How to Perfect a Blowout From Home, According to a Hair Professional
They say hair is your best accessory—and quite frankly, it's the truth!
As someone with naturally coarse, curly locks, I can tell you it's been a lifelong struggle.
That said, nothing gives me confidence quite like hopping into that hair salon seat, and sipping on a cold iced tea while I get my hair blown out. I always leave the salon feeling like a million bucks (as I should, right?). Unfortunately for me, and I'm sure many others, once I try to replicate that million-dollar look from my own bathroom, it's an utmost fail.
Thankfully, with the help of esteemed hairstylist Michelle Schwartz, of West Hollywood's trendy B2V Salon, I received all the tips I need to master the look without leaving the house.
Keep scrolling to find out how you, too, can pull off the magic on your own!
Prep
Michelle suggests both shampooing and conditioning your hair, leaving the ends "a tiny bit slimy" instead of rinsing out the conditioner entirely.
"You're protecting your ends, and also the ends of your hair are always going to look a little bit more dry," she explains. "So it does also really help with the blowout to keep your hair a little bit more slick."
Towel Drying
Don't go straight from the shower to the blowdryer. Get those wet locks in a turban with your towel or simply just let your hair air-dry for a half hour.
"It's really helpful just to take away a good 10 minutes of extra work," Michelle suggests. "Before you even use a brush, I would at least get about 50 percent of the water out of your hair, either by using a blow dryer or a towel and giving it time."
Sectioning
Without question, you should section your hair before you begin with the brush.
"When you're doing it from home, it's much better to section off the top in a horseshoe section or where you would wear it on the crown of your head," Michelle says. "And then do one more section from eyebrow to eyebrow all the way back, and then start with the sides of your head. It's much easier for you to get to the sides. So you're going to go from one, about an inch above the ear, on both sides all the way to the back of your neck. That's going to be your first section. And then from there you're going to go up about another inch or two so you'll have three big full sections."
Size does matter, when it comes to both sectioning and brush size.
"The smaller sections the better because if you take a big chunk, then you're burning the top of the hair trying to get the bottom of the hair dry," Michelle explains. "So people are constantly doing that—they're taking these big sections because they think that they're going to cut down on time, but then they end up with this frizzy burnt hair, because the top of the hair is getting overly burnt and cooked. So the smaller the sections the better. It's much quicker that way, too, in the long run because you're not having to work the same section over and over and over again."
She adds: "If you want your hair to be curlier, go with a smaller brush. If you want it to be straighter, go with a bigger brush."
Blow Drying
Good news! You don't need to break the bank to get an adequate blowdryer. Michelle says the reason why hairstylists have especially expensive tools is because they have to perform services on so many people a day.
At home, get something "lightweight that you can manage, just even what feels good in your hand is important," she says. "Yes, powerful is helpful, but I would say sometimes ones that get really, really hot and are super quiet are more likely to burn your hair and those engines blow out a little quicker. I've even had some start a fire. So sometimes the heavy, old-school clunky ones are better because they're not based on getting too hot."
Michelle recommends the BaByliss and Elchim for at-home. They run for around $100, which is on the pricier side, but "they get the job done, they blow a good amount of hair without frying it," she says.
Products
Like with the blowdryer, Michelle doesn't suggest any product brands that are mandatory to use, but she emphasizes the importance of products in general when it comes to perfecting and maintaining your 'do.
"Leave-in conditioner is one of the most important things, and one of my favorites I would have to say is the 7Seconds from Unite because it works on every hair type," she says. "And then Living Proof has some amazing things for people who have frizzy hair, curly hair or fine texture hair."
When it comes to blowout cream, Michelle says it's super necessary "to just keep the frizz at bay, keep the shape, hold the shape."
And don't forget that hairspray!
"It keeps the environment from getting in there, sweat and all that good stuff," she says. "It holds your blow dry for much longer. And Flex is one of my favorite ones, it's from Living Proof. It's just a really light flexible hairspray that works also as a anti-humectant. It's really great for any kind of hair."
Lastly, before and after the blowout process takes place, be sure to use a serum.
Michelle says 90% of people "can handle that because it adds that glisten and shine. It's really topical though, it's not necessarily going to fix anybody's hair, but it is going to make it look pretty."
Maintenance
I can't speak for everyone, but when it comes to my hair in particular, I can make a blowout last up to a week (if I really stretch it). I personally recommend using a Slip Silk Pillowcase to avoid bed head caused by regular cases.
Below, Michelle provides her own guidance for extending your blowout as long as possible.
"Anybody with hair beyond shoulder length should put it up in a 1982 scrunchie on the top of their hair, loosely, and if it's super long, maybe even roll it into a nice bun," she says. "That way, you won't have the friction of your hair rolling around. Your hair even grows better when you put it up at the top of your head at night because you're not manhandling it. When you're sleeping you're rolling around and sweating, and it keeps the heat out too, because we get hot when we sleep."
If you're all about pampering yourself, then you definitely enjoy getting your nails done. Click HERE to read the annoying truths you'll relate to if you've ever been to a nail salon.