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Hello there, social butterfly! With the holidays just around the corner and all those seasonal celebrations, after-work cocktails, family gatherings, office parties and chic soirées to attend, now’s a great time to master the at-home blowout. You can always stop by a blow-dry bar (including our place, of course!), but between your super-busy calendar and keeping down costs, you might not be able to have a professional tackle your tresses every single time. We’ve broken down the process so you can score a smooth, sexy blowout from the comfort of your own home.
PREP WORK:
The most important part of a blowout starts in the shower with shampooing and conditioning your hair. If you have thicker hair, use a conditioner that will help tame frizz, like Frizz Dismiss Conditioner from Redken. For finer tresses, try a volumizing conditioner (we like Redken’s High Rise Volume Lifting Conditioner), making sure to avoid conditioning the roots, which can weigh hair down. If you have time, instead of using a conditioner after shampooing, consider applying a hair mask before washing. AG Hair’s Reconstruct Intense Restorative Mask restores elasticity, smooths, strengthens and hydrates. Wash it out with a good shampoo like High Rise Volume Lifting Shampoo from Redken. If you need to, you can add a little light conditioner to the ends after shampooing to detangle.
Styling Products:
Once you’ve rinsed your hair and gently squeezed out excess moisture with a towel, run a wide-toothed comb through your tresses to smooth and detangle. Use a volumizing product at the roots, spraying from 4”-6” away. We love Miracle Blowdry Volumizer from It’s a 10 because it adds shine, thickness and UV protection without being sticky or crunchy. Another excellent product is AG Hair’s Bigwigg, which adds volume without weighing hair down.
Don’t Forget the Heat Protection!
Always, always, ALWAYS use a heat protectant spray on your hair before blow drying to prevent damage. Try Redken’s Pillow Proof Express Primer; it reduces blow dry time while protecting hair from heat up to 450 degrees. One United—also from Redken—is another great option, as it detangles, prevents breakage and controls frizz while protecting hair from heat. For thermal protection plus great shine, we suggest Cibu’s Sashini Thermal Shine Sprayopens a new window.
Now It’s Time to Dry Your Hair:
Rough dry your hair by lifting hair at the roots with your fingers and blasting it with the blow dryer, keeping it a few inches from the scalp. Make sure that you angle your dryer down the hair shaft. This closes the hair cuticle and keeps hair smooth and shiny. Never blow dry against the hair’s cuticle, which will produce flyaways and frizz.
When your hair is about 70% dry, divide it in sections using clips, making sure that the sections are no bigger than the diameter of your round brush (or curlers, should you choose to use them*; see next paragraph). Wrap a section tightly around the brush and pull it down gently through your hair, again angling the dryer down over it as you go to keep strands smooth. Continue until you finish all sections and hair is completely dry.
*Once your hair is 70% dry, if you prefer to use rollers instead of finishing with a round brush, divide hair into sections and roll in Velcro curlers, making sure that the hair strands (including the ends) are smooth. Roll each section up and away from your face. Give hair a quick blast with the dryer; heat will help set the hair.
Whether you use the round brush method or curlers, leave hair alone until it is completely cooled, about 10 minutes.
The Final Finishing Touches:
Unravel curlers (if you used them) and run your fingers through your hair. Spritz with a texturizing spray, like Redken’s Fashion Waves 07, which is infused with sea salt for a tousled, beachy look, or Triple Dry 15 for airy lift without crunch. If you prefer a smoother finish, enhance shine with Cibu’s Shine Squad Oilopens a new window. Spray a little into your hands and run them lightly through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. To keep your look going for hours, use a hairspray, like Cibu’s Finistaopens a new window or Orbit Hairspray from Paul Mitchell.
How to Prolong Your Blowout:
Want to extend the life of your beautiful blowout? The day after, spray a dry shampoo just at the hair roots, holding the bottle 3”-4” away from your head. We love Ka Pow Dry Shampooopens a new window from Cibu for the sexy texture and great volume it creates.
