The salon is a safe haven for most women; it’s undeniable. There’s just something about being completely catered to and pampered with the added bonus of going from 0 to 100. Yes, it’s true we can probably do our own mani/pedi but it just never seems to compare to how polished and perfect everything is when it’s done at a salon.
We have a full stash of hair styling tools and heat protectants and mousses; yet, whenever we have the time or have a special occasion, it’s just a no-brainer to go to the salon for that perfect blowout. You can’t blame us; they just do it better! Well, it’s about time we put our stash to good use and learn how to operate the world of the perfect blowout from the comfort of our own home. We’ve come up with these simple tips and tricks to leave you with perfectly luscious locks that’ll give your hair stylist whiplash!
Prep Before the Prep
Getting a perfect blowout is a whole process. Have you ever wondered why your hair just always seems shinier and smoother when it’s professionally done? Well, a lot of that goes back to the beginning of the whole process. When washing your hair, you’ll want to do it the way the pros do to get the finish you want.
Start by focusing the shampoo right at your roots and not applying too much through the ends of your hair. Then finish by focusing a deep moisturizing hair mask at the lengths of your hair to work as a conditioner.
Tip: Avoid leave-in conditioners when you’re planning to go for a blowout. You don’t want to have too many products in your hair; it’ll weight it down and not allow it to get super smooth!
Protect Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Not using a heat protectant when blow drying your hair is just absolute blasphemy. Always use protection, and that rule applies to your hair, too! Creating that barrier between your hair and the heat can help you avoid getting damaged hair. You also get the bonus of softer hair. Most heat protectants today come in the form of serums that also hydrate your hair and keep it ultra smooth.
Rough Dry
The blowout world’s best kept secret is to roughly dry your hair about 90% before going near it with any heat tool. To get the best blowout, you need to make sure your hair is mostly dry.
Start off by using an old T-shirt to drain any excess water. T-shirts are much softer and gentler on your hair than towels are. Once you’re left with slightly damp hair, you can take your blow dryer at a very low setting and roughly blow it across your hair to get it dry. No brushes need to get involved!
Say No to Plastic
If you’ve found yourself noticing your stylist using a plastic bristled brush to blowdry your hair, do us a favor; never go back there! We know that they’re typically marketed as blowdry tools. Well, the truth is that plastic bristles can overheat and cause more frizz than smoothness.
If that weren’t bad enough, the plastic can also seriously damage your hair by tearing the cuticles and allowing more heat in. Stick to boar bristled brushes; they’re softer and really help with getting an extra smooth finish!
Say Yes to Professional Blow Dryers
When picking out your blow dryer that’s going to give you the sexiest blowout, you’ll want to look for one specific keyword: “professional.” Professional blow dryers typically will have the strongest heat to dry your hair the fastest while also avoiding causing too much damage.
Divide and Conquer
As we often do when it comes to straightening or curling our hair, it’s best to divide it into sections to get a more thorough blow dry. Divide your hair into four sections and really take your time perfecting each section. It’s important to give the back of your head some extra time to make sure you’re smoothing it all out. Dividing may seem like a slower process but it’s your best bet at getting an even and flawless finish.
The 3-Directions Technique
Now, let’s get into technique. You may notice your hair stylist messing about and moving super quick when doing your hair. Well, it all comes down to a simple technique that you can perfect, too! The ‘3 directions technique’ involves blow drying each subsection of hair in 3 different directions.
Begin by brushing your hair towards your face a few times. Then start to brush it towards the back of your heads a few times as well. Finally, to finish it up you brush it the conventional way; downwards. Taking the extra few steps to brush in different directions is what’s going to make sure your hair is perfectly and entirely smoothed down. Simply brushing downwards can leave the inside of your hair frizzier and not as smooth as the rest!
Lock It In
Finally, it’s time to try out that cool button we all deem irrelevant on our blowdryers. Go over your entire hair one last time, brushing through it with the blow dryer on the cool setting. This really locks in all of your hard work and seals your hair follicles to make sure the blowout lasts as long as possible!
The Curl & Brush
Now, if you’re after that classical Hollywood blowout that’s filled with bounce and waves, then you’re going to want to take this extra step. At this point you’ll have your sleek and smooth blowout. Grab a wider barreled curler and add as many curls as you’d like. You can either add one per section to add some dimension or just completely curl all of your hair.
Once you have your perfect curls, begin to break them down with your fingers. Avoid using a brush, as it’ll just leave your hair frizzy and lose the bounce you’re looking for. Brush through your hair with your fingers repeatedly until the curls are entirely broken down. You should be left with just a bit of extra bounce and waves!
… And Then Lock It In Again
Of course, no sexy blowout is complete without setting it all in place and giving it some extra shine. Use the most lightweight hairspray you have, no one wants that crispy crunch anymore. Spray all over the roots of your hair to keep any fly-aways at bay and leave the volume in place. Then grab a bit of hair oil (we recommend Argan) and apply some to the ends of your hair to add optimal shine.
There you have it! The perfect blowout and you didn’t have to book an appointment!
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