How to Do Your Own Blow Out

A blow out is a great way to achieve a salon-quality style at home, but very few people understand the processes for doing it correctly. Here are two different options for doing your own blow out at home. The first is for straightening your hair, and the second is for adding definition and bounce to natural curls.

Silky, Straight Strands for Any Hair Type

Whether your hair is super curly or just unruly and frizzy, obtaining stick-straight and shiny locks is a real possibility. All you need is your blow dryer, some clips, some shine serum, and a paddle brush to get started.

• Start with wet hair. The best way to get beautiful straight hair with a blow out is to start with saturated hair. It takes longer to dry, but the extra weight provided by the water helps prevent curls.
• Apply anti-frizz serum. There are many of them out there, but the best contain keratin. Not only do these serums protect your hair from the heat, but they also seal in natural moisture and lock out humidity. This will help your blowout last for days.
• Separate your wet hair into several sections. If you have thick hair, you will want to separate it into eight to 10 sections. For thinner, finer hair, four to six sections may work. Use clips to hold these sections back from your face.
• Use a paddle brush. Round brushes are perfect for providing curls, and vented brushes help you dry your hair more quickly. A paddle brush is better for straightening.
• Set the blow dryer to high heat. Curling irons do not work if they are merely warm; they have to be hot. To transform the texture of your hair as it dries, you need a lot of heat from your blow dryer, as well.
• Dry one section at a time. Pull the paddle brush through your hair, and follow it with the blow dryer. Move from root to tip, over and over, until the section of hair is dry. Before moving on to the next section, be sure to use the dryer’s “cool” selection to set the hair. Cool air closes the cuticle and seals in the style.
• Brush and apply finishing product. Now that your hair is completely dry, brush it out thoroughly to enhance shine and add more serum as needed. You only need a few drops.

When You Want to Define Your Natural Curls

Naturally curly hair is beyond beautiful, but it can be a pain to style. Fortunately, with nothing more than some mousse or curl defining product, a blow dryer, and a diffuser attachment, you can take your curls from lackluster to stunning in a matter of minutes.

• Towel-dry your hair before you begin. This makes drying quicker.
• Apply mouse or curl-defining product. These will help set your curls and prevent frizz.
• Detangle with a wide-tooth comb. Avoid brushing your hair while it is wet since this could cause breakage.
• Attach the diffuser to the blow dryer. A diffuser provides many of the same results as air drying, but it is faster and gives you more control over your style.
• Flip your head over, and start scrunching. You do not need a hairbrush and there is no need to separate your hair into sections. When you flip your head over and scrunch as you dry, you encourage your hair’s natural style and texture.

When you use this method to dry your curly hair, you will notice a better texture, shinier curls, and even more definition than ever before. A home blow out is completely possible with the right tools and knowledge, consult your stylist for the proper products for your hair type.