In my no shampoo experience, I have done a TON of research on hair. And I now know WAY more about hair than I could ever have thought possible. It’s such an amazing and complicated part of our body, it truly is frustrating sometimes, but I’m still in awe of how intricately we have been created.
During my research, I came across something called Turkish cotton towels. These are towels made of organic Turkish cotton. They look like more of a large shawl, and the fabric is somewhere between cotton and gauze. Though many stores carry these towels, they’re quite pricey and I just didn’t see the need.
Until I discovered that traditional cotton towels can actually do more damage to my hair! Surprise, surprise, it’s true! Especially if you have wavy or curly hair, the fibers in cotton towels catch and pull on your hair (like velcro) when you wrap it up or dry it. Since I have wavy hair and it’s already pretty frizzy in these lovely warm, humid summers, I knew I needed to try these towels.
Most stores that carry Turkish cotton towels have them in the original “towel” form – thick, looped fibers that can still grab at your hair. However, there are many products online that are very thin, lightweight, soft and amazingly, still very absorbent.
Longest Thread is an Etsy shop I discovered that carries Turkish cotton towels, straight from Turkey! If the option is there, I much prefer to buy from a “local” artisan than a big company, and these guys are the real deal.
The fabric of these towels is soft and comfortable, and the colours are bright and fun, making these towels incredibly multipurpose – I do not hesitate to wear mine as a shawl on a cool evening, and since they dry fast, I can wash my hair and still use it the same day! (Pssst, it’s even the perfect size for a nursing cover and blanket! And since the cotton is so light it’s also very breathable so you won’t overheat :D)
As another bonus – since they’re so lightweight and easy to pack, they’re perfect for a day at the beach! Use them as a coverup, then when you need to dry off, you already have a towel ready to go.
I was a bit skeptical at first as to the absorbency, since these are not thick towels. But they do not work like your average towels. Most people wipe water off their skin – in order to prevent further drying and roughing up the skin, you should just pat it dry.
Despite their thin nature, these towels are incredibly absorbent, and when you pat dry, it only requires one pass to get all the water absorbed. Whether you have thick hair or thin, curly, wavy or straight hair, these towels will change your bathing routine. I’ve dried my hair in them from mostly dry to dripping wet, and they absorb an incredible amount of water.
Now that you’re itching to try one yourself, we are giving away 2 Turkish Cotton Towels from Longest Thread! Giveaway ends on Tuesday, July 8th and 2 winners will be chosen.