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Get salon perfection at home.
By Aly Walansky — Last updated on Apr 10, 2023
Salons are expensive and not everyone can afford to go every other week to give their hair a refresh. That's why learning at-home tricks is essential in giving yourself an amazing blowout.
Doing this beauty regimen for ourselves may feel like an intimidating and daunting process, but it's one we can succeed at, as long as we have the proper guidance. It's all about following some tried-and-true steps recommended by the experts.
According to Tracey Moss, a TV and film hair stylist, you don't need to go to the salon for a great blowout. Here's how to do a blowout yourself, to salon perfection.
How To Give Yourself The Perfect Salon-Quality Blowout
1. Start with a shower.
Blowouts work best on recently shampooed and conditioned hair. Choose a well-formulated hair product that works for your specific hair type. Try to find products that handle frizz, volume, split ends, or color-treated hair.
Towel-blot the hair, making sure it's at least 60% dry. You don't want soaking wet hair when you start; the wetter the hair, the more exposure to heat it will need.
Then, brush your hair thoroughly so there are no knots that will get tangled. Be gentle with your hair. Start at the bottom and work your way up, loosening the knots as you go.
2. Apply a heat protectant.
You should never apply heat to your hair without having a heat-protectant product in it. Heat protectants literally protect your hair from damage that heat tools can cause by sealing off the hair's cuticle. Not only does it protect your hair's health, it also helps protect color-treated hair from losing its hue.
Heat protectant is important to use for every hair type. So please use it!
3. Section your hair.
Now that you have freshly washed, damp, brushed-through, and protected hair, you are ready to section.
Depending on the density of your hair (thicker hair vs. finer hair), sectioning it will help keep control of the blow drying process. “If your hair is thin, section the hair in two sections. If you have curly, textured hair or thick hair, four sections is best,” recommends Moss.
Even then, if you want a super sleek blowout and you have thick or curly hair, try sectioning those four parts into smaller sections. This way, the blow dryer can reach all the nooks and crannies.
4. Do a rough dry.
Before you grab any brushes or attachments, you will want to do a rough dry with your blow dryer. Using your fingers, comb your hair while using your blow dryer on a low to medium setting. You should do this until your hair is about 60-70% dry.
5. Use hair attachments.
Depending on your blow dryer, hair attachments are recommended to evenly disperse heat and assist in protecting strands from being exposed to too much heat. The best nozzle for blowouts is the concentrator, as it helps you focus the air in certain spots.
6. Work back to front.
Forget what other people say — the best way to do a blowout at home is to work from the back to the front. You don't want to mess up your good sections, so going from the back to the front keeps your hair from getting in the way of your work.
Also, the front pieces are the easiest to style, so if you start in the front, you will probably be tired by the time you get to the back. Start with the hardest sections first so it's a breeze as you get to the front.
7. Remember that heat control is critical when blow-drying hair.
If the heat setting is too high, you run the risk of burning your scalp and hair, creating flyaways and tangles.
For straight fine to medium hair, blow dry hair using low to medium heat from root to ends.
Curly textured hair is the opposite. This type of hair can use a little more heat. Blow dry each section at a time, starting from end to roots. Starting from ends to roots is a game-changer for textured hair, as this allows you to detangle and blow dry simultaneously.
Start in the back when sectioning. This will allow you to stay in control without over-exposing the hair to too much heat, and complete the entire head of hair without any inconsistency in your blow dry.
8. Keep the blow dryer at least 8 inches from your hair, constantly keeping it moving.
While blow drying, keep in my mind that sealing the cuticle is the goal for your hair. This will keep every hair strand smooth, creating shine, and your finished product will look smooth and healthy.
Don't put your hair dryer directly onto your hair; keep it slightly away as you rack the brush through. If you are using a dryer brush, this will be different. Keep the brush moving, but at the ends of the length, curl it for 2-3 seconds.
9. Add a shot of cool air.
Once the blow dry is complete, give it a cool shot of air, which helps with elasticity. Then, curl and style your hair as desired. "The shot of cool air helps to seal your style in place and prevent frizz," Moss says.
10. Use a finishing product.
Once you have finished your blowout, apply a finishing product. You don't need a lot of this product, just a dime-sized amount . Apply it to your lengths and ends to seal in moisture and ward off frizz.
11. Practice good aftercare.
You don't want your blowout to die overnight, so aftercare is essential to have your hair stay perfect for a few days to even a week.
First, do not get that blowout wet. If your hair gets oily, use a dry shampoo. Invest in a silk pillowcase or a sleep turban. Sleep in a top knot or ponytail, or keep your hair up over the pillow rather than under your neck.
Most importantly, try not to touch your hair!
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Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer who focuses on health, wellness, and relationships. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her.