These Hair Towels Will Dry Your Hair in Half the Time

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There’s nothing worse than having to wait for your hair to dry. Whether you opt to risk it and let your hair air-dry or always end up blow-drying your strands after you step out of the shower, hairstylists promise that using a hair towel can help significantly improve your hair’s health and appearance. But what exactly should you look out for when shopping for hair towels? And which hair towels do hairstylists actually use? To answer these questions, our beauty editor, Nicole Saunders, spoke with stylists about all things hair towels.

The Best Hair Towels

• Best Overall: Aquis Flip Hair-Drying Tool

• Best for Fine Hair: Yes Tree Organic Bamboo Hair Towel Wrap

• Best Value Set: Turbie Twist Microfiber Hair Towel (4-pack)

• The Oprah-Approved Brand: Cozy Earth Hair Towel

• Best Personalized Gift: Weezie Towels Hair Towel

What to Consider

Material

According to hairstylist Nicholas Taylor and Shvonne Perkins, master colorist at Madison Reed, microfiber hair towels are the gold standard. Since they gently soak up water from wet strands without damaging the hair shaft, they’re an excellent option for virtually every hair type, length, and texture. They’re also more absorbent and fight frizz by smoothing strands of hair.

“Think of your hair and skin like fabrics with different strengths and malleability. Figuratively speaking, the skin on your body is like cotton, and your hair is like silk,” says Taylor. “A terry cloth might be totally appropriate for your skin, and the texture is actually helpful in removing water quickly from your body. But that rougher texture isn’t doing any favors to your hair because it’s creating surface friction.”

Microfiber towels are also a more suitable option if you dye your hair. "Having friction in the drying process and roughing up the cuticle leaves your [color-treated] hair open to quickly fading," adds Perkins.

Size

Your hair texture and fullness, also called density, will help you determine the best hair towel size to shop for your hair. Taylor says hair towel size is important because you want to make sure it’s large enough to wrap all of your hair and thick enough to handle the moisture that comes out of your strands.

Luckily, most of the hair towels on our list, such as the PATTERN Microfiber Towel and DevaCurl DevaTowel Anti-Frizz Microfiber Towel, are one-size-fits-all for the most flexibility. As for the only outlier, the Luxe Beauty Essentials Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap is massive and extra-absorbent, making it ideal for those with long, thick hair.

Closure

Some hair towels, such as the Turbie Twist Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap, sport fasteners to keep your wrapped-up hair in place. These closures allow you to do other things around the house, like applying makeup or picking out an outfit, while your hair is drying. If you opt for a hair towel without a closure, that's okay, too. It just means if you wrap your hair up in a towel, it won't be as secure if you use one with a closure. Either way, we fully stand by all of our selections and know you'll be happy with any of these highly-rated hair towels.

How We Chose

Ready to part ways with your cotton towel once and for all? Keep scrolling to find the best hair towels that tame frizz for smoother, sleeker strands. Perkins and Taylor shared a few of their favorite hair towels, while others were selected by Saunders because they’re aligned with our big three shopping criteria: material, size, and closure.

The best part? These hair towels start at just $13 and boast glowing 5-star reviews across your most trusted retailers, including Amazon, Sephora, and Nordstrom. Happy shopping!

Flip Hair-Drying Tool

In the vast world of hair towels, the AQUIS hair towel reigns supreme. Created to wick water away and speed up dry time, the AQUIS Hair Turban stays in place and helps to deliver smoother and sleeker strands — all without that dreaded damp back-of-the-shirt feeling.

This editor-approved hair towel is ideal for all hair textures, including curly, fine, and delicate strands prone to breakage. “With the Aquis turban, I hop out of the shower, throw my hair into the turban, secure the end to the button at the nape of my neck, and carry on! It stays put,” says our executive director, Christine Anderson.

She’s not the only fan of AQUIS — beyond earning hundreds of positive Amazon reviews, our experts consider this hair towel a cut above the rest.

Taylor loves that it successfully reduces frizz and increases shine, while Perkins owns a few AQUIS towels (including the grey Madison Reed version) and appreciates that it’s incredibly lightweight. “I do my preliminary dry with one, then wrap it with the second one to let it dry while I do my skin and makeup routine,” she says.

