Best Blow Dry Accelerator Sprays – Buying Guide

When you have a busy schedule, it can be too stressful to have to wait for your hair to dry before heading out the door – especially when you need every second of precious time before the beginning of a workday.

In any case, air-drying is out of the question, but even blow-drying seems to drag on for hours. This is especially true in the winter months when the air is cold.

Luckily, blow-dry accelerator sprays can help you solve this problem once and for all. By speeding up the drying process, these products assist you in reducing your drying time significantly. They do this miracle by using ingredients like Cetyl alcohol for quicker water evaporation and Lactic Acid to break down water bonds.

a girl is spraying her hair with blow dry accelerator spray

Sadly, though, not all the products on the market feature these ingredients, but rather use their low-grade substitutes. So, it’s easy to get overwhelmed in your search and end up purchasing a subpar product.

Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer through the process of trial and error if you go through our reviews of the best blow dry accelerator sprays. After conducting extensive research and testing, we’ve compiled the list, ensuring they all contain the mentioned essential ingredients, plus many more to treat your hair your preferred way. So, read on to find the perfect match for your needs.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Aveda Speed of Light Blow Dry Accelerator Spray

If you’re looking for a blow dry accelerator spray that will help you achieve a fast-drying blowout while protecting your strands from heat damage, the Aveda Speed of Light Quick Blow Dry Spray is your best overall option.

This blow-drying spray uses a unique formula that includes water-soluble extracts and ionic silica to help you dry your hair up to 2x faster than usual. Unlike other products on the market, it doesn’t contain mineral oils that can leave your hair feeling sticky or greasy.

As a result of Cetyl alcohol, the spray evaporates water from your hair’s surface quickly and softens the strands for better slippage and manageability. It teams up with Tocopherol—an antioxidant Vitamin E derivative, to provide protection against heat damage while quickening the drying process.

Besides, its Lactic Acid helps break down water-based bonds in your hair. This means that it really does help speed up the drying process and can significantly reduce the time it takes for you to dry your hair. It also contains AHA (alpha hydroxy acid), which provides exfoliating benefits for your scalp and hair follicles.

It also has Propylene glycol, a humectant that prevents moisture from escaping. It also helps retain your style for longer and keeps away humidity from your hair all day long. And finally, it also has Panthenol, which aids your hair’s ability to retain moisture, preventing excessive drying. In fact, it even penetrates deep into shafts to nourish and condition them.

But what makes Aveda Speed of Light stand out is its 90% naturally derived multi-benefit formula, including coconut-derived conditioner, to reduce breakage caused by blow-drying by up to 93%. Hence, you can feel good about using it even if you have fine hair prone to breakage.

The product even has moringa and cucumber seed oil to add shine and moisture to your hair while sealing in that moisture. This ensures that your hair stays hydrated throughout the day.

More so, it has a fantastic texture and feels lightweight yet nourishing; it leaves your hair feeling smooth and soft. The spray also gives your hair a beautiful extra boost of shine, making it look and feel healthier than ever before. What’s more, the product is infused with a proprietary blend of essential oils to make your hair smell amazing.

To use, simply spray it onto damp hair from roots to ends and comb through. Then blow-dry as usual. You’ll notice a significant decrease in drying time without any sacrifice to the quality of your blowout.

Overall, if you’re looking for a top-quality blow-drying accelerator spray that will leave your hair healthy and radiant with an amazingly speedy drying time, the Aveda Speed of Light is the best all-around option on the market.

Pros

  • Doesn’t contain greasy mineral oils
  • Lightweight yet nourishing
  • Gives your hair an extra boost of shine
  • Leaves your hair feeling silky and soft

Cons

  • The nozzle can be a bit finicky to work with.

Best for Treated Hair: Kenra Platinum Time-Saving Blow-Dry Spray

Have you recently had your hair chemically treated or colored and are worried blow-drying will ruin the results but still need super-fast blow-dry sessions? If so, the Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray is here to help.

The newest addition to Kenra’s line of products, Platinum Quick Dry Spray for Hair, is a lightweight, fast-drying hair spray that doesn’t build up on the hair. The product contains some pretty advanced ingredients like Cetearyl alcohol to help evaporate water quickly and soften hair for better slippage and manageability.

