If I had it my way, I would be getting my hair blown-out professionally twice a week, too bad that’s never going to happen. Here’s how to get a salon quality blow out at home. First, you need the right tools– brushes, product, clips and a hair dryer. If you are looking to achieve a blow-out with more volume use a round brush. Try the must have round brush Amy posted in finds previously! It is important to use products with heat protectants, if you don’t, it’s like going out with out sunscreen. Try Oribe’s Creme for Style available at Panico or Blue Mercury. This product loves straight and curly hair equally, has a UV protectant, will give you a firm yet flexible all-day hold and tames frizz with rich moisturizers. Clips for sectioning the hair, can be found at any drugstore, but my faves are the Colortrak Croc Clips which can be found at your local beauty store. Elchim makes the best hair dryers. Elchim dryers are made with a Negative Ion Generating System which produces a continuous stream of ions, so drying time is reduced by 50% while hair remains smooth and shiny. The least expensive one is around $99 but they run 20% off occasionally.
Work the product throughout the hair. It’s important to section off your hair for control. If you don’t have a lot of hair you can probably get away with 2 sections, but for those of you with a lot of hair you may have to do as many as 6. Many of us have little frizzy pieces in the front of our hair, this is where your blow-out should start. Take these little pieces and pull the hair tight, flat to your head. Use the dryer to get out any frizz you may have. Once you get all of those annoying small pieces in the front, move to the back. Start at the bottom and work your way up to the top, taking each section at a time. Hold the hair dryer above the hair and in the direction you want the hair to go. Take your time with each section. It can get tedious but the end result is worth it. Think of it as a work out for your shoulders and arms! It’s important to get the root dry first, then work on the mid-shaft and ends. Spend an extra moment on the ends with your brush, allow the hair to cool for a second before dropping it from the brush and you will end up with a smooth result. Do the same thing at the nape of the neck as you did in the front. Smooth out the little pieces by pulling them tight and hitting them with the dryer. Once your hair is completely dry, you’ll want to smooth all the layers together in the back of your hair. Grab a section by the top, back part of your head. Comb that section together with your brush, hold your hair dryer above the section and pull the hair up and through the brush while drying in the same direction. This will meld all the layers together at one time and create a seamless effect. Spray a finishing shine all over (I love Gloss Defining by Davines available at Panico). Make sure to hold the bottle 12 inches away from your head while spraying. Wha-la a beautiful blow out!