I know you've heard it again and again, but microfiber hair towels are truly one of the easiest, most game-changing swaps you could make in your hair routine—and that’s extra true if you’ve got curly hair (hi, me), damaged hair, or hair that’s prone to frizz and flyways. Regular terry-cloth bath towels have little nubs that rough up your hair cuticle as it dries, leaving you with tangles, flyaways, and less-than-healthy strands over time. Microfiber towels, on the other hand, absorb excess moisture to speed up drying time and also minimize friction in the process.
The result? Smoother-looking hair (and more defined curls), which will create a better foundation for your styling routine, whether you’re letting it air-dry, diffusing it, blowing it out (with, ahem, some heat-protectant spray, of course). Still, as with all good things, there’s a ton of options to choose from. So to help you narrow down the choices, check out these top picks, below, then keep reading for tips on how to pick the best microfiber towel for your hair type, plus our full breakdown for 2022.
Our top picks for the best microfiber hair towels of 2022
Microfiber towels tend to fall into two camps: basic rectangles or squares (like, you know, normal towels), or stretchy head wraps with button or loop closures that allow you to wear them snugly without coming undone. If you're someone who has a ton of hair (hi, my big-curl friends) or has super-long hair, you're going to want an oversize, XXL microfiber towel that won't require you wring or twist your hair tightly to make it fit. Got curly hair? Go for a basic square (if you want to gently scrunch the water out of your hair), or a stretchy hair wrap to wear on the days you're blowing out your hair.
The material
Listen, if you're here looking for microfiber towels, you probably have an end goal of less flyaways/tangles/frizz/damage. Great. But I'm not going to lie and say microfiber towels are the only material that'll get you the results you want. You can also get smooth, moisture-absorbing results from cotton or polyester blends. Yes, microfiber will dry your hair the fastest and absorb the most amount of water, but they're not the only choice in your hair-drying journey.
Got all that? Good. Now keep reading for the best microfiber hair towels of 2022, below.
I'm not joking when I say I currently have six of these hair wraps in my closet, just in case I take...six...showers...in a single day? Honestly, unclear, but that's how much I love them. They're soft, ultra-long (perfect for long curly hair like mine), and easy to twist and secure at the nape of your neck with an elastic loop and button closure.
Not only does this microfiber hair towel have more than 41,000 reviews on Amazon (!?), but it also comes in 10 different color options, and—and!—comes with two hair wraps for less than $10. I mean, truly, if you're on the fence, why not get this super-cheap two-pack and and give it a try? It's like, one-fifth of the price of that blow-dryer brush you've been eyeing.
Okay, fine, this isn't a microfiber towel at all—it's a mix of cotton, bamboo, and elastane—but it's excellent for anyone who plops their curls, which usually calls for a cotton T-shirt. Why? Because cotton (or a cotton mixture) is as soft as soft gets, which means it's not going to cause any additional friction, fuzz, or flyaways in your curl-drying process.
I'll be honest: My only gripe with some microfiber hair wraps is how insecure and wiggly they can feel on thicker, fuller hair. Like, a little button-and-loop closure isn't always going to cut it. Which is why I love this wrap, which has a super-thick elastic band to keep the ends of the towel (and your hair) snugly in place, without falling off.
If you want a faster blow-dry (who doesn't?), a big, super-absorbent microfiber hair towel like this one is key. The biggest option on this list (it's a whopping 41 inches by 24 inches), this towel has plenty of room for squeezing out excess water and wrapping your hair.
A towel that minimizes friction, like this microfiber hair towel, means it prevents breakage, split ends, and frizz. And if that's not enough, this towel also comes in two sizes to suit the amount or length of hair you have. No wonder it has over 9,000 positive reviews on Amazon.
The size and shape (at 29.5 inches by 27.5 inches, it's almost a square) make this hair towel easy to wrap around your head and cover all your hair, and the premium microfiber fabric makes it ideal for gently removing the excess water in your strands without breaking up your curls and coils.
Soft? Yep. Absorbent? Very. Cute? I mean, look at it. You'll want to wear this microfiber hair towel all day long (and it's so light you won't remember you have it on), but since it dries your hair in half the time of a normal towel, you won't have to.
If you love towel wraps but need a little more fabric for your hair length or thickness, this extra-large wrap (it's 40 inches by 27.5 inches) has an adjustable string so you can wrap it however you want (it can be worn five different ways) and fasten it as tight as you need. Plus, it's made from super-fine fabric and it's Curly Girl Method approved—what more could you want?
Another option designed specifically for curly hair, this microfiber towel is super absorbent, extra soft, and it has aloop that makes it easy to hang up once you're done with it. Like, if you're going to spend all that time applying your curly hair products, why not use a towel that won't mess with the results, right?
Although, yes, you absolutely can use this microfiber hair towel to dry wet hair, it's also made for wrapping up your strands while wearing a hair mask (and it'll help protect your bed sheets from overnight hair treatments). Consider this one your BFF for all those self-care nights spent at home.
Once you realize how amazing microfiber hair towels are, you'll never want to go without one. And with a travel set like this one, you'll never have to. And as if this soft, waffle-texture hair wrap wasn't good enough on its own, you also get a mini shampoo and conditioner with it.
The only thing better than a microfiber hair towel that cuts the time to dry or air-dry your hair is two of 'em. With this pack, you can always have a clean one ready to use while the other is in the wash, and for less than 15 bucks for the pair, you really can't beat it.
Chloe MetzgerDeputy Beauty DirectorChloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, obsessively writing about new makeup launches, the best hair products (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare formulas that really work for every skin type (follow her on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes pics of that magazine life).
Brooke ShunatonaBrooke Shunatona is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com.
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