Is "From the Ends" the Correct Way to Use a Hair Dryer? A New Proposal to Prevent Hair Tangling and Its Unexpected Precautions

Although the hair felt smooth after washing, once the hairdryer was used, the ends tangled, and fine flyaways appeared on the surface. You might find yourself repeatedly brushing to smooth it out, finally increasing the temperature to tame it. Does this sound familiar?

It's not just hair care products that might need reconsideration. The "order of drying" you unconsciously choose every night could be one of those things.

In an article published by the English Daily Mail on September 27, 2026, Annabel Kingsley, the brand representative and hair specialist of the hair care brand Philip Kingsley, suggested a method of drying from the mid-lengths to the ends first, and then styling the roots.

However, it's premature to interpret this as "everyone's previous drying method was wrong." It's necessary to read the proposal's intent and the scope of its basis separately.

What happens to the ends while drying the roots?

Kingsley focuses on the movement of the ends that occurs while drying the roots.

According to her explanation, starting the blow-dry from the top of the head or the front causes the hair underneath to move in various directions with the wind, making the damp ends more prone to tangling. The ends are exposed to daily friction and styling for a longer period than the parts closer to the roots, so damage tends to accumulate.

Therefore, the idea is to shape the mid-lengths to the ends while they still retain manageable moisture. The roots are finished afterward.

The aim is not to "thoroughly dry with heat" the ends first. It is to reduce the flow of using more heat or brushing force to correct the dried, tangled, or expanded state.

"From the ends" and "wind from below" are different matters

The most easily misunderstood part of this proposal is the expression "dry from below."

The original article explains the sequence of dealing with the mid-lengths and ends first. It does not instruct to blow the dryer wind from the ends towards the roots.

The British hair salon brand Hershesons, in a separate explanation, cautions against blowing wind from various directions or against the hair flow. When aiming for a smooth finish, it is explained to direct the nozzle towards the ends and dry along the hair flow.

"Where to start" and "which direction to send the wind to that part" can be considered separately. Even if you style the area near the ends first, there's no need to reverse the wind direction.

Relying only on short headlines to try this can miss this distinction. This discussion is precisely the kind of beauty information where you want to check the details of the procedure.

The reason for styling while moisture remains

The original article also explains the hydrogen bonds inside the hair. According to Kingsley, these bonds change when the hair is wet, reforming during the drying process and playing a role in shaping.

She points out that if the ends dry in a disheveled state, one tends to rely on high temperatures or strong brushing to style them later. Therefore, she recommends styling the ends with moderate moisture at low to medium temperatures, rather than when they are dripping wet.

If the roots are too dry to style after finishing the ends, there is also a suggestion to lightly spray water instead of increasing the temperature.

What should be noted here is that this is a method shown by an expert based on her own experience. The original article does not introduce any tests comparing groups drying from the roots and groups drying from the ends, measuring the reduction rate of split ends, etc.

She herself acknowledges that hair varies from person to person, and some may achieve better results by drying from the top. The article also accompanies the introduction of her new book 'Haircare: The Ultimate Guide,' and should be distinguished from the announcement of independent research.

What research teaches about the importance beyond order

There is experimental research on hairdryers and hair damage.

A study published in the academic journal "Annals of Dermatology" in 2011 examined changes under different conditions of temperature and distance by repeating washing and drying on hair bundles 30 times. The hair surface tended to be more damaged under high-temperature conditions.

On the other hand, changes were observed in the cell membrane complex of hair only in the group that air-dried, indicating that the results were not simply "air drying is safe, hairdryers are dangerous."

However, this study was an experiment using hair bundles and did not verify the "method of drying from the ends first." It cannot conclude the superiority of order from this.

Just changing the order does not mean it's okay to continue applying high temperatures at close range. When considering drying methods, temperature, distance, and the time of continuous application should also be considered.

What is being discussed on social media and in reader comments?

The direct responses to this article that could be confirmed were part of the comments section included in the provided Daily Mail text. There were posts opposing the idea, suggesting it might make hair frizzier, short dismissive posts, and comments mocking the expression "bottom up."

However, the overall evaluation of readers cannot be determined from just the few displayed comments. Moreover, it is not confirmed whether those who denied it actually tried the method or read it distinguishing between wind direction and order.

On social media, separate from direct reactions to this article, discussions about hair drying methods have been ongoing.

On Reddit's "r/HaircareScience," there is a past thread discussing the aforementioned 2011 study. There were anecdotes about how low-temperature hairdryers are suitable in high-humidity environments where air drying takes time, and opinions that results may vary depending on hair type.

On the other hand, there were voices calling for additional research and consideration of experimental conditions, distinguishing personal anecdotes from scientific evidence.

These do not indicate that the "method of drying from the ends" is supported on social media. What can be confirmed is that even with high interest in drying methods, there are cautious opinions about applying individual success stories to everyone.

If trying, start by not overheating the ends

When trying this proposal, first observe "at what stage the ends usually tangle." If the ends become disheveled while drying the roots, there is room to compare the method of styling from the mid-lengths to the ends first.

Philip Kingsley's official guide also recommends not rubbing vigorously with a towel to remove excess moisture, using low to medium temperatures, and keeping the hairdryer about 15 centimeters away from the hair. It also cautions against pulling hard with a brush, handling hair in sections, and not continuing to heat dried parts.

When trying, even if the ends dry first, avoid continuing to apply heat to the same spot during the subsequent blow-drying of the roots. The changes to observe are not only shine but also smoothness, tangling, and the number of times you need to redo the finish.

Additionally, if you want to enhance curls, the procedure differs from aiming for a smooth straight finish. The official guide also introduces a method for curls using a diffuser, reducing airflow and temperature.

More than searching for the "correct order," observe your own hair

The question posed by this proposal is whether you are continuing your daily blow-dry out of habit.

Every time the ends tangle, you increase the temperature. Because it doesn't come together, you pull harder. If such re-finishing is increasing, it makes sense to reconsider from the start of drying.

On the other hand, those who finish effortlessly with their current method do not need to conform to the trending procedure. Rather than making "from the ends" the only correct answer, observe how the hair moves and where the burden is during drying. That observation seems to be the starting point for changing daily hair care.

Sources

1. Daily Mail (September 27, 2026). Kingsley's proposal for blow-drying prioritizing the ends, explanation of hydrogen bonds, acknowledgment of individual differences, reader comments.
   https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16156965/knots-blow-drying-hair-bottom-up.html

2. Philip Kingsley official "An Expert Guide To Properly Drying Your Hair." Check temperature, distance, handling of towels and brushes, drying method for curls.
   https://www.philipkingsley.co.uk/hair-guide/hair-care-styling/blow-drying-your-hair.html

3. Hershesons (September 25, 2026) "The Hair-Drying Mistake That’s Stealing Your Shine." Refer to the explanation of wind direction along the hair flow.
   https://www.hershesons.com/blogs/hair-stories/the-hair-drying-mistake-that-s-stealing-your-shine

4. Lee et al. (2011) "Hair shaft damage from heat and drying time of hair dryer." Experimental study comparing drying conditions and damage on hair bundles. Not a comparison test of prioritizing ends versus roots.
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22148012/

5. Past discussions on Reddit "r/HaircareScience." Refer to anecdotes about the above study, questions about differences in hair type, and opinions seeking scientific evidence. Not reactions to the current Daily Mail article.
   https://www.reddit.com/r/HaircareScience/comments/g02763/using_a_hair_dryer_at_a_distance_of_15_cm_with/