You can definitely rock smooth, bouncy hair, but it doesn't mean you have to shell out major money to get it done at a salon. All you need to do is perfect a couple of tips for a great blow out at home, and you can walk out of the house like you had you hair done by a professional.
With the mean winter months coming, these skills might become even more valuable. Cold weather makes dry hair unavoidable, and layers of scarves and coats (not to mention warm hats) that will flatten and knot your locks until they almost feel unrecognizable. A good blowout can really get you back into your beauty A-game — but if you don't want to hit the salon and the blow dryer and round brush are as big of a mystery to you as a Rubix cube, might feel like you're out of luck.
Never fear: All you need are some helpful tips that will guide your way — all you have to do is practice. Below, on hair stylist shares her favorite tips for a great blow out, getting advice on everything from what to do in the shower to which products will get you the best results.
1. Get A Proper Hair Towel
Lisse Luxe Hair Towel, $30, Aquis.com
You might think that the hair styling process starts with your blow dryer, but according to Meredith Morris, stylist, colorist, and owner of MAVEN Beverly Hill, it starts the second you pop out of the shower.
"Start to finish it matters what you put on your hair as soon as you step out of the shower," Morris explains in an email to Bustle. "Instinctively we all want to wrap our hair up in a bath towel but doing this can actually cause breakage and frizziness to the hair. It's always important to remove moisture from the hair with a hair towel. They are microfiber made and can take out the moisture without roughing up the damp cuticle of your hair."
2. Use A Heat Protectant
Original & Mineral Atonic Thickening Spritz, $23, Hair Care USA
"Putting a heat protectant on your hair is a non negotiable," Morris says. "I always tell my clients you wouldn't stick your hand in an oven set to 350 without a mitt, so don't put the same heat directly on your hair without a protectant."
In case you want to know which product would do the best job, Morris has a trade favorite. "My favorite heat protectant is the O&M Atonic Mist. What I love about this product specifically is that you cannot overdo it; you can spray a good amount on wet hair and prep for a blow out and you can spray on your dry hair before using any heat styling products."
3. Rough Dry Your Hair First
If you just stepped out of the shower, the best way to get the moisture out is to rough dry your hair. "Rough drying hair is not only a time saver but it's actually a gentle technique to get the moisture out of the hair. Don't use a brush and just use the dryer to remove 70-80 percent of the wetness in your hair," Morris says.
4. Use Sectioning Clips
4" Metal Clips, $4, Ulta.com
In order to get a professional-grade blow out, definitely invest in some sectioning clips. "Sectioning clips might seem like they add so much time but actually they save you as you work," Morris points out. "Clipping your hair into sections and going one section at a time allows you to get optimal smoothing results and a lasting blow out. It will also guarantee that you'll never have that one dreaded part in the back that you happened to miss."
5. Use A Good Brush
Ibiza Hair G4 Swirled Extended Cork Round Brush, $42, Nordstrom.com
A great brush is key to a great blowout, so make sure you're using a proper one before starting. "My favorite brushes hands down are the Ibiza boar bristle brushes. Natural bristle brushes are so much better for your hair than metal brushes," Morris advises. "They take a little practice but once you get used to them you will never go back. I don't know one stylist in Beverly Hills who doesn't use them behind the chair. Ibiza is wonderful and even has specifically designed brushes for fine haired blondes to the thickest and coarsest of hairs."
6. Make Sure Your Hair Is 100 Percent Dry
If you've finished all the sections of your hair and are wondering if you're done, there's an easy way to tell your blowout is finished. "If your hair feels at all cool to the touch it isn't completely dry. For a lasting blowout the hair cannot have any residual dampness. If there is moisture left behind, the hair will revert to a frizzy texture and the blow out will not last," Morris explains.
7. Blast It With Cool Air
The finishing touch to a lasting blow out is to blast it with the cool button. "With the hair totally dry and with no coolness left in the hair, it's important to finish the hair with the cool button feature on your dryer," Morris shares. "The cool button is what sets the hair and is vital for getting that salon quality finish that helps your blow dry last for days. So just do a pass over the hair with the cool button."
While these might seem like a lot of steps, once you get into the rhythm of it it'll become second nature. Practice makes perfect, so keep trying until you get that salon quality look!
Images: Josh Dorazio/Unsplash; Aquis (1), Hair Care USA (1); Ulta (1); Nordstrom (1)