More: The 7 Best Bronzer and Contour Sticks of All Time

Hair Wrap

In the vast world of hair towels, the AQUIS hair towel reigns supreme. Created to wick water away and speed up dry time, the AQUIS Hair Turban stays in place and helps to deliver smoother and sleeker strands — all without that dreaded damp back-of-the-shirt feeling.

This editor-approved hair towel is ideal for all hair textures, including curly, fine, and delicate strands prone to breakage. "With the Aquis turban, I hop out of the shower, throw my hair into the turban, secure the end to the button at the nape of my neck, and carry on! It stays put," says our executive director, Christine Anderson.

She’s not the only fan of AQUIS — beyond earning hundreds of positive Amazon reviews, our experts consider this hair towel a cut above the rest.

Taylor loves that it successfully reduces frizz and increases shine, while Perkins owns a few AQUIS towels (including the grey Madison Reed version) and appreciates that it's incredibly lightweight. "I do my preliminary dry with one, then wrap it with the second one to let it dry while I do my skin and makeup routine," she says.

More: The 7 Best Bronzer and Contour Sticks of All Time

Organic Bamboo Hair Towel Wrap

Made with organic bamboo, which is gentler on delicate, fine strands and helps minimize damage, frizz, and split ends, the YesTree Bamboo Hair Towel Wrap will make you seriously consider ditching your hair dryer for good.

Not only does it help hundreds of Amazon reviewers streamline their beauty routines, but the lightweight, fluffy towels feel very comfy on their heads. “These towels are very absorbent and have amazing drying power. It’s easy to wrap around your head and stays on until you take it off,” says one reviewer, who adds that they don’t shrink in the washing machine.

Microfiber Hair Towel (4-Pack)

Will the O.G. hair towel wrap please stand up?! A classic among hair enthusiasts, the Turbie Twist Microfiber Hair Towel is easy to use, super absorbent, and gentle on the strands, offering the perfect air-dry for every hair type, length, and texture.

And while owning four hair towels might seem like overkill, with this affordable set, you’ll have enough hair towels to share with your household or rotate them on laundry days.

Online reviewers consider these high-performing hair towels one of the best investments in their haircare routine. To quote one 5-star review, “Since that first Turbie Twist, I have never used anything else after shampooing. Give one a try — you will never go back to a regular towel after shampooing!”

Waffle Hair Towel

Oprah is the ultimate tastemaker. She’s obsessed with Cozy Earth — and has named the brand’s products part of her annual Favorite Things list five years in a row. As a lifelong Oprah fangirl, Saunders knew this pricey towel deserved a spot on our list.

“I love Cozy Earth’s waffle towels — they’re absorbent, thick, and bring a hotel vibe to my bathroom. Its hair towel also embodies the same high quality we know and expect from Cozy Earth,” notes Saunders.

She adds the dual-sided texture — soft cotton on the outside and moisture-wicking bamboo on the inside — won’t damage delicate hair types.

Hair Towel

We all know that one person who adores monogramming their belongings. Perhaps they’re a sorority girl, Southern belle, or preppy princess. Either way, these adorable no-slip hair towels are the perfect gift for them.

Not only are they available in several prints and colorways, but for only $15 extra, you can personalize their gift. The personalization includes either adding someone's monogram and initials — 11 fonts and 15 colors — or writing up to 11 characters and numbers in 4 fonts.

Microfiber Hair Towel

This soft microfiber hair towel is a solid bet for anyone with wavy, curly, and coily hair. It absorbs excess water without roughing up your curls and dries down pretty quickly. Plus, it’s low-maintenance and doesn’t stain easily.

Taylor is also obsessed with every single PATTERN haircare product, including this white hair towel. “Her hair towel also does not disappoint, and it’s also only $20. This would be my favorite hair towel for my curly hair clients,” he says.

And she’s not the only fan — online reviewers say it’s totally worth owning. One Ulta reviewer loves it so much that they purchased one hair towel for their daughter.

Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap

Don’t compromise on style and function. The YoulerTex hair towel is available in 11 colors, like Haze Blue, Peachy Beige, and Emerald, to match everyone’s preference. But what we’re most impressed with is that it’s compatible with all hair textures and lengths.

Taylor is also a fan and considers it one of the best money can buy, especially for the price. “The Youler towel is also a great choice because of its low price point, and I like the convenience of having the button on the towel, so it makes it easier for you to wrap up your hair,” says Taylor.

Plus, reviewers promise the twist and loop system keeps the hair towel in place even when they’re chasing their kids around the home.

DevaTowel Anti-Frizz Microfiber Towel

Designed with curly hair types in mind, the DevaCurl DevaTowel helps prevent static and frizz with its microfiber material. Not only is this towel great for stopping breakage, but its super soft and oversized design accommodates a variety of hair types and feels like a cloud.

Plus, hundreds of curly-haired online reviewers swear by this hair towel, so you know it’s on point. “My curly hair is in heaven with this towel. It’s a great size and amazing at drying my hair and not making it frizzy,” says one 5-star review.

DevaTowel Anti-Frizz Microfiber Towel

Designed with curly hair types in mind, the DevaCurl DevaTowel helps prevent static and frizz with its microfiber material. Not only is this towel great for stopping breakage, but its super soft and oversized design accommodates a variety of hair types and feels like a cloud.

Plus, hundreds of curly-haired online reviewers swear by this hair towel, so you know it’s on point. “My curly hair is in heaven with this towel. It’s a great size and amazing at drying my hair and not making it frizzy,” says one 5-star review.

Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap

Perfect for when you just can’t be bothered to deal with soaking wet hair, the Luxe Beauty Essentials’ Microfiber Hair Towel is designed for quick drying thanks to its super absorbent material.

Ideal for those with longer strands, it’s durable enough to hold all of your hair in a wrap and keep it in place while you carry on with your post-shower routine.

“I have been looking for this size towel, as my bath towels were too big and my hand towels were too small. I was amazed at how well it absorbs water from my long, very thick hair! So I bought two more for my long-haired daughters,” says one 5-star Amazon review.

Hero Microfiber Hair Towel

I know spending nearly $45 for a hair towel is asking for a lot, but more than 1,000 Amazon reviewers swear by this super plush product.

Designed to last with its extremely durable, high-quality nanoweave microfiber, this hair towel feels like a fluffy baby blanket but absorbs 10 times its weight in water to dry your hair ASAP. It also prevents frizz and damage, which is always a good thing.

It’s also perfect for bathleisure selfies. The VOLO Hair Hero Quick-Dry Towel will help you get softer, healthier hair while also giving you top-tier content for your Instagram and TikTok.

Hero Microfiber Hair Towel

I know spending nearly $45 for a hair towel is asking for a lot, but more than 1,000 Amazon reviewers swear by this super plush product.

Designed to last with its extremely durable, high-quality nanoweave microfiber, this hair towel feels like a fluffy baby blanket, but absorbs 10 times its weight in water to dry your hair ASAP. It also prevents frizz and damage, which is always a good thing.

Plus, it's perfect for bathleisure selfies. The VOLO Hair Hero Quick-Dry Towel will help you get softer, healthier hair while also giving you top-tier content for your Instagram and TikTok.

Microfibre Towel Wrap

Add a pop of color with Coco & Eve’s Beverly Hills Hotel-inspired Microfiber Towel Wrap, which dries your hair faster than your boring go-to towel and is ideal for short to medium hair of all textures.

And if you’ve been struggling with frizz and flyaways, this hair towel is definitely here to help. Created with the brand’s innovative microfiber, which helps significantly cut down dry time and is gentle on the hair cuticles, this hair towel is equally as game-changing as it is chic.

Need more proof that it tames frizz? Online reviewers also promise this hair towel also dramatically cuts down on pesky frizz and other hair issues. “I’m happy with the design, and it does seem to have reduced breakage in my hair, too. Would totally recommend them,” says one reviewer. They add combing it with the Coco & Eve hair serum will also take your strands to next-level perfection.

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