In addition, Tocopherol helps hair absorb this product quickly to loosen the water bonds faster for a quicker blow-dry. These two actives work together to give you a 50% speedier blow-dry, cutting your time in half.

You must also credit this miracle product’s Lactic Acid inclusion. This ingredient helps disband hydrophobic bonds in the hair, enabling it to dry faster. But don’t worry about drying out your hair because Lactic Acid is also rich in alpha-hydroxy acids, which provide exfoliating benefits and moisture retention.

This innovative spray contains a unique thermo-activated technology that enhances the hair’s own ability to absorb heat, allowing you to blow-dry your hair faster and protect it from damage. It works by coating each strand with a protective layer against damaging UV rays, humidity, and other environmental factors.

Moreover, it contains hydrolyzed keratin, which helps reduce puffiness, and it still gives hair a tremendous amount of volume without adding excess bulk or leaving it a sticky or crunchy feeling.

Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry spray is also rich in hydrolyzed wheat protein, a fancy way of saying that the formula seals your hair’s natural protein, preventing it from being used up while improving its elasticity strength, and radiance. This makes your treated hair more resistant to damage than usual and can help protect your color-treated locks from fading more quickly than they usually would over time.

The perfumey smell of this spray is fresh enough that it won’t give you a headache if you apply too much, and it’s not so strong that you worry about triggering migraines in the people around you. The nozzle is really easy to use as well—it doesn’t clog up as easily as other bottles do, making it easy to get out of your bathroom drawer without spilling half the bottle on the floor.

And the fun part—it can also be used as a primer before styling with any hot tool or before applying other products like blowout cream or pomade.

Pros

  • Cuts blow-drying time by 50%
  • Doesn’t build up on hair
  • Heat-activated polymer technology for fullness and shine
  • Hydrolyzed keratin for static reduction

Cons

  • Expensive

What Our Tester Says

If you’re looking for a new way to bring out the best in your hair while protecting it from damage or adding moisture to keep it healthy – this salon-quality product may be the answer!

Hailey Adams, Product Tester, DryingMaster

Best for Silky Hair: OGX Protecting + Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray

Next, we have this fantastic product from OGX, a respected brand in the haircare industry. This blow-dry accelerator spray is designed to help you achieve sleek, smooth, salon-quality blowouts in a jiffy.

Cetyl alcohol and Vitamin E extract are two super ingredients in this spray that work in tandem to give you the quickest blow-dry. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol that helps evaporate water quickly and soften hair for manageability and better slippage while blow-drying. It also helps hair retain the straightness achieved by blow-drying without making the hair feel stiff.

With its water-solubilizing properties, Vitamin E extract helps hair absorb the product quickly to loosen the water bonds faster for a quicker blow-dry. The two combined give a 50% faster drying time, so you can go from shower to door in less than half an hour.

Using thermal protection in the form of Lactic Acid–which also helps break down hair wetting bonds– rich in AHA (exfoliating acids), this product works double-time to protect your strands from heat damage and dry them quickly with ionic technology.

This can really help cut down the exposure of your hair to damaging heat when you’re blowdrying. Besides, there’s no need for a separate heat protectant because the spray has Dimethicone silicone to protect against heat damage from styling tools. In fact, the spray provides defense against temperatures up to 450F.

The silky outcome it delivers begins with the silk proteins. Its formula is made with 100% natural silk proteins that provide protection against heat for up to 5x longer than other thermal protectants and lock in moisture for luscious shine while making your hair smell irresistible.

They add shine and moisture to dehydrated locks while sealing in that moisture, so you don’t have to worry about dryness returning throughout the day. Besides, Quinoa adds strength to strands, so they’re less likely to break or get split ends when you use styling tools that are set too high or left on areas for too long.

To ensure even distribution throughout all your strands, you should apply it before using any other styling products. The result is immediately noticeable once you’ve blown out; hair is soft to the touch and feels like you just left the salon.

If a gorgeously silky finish within healthy-looking hair is something you’d prefer within the quickest drying time possible, this blow-dry accelerator spray is undoubtedly your ideal route to getting it. It can help you achieve a fast-drying blowout while protecting your strands from heat damage. The spray is also lightweight and won’t leave your hair feeling greasy or weighed down.

