Have you ever said to your stylist, “I wish I could take you home with me, and have you do my hair every day!” A good blow-dry and style will have your hair looking its best, and can last several days. With the holidays quickly approaching (and family photos!), hang on to these tips to stay glamorous through it all!
The Products
The products you apply before styling set the foundation for your look, so consider what you’d like to see in your style–volume, shine, body, smoothness, softness? Your stylist can help you select which products are right for your hair, and teach you how to use them. Keep in mind that a thermal protection product is an absolute must.
The Basics
Once you’ve applied products, start by rough-drying your hair. This is just moving the air from your dryer through your hair to get it about 80% dry. This step will save you time by getting the bulk of moisture out of your hair. Once you’ve done this, you can move on to more intentional blow-dry styling.
The Pro Tips
One of the biggest things you can do to up your blow-dry game is to use sectioning! So at this point, section off the majority of your hair and leave out a part of it to focus on. Using your brush, create tension on the section of hair you are working with, and be sure to focus your hairdryer down toward the floor. The outer layer of your hair (the cuticle) is laid like shingles on a roof and lay down each strand of hair, so by blow-drying your hair in a downward direction, you are smoothing the cuticle, which in turn creates softness and shine! It is important to use the concentrator attachment for this step, so the air is directed with more control. Create the shape you are looking for with your round brush, and use the heat of your dryer to form the hair into shape around it. This is where that little cool shot button on your dryer comes in! Once you’ve formed the shape with heat, use cool air from the cool shot button to set the shape. You’ll get much more longevity if you take the time to cool your hair into each desired shaping. This hot/cold method also comes in handy when creating volume. Through the crown and top of your head, blow dry the hair up, and away from the direction it will lay, using hot air to prep (“shape”) the roots in that direction, and cold to set it and voila! Volume!
The Finish
Set your style with a light to medium flexible-hold hairspray, to encourage hold but allow for movement. Any additional styling is up to you and your mood! A great blowout can stand on its own, but for a little more movement, add in a few curls with a wand.
Unsure if you’re doing it right? Our Douglas Carroll Salon stylists will happily teach you how to get the most out of your at-home blow-outs, so book your next visit and bring any and all questions!