tools can do serious damage to your hair, so be sure to apply a healthy amount of heat protectant. Whether it comes in a spray, serum, or oil, heat protectant creates a protective barrier around each strand and seals the cuticle, which prevents heat from damaging your hair’s keratin core. Some heat protectants offer additional benefits, such as smoothing to keep flyaways at bay. Still worried about heat damage even after applying a protectant? Try setting your blow-dryer to a medium- or low-temperature setting for a gentler dry.
4. Add extra lift with volumizing products. While volumizing products aren’t always suited for thin or fine hair, if you have thick or coarse hair, a volumizing mousse, thickening cream, or texturizing foam could be the perfect addition to your haircare routine. If you do have fine hair and still want to try a volumizing product, opt for one with a lightweight formula to get the lift you’re looking for.
   
5. Work in sections. It may be tempting to blast heat all over your head at once — after all, it seems like that would cut down on dry time — but doing so actually takes longer and exposes all of your hair to unnecessary heat damage. Whether you’re blow-drying upside down or right-side up, it’s important to concentrate on one section of hair at a time. The smaller sections you work in, the better, and the faster you’ll be able to move.
   
6. Avoid applying full heat at the crown. Although stylists recommend that you start blow-drying at the front of your hair and work your way to the back, be careful not to spend too much time on your crown. Your baby hairs — the short, fine hairs along the front of your hairline — are more delicate than the rest of your hair. Applying heat directly to them, especially on high-temperature settings, can damage these hairs, creating flyaways and frizz.
7. Don’t let the end of your blow-dryer touch your hair. Always hold your blow-dryer at least six inches away from your head. Any closer, and you risk drying out strands and damaging the structure of your hair, which could cause frizz, breakage, and split ends.
8. Refine your shape with a round brush. When you flip your head right-side up, don’t be surprised if your hair looks a little wild — there’s still work to be done. Now that you’ve added lift to your roots and body to your hair, it’s time to grab a round brush and continue drying and styling at a lower temperature setting. This way, you enjoy all the volume-based benefits of blow-drying upside down while still getting the style you want.
   
9. Set your style with hairspray. Once you’re happy with how your hair looks, it’s time to set your strands with a light mist of hairspray. Choose one that’s formulated for a flexible hold to maintain volume without making your hair look or feel stiff or crunchy.
10. Create even more dimension with a texturizing spray. Want even more volume? Apply a texture spray after your hair has cooled to create a tousled, touchable look with added texture, body, and dimension.

Thicker, fuller hair starts with Living Proof

Washing away buildup and residue, adding lift to your roots, or creating touchably soft texture — whatever your haircare goals, Living Proof has the products for you. Explore our complete Volume + Fullness line or get a personalized product lineup when you take our free Haircare Quiz.

FAQs

Is it OK to blow-dry hair upside down?

More than OK, blow-drying your hair upside down is a highly effective method for adding fullness and body to your hair without having to use volumizing products. Just remember to work with damp [rather than wet] hair and to apply a heat protectant before you start styling.

Which direction should I blow-dry my hair?

Always direct air down the hair shaft to avoid disrupting the cuticle, as this can cause frizz. As an added bonus, by blow-drying your hair in the direction it grows, you can actually seal the cuticle and achieve a sleeker, more uniform look.

Is it better to blow-dry or air-dry my hair?

Air-drying can bring out the best in your hair’s natural texture but, if it’s volume you’re after, your best bet is to blow-dry — especially to blow-dry upside down.

Should I brush my hair upside down?

While you don’t need to brush your hair upside down to blow-dry it upside down, doing so can add a little extra volume and increase blood flow to the hair follicle which, according to some studies, can promote hair growth.²

Notes