Pros

  • Doesn’t make your hair sticky or greasy
  • Gives you an all-day-long-lasting smooth, polished texture
  • Gives your hair an extra boost of silk and shine
  • Doesn’t weigh down your hair

Cons

  • Squirts out an incredibly forceful fine mist

What Our Expert Says

The Silk Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray is a unique new product on the market that does wonders for your hair. It protects it from heat damage and helps you dry it quickly – all while leaving it shiny and healthy-looking. I highly recommend this spray to anyone who wants to speed up their blow-drying time without sacrificing the health of their hair.”

Amanda Kent, Haircare expert, DryingMaster

Best for Fighting Humidity: Not Your Mother’s In A Heartbeat Blow Dry Accelerator Spray

Are you looking for a blow-dry accelerator that can handle those crazy and rough, humid days without making you sulk with long drying times and fuzzed up strands? You can’t go wrong with Not Your Mother’s In A Heartbeat Blow Dry Accelerator.

The formula contains cetyl alcohol, which helps the water evaporate much quicker and soften the hair for better slipping and managing. This will help you get your hair dry noticeably faster, cut down on damage from heat tools, and prevent breakage from over-manipulation.

In addition to essential silicones, the product comes with pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol and glycolic acid to help fight against humidity. The latter also makes this product great for those with naturally curly or wavy hair as it keeps the curls intact while allowing them to dry almost twice as quickly as usual because of its excellent water disbanding properties.

Formulated with rich butter and botanical antioxidants, this fantastic spray helps smooth and protect your hair while you dry it. It also contains humidity-resisting polymers like Polyquaternium and PVPs to fight puffiness, so you can walk out of the house knowing that your hair will stay sleek and smooth all day long.

The hydrolyzed wheat protein in this product helps preserve natural protein, which means your hair will be healthier and stronger. And, because it’s not a silicone-based product, the In A Heartbeat Blow Dry Accelerator won’t weigh your hair down or make it feel greasy – which is great news if you have fine hair.

Not only will this product help fight humidity, but it also helps protect against heat and UV damage. This means that even if you have super curly hair, this product can help tame those curls and keep them looking great.

Pros

  • Easy dispensing
  • Great for those with puffed-up curls
  • Fights longer against humidity
  • Leaves hair looking smooth and shiny

Cons

  • A few may find it a bit odd-smelling

Best for Split Ends: Brazilian Blowout Ionic Bonding Spray

If you’re looking for an effective and surprisingly faster way to get rid of split ends, you should definitely try the Brazilian Blowout Ionic Bonding Spray. With an ionic boost to seal the cuticle, this spray can prevent further damage, resulting in healthier-looking hair.

The product has everything you’ll need for a faster blow-drying experience that still offers you much-needed relief from those heart-wrenching split ends. Its cetyl alcohol content helps the water evaporate quickly. And the tocopheryl acetate allows the product to penetrate the hair faster and loosen water bonds faster to help it dry quicker.

What’s more, this Brazilian Blowout Ionic Bonding Spray also contains lactic acid, a powerful exfoliant rich in AHAs, which breaks down hair wetting bonds. In association with the spray’ ionic bonding acceleration technology, this ingredient works together to quickly get rid of split ends and give you a faster blow-drying experience.

The Ionic Bonding Spray is designed to bond with the hair and form an ionic bond that helps seal the cuticle and protect against oxidative damage. This chemical bond creates a shield around each strand of hair that allows for smooth, frizz-free styling. The formula also helps prevent fading and damage from heat styling tools.

Brazilian Blowout Ionic Bonding Spray is specially formulated to help seal the cuticle, which keeps your hair looking sleek and shiny for longer. It also has a low-friction formula that helps reduce static electricity and flyaways. And best of all–this color-safe system maximizes the longevity of your Brazilian blowout by firmly sealing the slackened cuticle that barely gives in.

Pros

  • Firmly seals the cuticle
  • Fights split ends and prevent further damage
  • Best utilizes your dryer’s ionic technology

Cons

  • May weigh hair down a bit

What Our Tester Says

Never thought there could be a product that both fights split ends and quickens the drying process, but here it is! This stuff is amazing. My hair has never looked so good, especially after this quick a blow-dry session!

