If you read my Airwrap vs. Airstrait breakdown, you already know the Airwrap is my go-to for low-effort days that still look intentional. This is the actual routine, start to finish, not the shortened tutorial version.
Timing matters more than people think
I always do my hair in the late afternoon, and only on days I don’t have plans to go out. It looks better the next day than it does fresh. If you’re doing this the morning of an event, you’re working against the routine, not with it.
Prep
Everything starts in the shower. I use Olaplex shampoo and conditioner as the base. From there it depends on what my hair needs that week: if it’s feeling dry or damaged, I’ll do the BOÉ Cosmetics Mayoliva Omega 3 Intensive Conditioning Therapy mask as a pre-shampoo treatment. Otherwise, my regular hair mask is the Davines Love Smoothing Instant Mask, and it genuinely makes a difference. This isn’t a filler step.
Once my hair is towel-dried, I go in with Olaplex No.9 and No.6, plus a bit of oil. I alternate between Olaplex No.7 and the Kérastase Elixir Ultime. Both work perfectly, so I use whichever is closer.
Sectioning
I section my hair into 4 with alligator clips. My hair is thick and this is not optional if you want even results section to section.
Styling with the Airwrap
For each section, I use the wide-tooth comb brush attachment first to detangle and smooth, then switch to either the large round brush or the smoothing brush attachment depending on whether I want more curl or more sleekness that day. Start to finish, this takes about 35 to 40 minutes.
Setting it so it lasts
Once every section is done, I go over my entire head with a cool shot pass. Then I add a few more drops of the Kérastase Elixir Ultime oil, put my hair up with a satin tie, and put on a satin bonnet.
That last step is not optional either. Skip the satin bonnet and you’ll lose a lot of what the styling gave you overnight.
The result
By the next day, it’s settled into shape and looks better than it did right after styling. That’s the whole reason I do this in the late afternoon on a day off rather than the morning I actually need it.
If your hair leans more textured and humidity is fighting you the way it fights me, my Airstrait routine might actually be the better fit, including a trick that gives me better curls than the Airwrap’s own barrels.
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