Are Turkish Towels Good for Hair? Here are the results

Sometimes we all look for something different and when I had to replace my bathroom towels I thought I’d take a look at the different options on the market. I’d heard a little bit about Turkish towels and how much better they are but I had one important question in mind, are they good for my hair!

Turkish towels are great for hair. Being lightweight, luxuriously soft, super absorbent and fast drying are the top reasons why people choose Turkish towels over regular cotton towels. The great news is that they are also eco-friendly compared to other types of towels.

The first thing I learnt about Turkish Towels is that sometimes they are called Hammam towels or Peshtemal towels (Peshtemals for short) so if you see these types of towels during your research then you can assume they are all the same type of towel.

So let’s have a look at some of the benefits of Turkish towels specifically related to hair.

Lightweight Design – hold your head up

One of the things I noticed straight away when I first used a Turkish towel on my hair was how light it was. Because I’m constantly on the go, rather than pat my hair dry I tend to wrap my hair in a towel and go do other things for a while.

In the past, I’ve just used a small bath towel made from regular cotton and this along with the water in my hair was actually quite heavy.

Of course, you don’t really notice until you use a lighter towel when it instantly becomes apparent.

Top Tip: If you’re travelling then the lightness of this type of towel will be a real benefit too.

Fast Drying – ready for what comes next

Not a direct benefit to your hair but Hamman towels really do dry fast.

It’s all to do with the number of loops in the towel. The greater the number of loops the more towel is exposed to the air and hence the towel drys faster.

Turkish towels have a lot of loops due to the long thin organic cotton fibres that they are made from.

So once you’ve dried your hair your Turkish towel will also be dry in no time.

Key Benefit: As Turkish towels dry fast in any environment you’ll find that your towels become less smelly over time so you need to wash them less.

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Very Absorbent – dry hair in minutes

It’s a well known fact that the best and most gentle way you can dry your hair is to squeeze the water out.

For this technique to work well you need an absorbent towel and Turkish towels are incredibly absorbent.

Once again those long thin fibres produce the magic, as the towel has so much more surface area it draws the water in like a sponge.

Top Tip: To avoid tangles always squeeze and pat wet hair with an absorbent towel.

Softness – kind to your hair

I think we are all aware that using a rough towel for your hair can cause frizz so we should avoid them at all costs.

Usually, towels that are lightweight tend not to be very soft however Perhtemal towels are the exception to this rule. Lightweight, super soft and gentle make these types of towels perfect for towel drying your hair.

The weave of the towel along with the organic cotton fibres is what makes the towel have a luxurious feel only found in the heavier, thicker cotton towels.

Top Tip: To make sure your Turkish towel is soft from the beginning make sure you soak it for 12 hours before its first use.

Wash Less with Less – more eco friendly

With Turkish towels, you’ll end up washing your towels less. Of course, how often you wash your towels is a personal preference but people often review Peshtemals and mention this as one of the key benefits.

So if you’re washing less that means you’ll be using less water, less electricity and less washing powder but there are other eco-benefits to owning Turkish towels.

One benefit is that you no longer use fabric softener during the wash cycle. Using fabric softener will dramatically reduce the absorbency of your towel which in turn will affect the speed at which you can dry your hair.

Using a tumble dryer is also not recommended by most Peshtemal manufacturers and so you’ll also make savings in electrical use and softener sheets for your appliance.

Some people might worry about not using a tumble dryer but I’ve personally never found it to be an issue. The fact that Turkish towels dry so fast means I’ve never had a problem,

Information: If you do go ahead and buy your first Peshtemal, for the best results take a look at my article on how to wash Turkish towels.

Price – not quite so good for your pocket

Ok, for me this is the only small negative thing about Turkish towels – they cost a little more than regular towels.

Why? Well in most cases these towels are handmade by family ateliers in Turkey so you’ll know you getting a towel that someone has lovingly made.

Turkish towels are also classed as luxury towels and so when comparing prices it’s important to compare with towels of a similar finish and standard.

I think it’s also right to point out that, if cared for correctly, Turkish towels will last a lifetime and so as a general rule these Hammam towels are cheaper than regular cotton towels in the long run.

Conclusion

So I think you’ll have guessed that I’m a fan of Turkish Towels. In terms of are they good for your hair, the answer is yes because of their high absorbency, along with the fact that they are super lightweight and wonderfully soft.

Personally, I wouldn’t go back to using regular towels when washing my hair.

Have you purchased your first Hammam towel yet, if so tell me how well it drys your hair?

Please do leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you.

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