Jenna, Massachusetts

Best for the Budget: Argan Magic Blow Dry Accelerator & Priming Spray

If you’re looking to get faster drying, heat protection, health boost for your fragile strands, and style primer all in a budget-friendly spray, Argan Magic Blow Dry Accelerator & Priming Spray is your best bet. This lightweight, non-greasy formula is designed to help detangle, protect, and speed up your blow-drying time.

It’s packed with Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, and Lactic Acid. All three of them help your hair dry super fast by evaporating water quickly, softening hair for better slippage and manageability, and allowing hair absorb this product quickly to loosen the water bonds faster for a quicker blow-dry.

And the best thing is your ailing strands will be getting a health boost from the 100% pure and certified Argan oil. It’s rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and Vitamin E that deeply nourish and revitalize your hair to make it look shinier with every use.

This blow-dry accelerator also contains a specialized UV filter that protects against sun damage, and it’s color-safe, so you can use it on any hair type without worry. Besides, its Argan oil and keratin work together to strengthen the shafts while you style, so your hair achieves more elasticity and buoyancy.

And despite being priced at less than twenty-five bucks, it has a long-lasting formula that will give you over 60 applications.

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Lightweight and non-greasy
  • Detangles, protects, and speeds up blow-drying time

Cons

  • Short-span resistance against humidity

What to Look for in a Blow Dry Accelerator Spray

Blow-dry accelerator sprays come in a variety of forms, serving a variety of purposes alongside their primary job–speeding up hair drying. But not every product is created equal—some can make your hair look flat and greasy, while others leave it feeling brittle and dry.

So, if you want some ideas on what kinds of ingredients might be best suited for your needs, you’ll want to check out this list below.

Drying Agents

The main ingredient in a blow-dry accelerator spray is alcohol, which helps remove dirt and oil from the hair while also smoothing out the cuticle and making the hair more pliable. It’s important to note that alcohol can cause split ends and dryness, so you’ll only want to go with ‘good’ alcohol rather than any alcohol.

Look for products with alcohols like Cetyl or Cetearyl alcohols, which help break down water molecules into smaller clusters to evaporate more quickly from your hair shaft. This will make your hair dry faster without causing it to become rough or damaged (which can happen if too much moisture is removed at once).

Bond Breakers

Bond breakers, ideally Lactic or Glycolic acid, are ingredients that break down the bonds between water and hair strands. They reduce the need for extra heat passage, making hair drying quicker. Bond breakers are also helpful if you have naturally curly or fuzzy hair: they’ll help your hair stay smooth as it dries.

Heat Protectants

Heat protectants are silicone-based ingredients (ideally Dimethicone) that work by coating your strands with an invisible shield that protects them from the heat of blow dryers. They can also help seal in moisture after styling, preventing excessive dryness.

Water-Based Formula

A water-based formula means that the product is lighter and less likely to weigh hair down or make it feel greasy. It also lets you work with the spray and do more with it.

No Mineral Oil

Mineral oil coats your hair with a layer of grease that makes it difficult for products like conditioner, leave-ins, accelerator sprays, or similar hair products to penetrate into your strands. This can lead to buildup on your scalp and flakes in your hair, so it’s best to avoid products that contain it.

No Parabens and Sulfates

Parabens and sulfates are harsh chemicals that can strip your hair of its natural oils, causing it to become overly dry, brittle, and more susceptible to damage. They can also irritate your scalp, so it’s best to avoid them if you can.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Does a Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray Work?

Put simply, a blow-dry accelerator spray is designed to accelerate the drying time of damp hair. In other words, it cuts down the amount of time it takes to style your tresses, which makes it perfect if you’re short on time or if you have curly or thick hair, which tends to take longer to dry than fine hair.
 
These products contain compounds called surfactants that reduce surface tension on the hair and loosen the water bonds, which helps water evaporate more quickly, cutting down on your blow-drying time by 30-50%.
 
They often contain additional ingredients that protect against heat damage (like silicones) and improve styling so that you have less roughness and higher shine.

Are Blow Dry Accelerator Sprays Safe?

Yes, hair dry faster sprays are safe. While you might be wondering if their inclusion of alcohols will dry out your hair, the reality is that these products usually have very low concentrations of light alcohol. They evaporate merely in seconds, so they don’t actually have time to do any damage.

