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9 Tips for Maximizing Your Blowout

I’ve been working for AGES to perfect the perfect blowout. My hair, you see, it is rather high maintenance. I KNOW you look at it and think it’s stick-straight, right? But it’s not. It’s frizzy and thinning and generally a pain in my neck.

The days you see my hair down are the days that I do the whole big round brush blow-dry routine like they do in the salons. It’s a pain, and I dread it and put it off sometimes for two or three days, but it’s the only way to style my hair. The rest of the time, it’s in a ponytail or a pinch clip.

I used to have long hair that I would just flip over, blast with any old blow-dryer, and then go on with my day. But no more. This hairstyle requires some serious elbow grease. I have watched my hair dresser style it and asked questions and practiced until I pretty much mastered it. And it just wouldn’t feel right not to pass all this acquired wisdom on to you!

9 Tips for Maximizing Your Blowout

So here you go, my 9 tips for maximizing your blowout. (I started out with 5 and ended up with 9 . . . I did warn you that it’s a bit of a process.)

9 Tips for Maximizing Your Blowout

1. Invest in a good hairdryer. You probably saw that one coming. I’m always going to recommend investing in good tools, whether I’m in the kitchen, the office, or the bathroom.

UPDATE: As of July 2020, I still stand by #1, but I currently use and love the Dyson. It’s spendy, but worth it.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Is The Dyson Hair Dryer Worth It?

2. Towel dry or air dry the hair halfway before using the blow dryer. You don’t want to apply the heat of the blow dryer any longer than necessary as that is drying and hard on the hair. So wait until it’s about half dry before starting. I usually do my makeup while my hair is air drying some.

Rubbing your hair with typical bath towels create friction and cause split ends, so be gentle. I also recommend investing in a couple of these microfiber hair towels.

3. Use a heat protectant. Always, ALWAYS use a good product to protect your hair before blow drying or using a hot iron to prevent damage. I currently use the Monat Blow Out Cream.

4. Blow dry hair in sections. I remember once asking my hair dresser if she did that at home, and I was incredulous when she said that she did. I thought pinning hair up and drying it in sections was only something they did at the salon.

But once I started drying my hair this way, I realized how much more effective and efficient it is. I use this Bio Ionic round brush. Once again, the quality of your tools really does matter.

9 tips for the perfect blowout

5. Always point your hairdryer down the hair shaft. If you blow the other direction, up the hair shaft, it will cause fly-aways and frizz. This takes some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it — and a workout in the process. Bonus!

6. Dry your hair roots to ends. Make sure the roots are dry before shaping the ends.

7. Pull your brush through your hair as you blow it dry. That may sound obvious, but it’s not as easy to do as it sounds. Use some tension, and keep pulling the brush through the hair, creating the shape you want.

Sometimes I hold the brush at the end of the hair shaft, and remove the heat, and let it cool a bit on the brush before letting go. That helps to set the style.

9 tips for the perfect blowout

8. Finish with shine serum or a light hairspray.

UPDATE: As of July 2020, I don’t do this anymore. The Dyson works so well at eliminating frizz, I don’t need a finishing product.

9. Hands off! Once you’re done, don’t touch it. I’m a hair twirler, so I know how hard it is to leave your hair alone, but the oils from your hands will make it fall. You’re better off not running your hands through your hair, at least until the shape is set.

So there you have it! With these simple tips, you CAN get that professional blowout at home.

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