The perfect blow dry. How is it you can't really look as put together as you do when you leave the salon after a professional blow dry? Is there a way to achieving the perfect blowout or is it impossible? Actually, it is as long as you follow the right steps.
A good blow dry can last several days, especially if you also shampoo your hair with the correct one.Once you learn how to do it the right way and you take your time, you should be able to keep the look for several days. Use a dry shampoo in between to keep the greasiness at bay.Time Required: 10-25 minutes, depending on length and thickness of hair
- Start with freshly-washed hair. If you have dry hair, condition in the shower. If you have fine hair, condition only the ends. Blot hair -- never rub -- with a towel to get rid of excess moisture. You can't do a blowout with super wet hair or it will take forever. To keep your blow-out intact over several days, make sure to rinse hair thoroughly after you wash to get out any conditioner residue.
- Apply product to towel-dried hair. A good styling product is key to the perfect blowout. It adds body to fine, limp hair, while women with thick, curly hair need to keep the frizzies at bay. Plus, products actually keep hair from getting oily. Spritz damp locks with a volumnizer spray or mousse before blowing hair dry.The secret is to coat every strand of hair with product.If you have dry hair, work in a leave-in conditioner, a straightening balm or shine serum. Start by coating the ends, working your way up the hair shaft. Finish by combing the product through hair.NOTE: Stay away from gels.
- Pre-dry hair and blow dry your bangs. You can't do a blowout with super wet hair or it will take longer. You have a couple options to pre-dry your hair. Your goal is to get hair to 75 to 80 percent dry, which is optimal when it comes to a blow dry. You can either let hair air dry until it's 75% dry, or, if you are short on time, use a dryer to remove excess moisture before you start the blow dry. Simply dry hair all over being as messy and mussy as you want. Bend over at the waist to get boost at the roots.
- Separate hair into sections. Divide combed hair into sections and secure with clips or ponytail holders.If you have super thick or heavy hair, try dividing each of your sections. One above the other helps manage the blowout. Leave out a section to start with.
- Start with your fingers.Stylists know the secret to the perfect blowout is to start with your fingers. Pull your fingers through hair starting at the roots. Pull hair out a few inches and hold it while you use the dryer to shoot air at the crown on down. "A brush can only get so close in," says Toronto stylist Matthew Collins,on the social TV. Collins suggests holding hair super taut, "otherwise, moisture stays in the hair shaft and frizzes it up."
- Move on the round brush. Now that your roots are dry, it's time to move on to a round-barreled brush (Tony Ricci prefer a mix of boar and synthetic bristles). Pull the brush through hair as you blowdry, pointing the nozzle downward onto hair 2-3 inches away. NAHA winner Tony Ricci likes to start with the ends, because they tend to dry fastest.
- Pull hair super taut as you dry.As you pull the brush through hair, follow the brush with the dryer. I love Collins tip on the social, "Imagine there's a point six inches in front of your nose. Stretch the hair toward that point as you dry. It sounds crazy, but when you're done, the tips won't flip under or up -- they'll just sort of fan out over your shoulders."
- Lock in style with the "cool button."The last step for each section is to pull hair taut with the brush and blast it with cool air from your dryer. You can also each dried section up in a Velcro roller.
- Continue through all sections until hair is dry.
- Finish off with a serum.