Why Do I Need a Blow Dry Accelerator Spray?

If you’re still wondering if a hair-dry faster spray is suitable for you, here are some reasons why adding it to your daily routine will be a total game-changer:
 
The most obvious benefit of using a blow-dry accelerator spray is saving time. If you’re constantly running late in the morning or have trouble managing your time, this type of product can help you get out the door faster without sacrificing the quality of your hair.
 
Another great reason to use a blow-dry accelerator spray is that it can actually help reduce heat damage like heat protectants. Most of these products contain ingredients that protect the hair from the heat of hairdryers and other styling tools, which means that your locks will be less likely to become brittle or break over time.
 
In addition to reducing heat damage, blow-dry accelerator sprays can also improve your overall styling. Many of these products contain ingredients that help smooth the hair, so you’ll end up with a sleek, polished look that will last all day long.

What Is the Best Way to Use a Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray?

The best way to use a blow-dry accelerator spray is to give your hair a quick spritz before you start drying it. The spray should be applied to damp hair, not dry or wet hair.
 
You should apply the spray evenly throughout all of your hair, starting from root to tip, and then any tangles should be worked out with your fingers so that the product can get into all of the strands.
 
The best ones are going to have some kind of heat protection in them, but still, you shouldn’t overdo the heat blowing; the quick blow dry spray should be enough to get you the most out of your hairdryer.

How Much Should I Use?

The amount of blow-dry accelerator spray that you use will depend on the length and thickness of your hair. If you have short, fine hair, then you’ll only need to use a small amount. If you have long, thick hair, then you’ll need to use a bit more.
 
Start by spraying your hair with a light mist, and then increase the amount as needed until you’re happy with the results.

Does a Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray Work on Curly Hair?

The short answer is yes, they do work on curly hair. The longer answer is that it depends on the spray.
 
If you have curly hair and are looking for a way to speed up your blow-dry process, it’s worth trying a hair spray like Not Your Mother’s In A Heartbeat Blow Dry Accelerator. This product has been designed to fend off puffiness and humidity, the two main curly hair enemies, without resorting to harsh chemicals or potentially damaging elements.

Is It Okay to Use a Blow Dry Accelerator Spray Every Day?

Absolutely. The only thing you have to be careful about is not going overboard with the product. Just make sure to get a light mist on your hair and then work quickly with a blow dryer so that you don’t end up with too much product on your head. If you do get too much product on your hair, just wash it out with shampoo and conditioner in the shower.

Are There Any Precautions I Should Take When Using a Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray?

Yes, you should take a few precautions when using a blow-dry accelerator spray. First, make sure that you read the instructions on the bottle carefully before use.
 
Second, always test the spray on a small section of your hair before using it on your entire head. This will help you make sure that you’re not allergic to the product and that it works well with your hair type.
 
Finally, be sure to use the product as directed. Don’t overdo it, or you may end up damaging your hair.

What’s the Difference between a Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray and a Heat Protectant Spray?

Blow-dry accelerator sprays are designed to help dry your hair faster by adding moisture and reducing static electricity. They’re typically made with ingredients like light alcohols, Vitamin E, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, and Hydrolyzed Proteins, which help lock in moisture and add shine.
 
On the other hand, heat protectant sprays are explicitly designed to protect your hair from heat damage caused by hot styling tools. Heat protectants use ingredients like silicone, natural oils, and fatty acids that form a barrier between your hair cuticles and hot surfaces so that they don’t get burned during heat styling sessions.

Do I Need a Specific Blow Dryer to Use a Blow-Dry Accelerator Spray?

No, you don’t need a specific blow dryer to use a blow-dry accelerator spray. Any type of blow dryer will work, as long as it has the proper heat setting for your hair type.
 
If you have particularly fine or thin hair, then you’ll want to use a lower heat setting so that you don’t damage your locks. Likewise, if you have thick or coarse hair, you’ll need to use a bit higher heat setting to get the results you’re after.

Final Words

So, there you have it—a breakdown of the six best blow dry accelerator sprays that are sure to make your hair look lovely in a flash with minimal effort. Keep these pointers in mind when shopping for the ideal product, and you’ll surely be happy with your find. Then, all that’s left is for you to try it out and see if it works wonders for your hair. It’s certainly worth a shot.