If there's one thing we know for certain, it's that a bouncy blowout goes with everything. Whether it's an anarkali for a traditional function or a bodycon number for a cocktail party, a good blow dry is like the little black dress of the hairstyle world. Although it may seem like the best blow drys only happen in a salon, the right hair care tips and tools can help you recreate it at home. Ace hairstylist Zahabia Lacewalla tells us a little bit about perfecting a salon-style blowout right at home.
Step 1 - The foundation of a good blow dry lies in the products you use. "Determine your hair texture and accordingly, select the right shampoo, conditioner and finishing products", says Zahabia. To begin, cleanse your scalp with shampoo, condition your lengths and pat your hair until it is 60% dry.
Step 2 - Apply a few drops of serum to your lengths, set the temperature of your blow dryer to a medium setting and roughly blow through the sections of your hair, focussing on your scalp. The rough drying step is primarily to dry the root area so that it doesn't remain damp underneath while styling. Continue until all the dampness has dissipated from your hair.
Step 3 - Next, choose your tools. A blow dryer with adjustable settings and a detachable nozzle and diffuser will do the best job. "Depending on whether you want a poker straight blow dry or a voluminous one, choose your equipment. A diffuser is great to retain the natural texture of curly hair", recommends Zahabia. For straight or wavy hair, a nozzle attachment will do the trick.
Step 4 - Divide your hair into 2 inch sections and begin styling each one with your blow dryer on medium temperature. "Point the nozzle at your root and move it from the root to the tip, while running a hair brush through it with the other hand.", says Zahabia. This will lend your tresses that coveted bounce that everyone loves about a blow dry. Repeat this for every section until all are completed.
Step 5 - Since it isn't a blow dry without a little volume on the crown, here's how to do it. "At the root of your crown area, apply a volume enhancing product to soak up oil. Then run the blow dryer over the section from root to tip or use a brush to gently back comb the hair," concludes Zahabia.
