The secrets to blow drying your own hair

     Getting a professional blow dry is like getting a shot of beauty adrenaline. The feeling you experience when you leave the salon is pure exhilaration. Nothing much has changed; your face is the same, and your weight is the same, but somehow you feel ten times more beautiful and infinitely more confident.

However in this economy splurging on a pro blow dry every week is not  practical and, sigh, doing it yourself never yields the same results … until now!

In order to achieve a salon-quality blow out, you’ll need to add certain tools to your arsenal.

Blow dryer:  Here are the basic criteria for choosing a quality dryer.

Wattage: The higher the number, the more powerful the heat and airflow will be. You need to get at least 1800 watts to prevent frizz,

Variable Speeds/Heat Control: It’s important to be able to control the amount and temperature of the airflow. And, having a “cool shot” button to lock hair into place.

Attachments: If you’re going to blow-dry your hair straight, you definitely want a nozzle attachment.

Source: talesofadesignlife.com via simon on Pinterest

BRUSHES

The shape of brush you choose will play a major part in the end result. If you’re going for volume and curl, it is best to use a round brush with a barrel anywhere from 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 inches depending on the size of the curl you’re after.

If a straight, sleek look is what you’re after, it’s all about the paddle brush.. They’re fantastic brushes, if your hair has a tendency to frizz  use a round bristle

I recommend the GHD range of Brushes from your all good  Salons

Pre-Dry Prep
You want to either air- or towel-dry your hair slightly before applying styling products .

If you have curly or wavy hair in fact any hair type that demands more control The first product that I would alway reach for is Redken’s  ‘Velvet Gelatine’  ideal for the finest of hair. Shoulder-length hair needs a 5 p-sized dollop applied evenly through mid-lengths and ends.

If softness and shine is what your hair needs, use a 5p-sized dollop of Moroccan oil ‘hydrating styling creme’  It conditions the hair, eliminates frizz

If volume is what your hair lacks, apply a palm full of root-lift creme mousse like  Fudge ‘ pump up’
After applying product, rough-dry hair at the roots with the blow dryer. Using your fingers only, pull hair away from your scalp and position the dryer so it’s shooting air from the crown of your head downward. Continue until hair is 80 percent dry and then style as normal with your chosen brush.

METHOD PART 2: STEP 1

Divide and clip your hair into 3 sections — top, middle and nape.  Dry your fringe into place first .

STEP 2

Put the nozzle on your dryer and, beginning with the nape section, wrap a 2- to 4-inch section of hair around the brush and pull as taut as you can. Keeping the hair taut is 50 percent of the battle ,the other 50 percent is the direction of the airflow! Ensure that your dryer nozzle is pointing down the hair shaft from roots to ends.

When each section is completely dry, use the “cool shot” to finish it.

STEP 3

When all of your hair is dry, finish with a misting of shine spray or rub a pea-sized drop of shine serum in your palms and distribute evenly from mid-shaft to ends — staying clear of roots try Redken’s ‘Glass look’. Make sure not to over do it. Try spraying the brush with the shine serum to help to evenly distribute the product and avoid the an oil slick effect

CRUCIAL THINGS TO AVOID

Never hold the brush in one direction and the dryer in the other. The key to sleek, smooth hair is symmetry!

Don’t apply too much product. Gunking up your hair won’t help you get the style you crave; it will only weigh it down and prevent it from cooperating.

Don’t try to dry hair that’s too wet. Your hair will take much longer to dry  and be unnecessarily exposed to more heat for no reason, and your arm will ache before you have started. The hair will not mold to the shape you wish to impose until it is virtually dry.

Don’t over-dry your hair. It’s a common mistake that can damage your strands. A lot of people think that running the dryer over the section hundreds of times will eliminate frizz — it won’t — it’ll make it worse!. Dry hair only until it feels dry to the touch — blast it with cold air to help you determine if it’s totally dry or not.

Do not move your wrist and shake your dryer around. This serves absolutely no purpose. Keep your dryer as steady as possible.

Next: If you don’t remember any of this, at least remember to …

 

REMEMBER

If you don’t remember anything else, the three golden rules for copycatting a professional blow dry are:

1. Direct the airflow DOWN the hair shaft.
2. Keep hair pulled TAUT.

3. Ensure you hair is cut to suit the style you are blowdrying.

4. The money you save on styling it yourself is spent on regular 6 weekly cuts    to make your task  easier

Simon Willetts Director of Combers hair salon is the hair columnist for  the ‘Limited Edition Society’