7 Tips for Drying Your Hair Like a Pro
Blow drying. It’s one of those little luxuries that can totally transform your look and help make you feel like a million bucks.
Whether you’re able to wield your dryer confidently, or you simply dry hair with the sole purpose of taking it from wet to dry, there is always room for improvement.
See, when it comes to drying hair, there are some big no-no’s that can lead to damage, breakage, frizz, or styles that just won’t last.
Today, we break down seven of our favorite blow drying techniques that help preserve the health of your hair and keep your hard-earned styles intact.
When it comes to drying your hair, here’s what you should be doing.
Step One: Soak it Up
Start by removing excess water from your hair. You may gently squeeze the ends, but never twist or pull them.
Air drying and towel drying are great ways to help cut down on styling time as well as heat exposure.
An important thing to remember when towel drying is to choose a towel that’s made from a soft fabric that helps minimize damage.
Our Microfiber Hair Wraps are specially designed to absorb more moisture than traditional cotton towels and they significantly reduce friction and frizz.
Step Two: Prep and Protect
Once you’ve removed some of the initial moisture from your hair, now’s the time to add your styling products.
If you’re looking for volume, smoothing or shine, now is the time to apply. We like utilizing the technique of “cocktailing” your products, or mixing a small amount of each in your palm and applying them at the same time.
This is also the perfect time to apply heat protectant. These special products are designed to help protect your hair from the high temperatures of your styling tools and should be used every time you style.
Most smoothing and shine products are recommended primarily for lengths and ends, whereas volumizers are generally targeted at the roots and heat protectants should be used all over.
Step Three: Rough Dry Hair
When you’re ready to start, rough drying (or pre-drying) is a great technique to use to further minimize drying time and heat damage.
To do this, begin starting your hair on medium heat and lightly going over the entire head of hair until it’s roughly 70% dry.
Once it reaches this stage, take the top 3/4 of your hair and clip it up and out of the way. Doing this will help each section dry quicker and help you avoid overdrying the hair.
Start drying the bottom layer of hair on a higher heat setting, ideally with an air concentrator attachment and making sure to direct airflow down the hair shaft.
We always want to focus the air downward because this helps ensure that the hair cuticle will lay flat. Directing air up the hair shaft roughs up the cuticle and produces a dull, frizzy effect.
Step Four: Keep the Distance
Not only do air concentrators aid in smoothing and boosting shine, they also help maintain a safe distance between the heat and your hair.
If you’re typically one to toss the air concentrator when you purchase a new dryer, don’t do it. Your hair will thank you for using this handy attachment.
Another thing to consider when drying your hair is that a brush with a larger surface area (think a paddle or large round brush) will shave off time. A vented brush will also help shorten styling time by maximizing airflow.
So, whether you use a nozzle or a large brush, make sure to keep the end of your dryer directly off your hair. (An inch or two away will easily do the trick!)
Step Five: Learn the Technique
Once you’ve rough dried and clipped up the remaining hair, it’s important to utilize some key techniques to achieve the look you’re going for.
To create a beautiful blowout that rivals the salon, this step of precision drying works exceptionally well with a round brush.
Insert your round brush near the roots and under the section you're working with.
Start by focusing your dryer at the roots and rolling the brush down toward your ends and then rolling it back up to the roots again. Continue to keep the dryer nozzle pointed down the hair shaft.
Repeat this process until each section and ultimately your entire head is completely dry.
Step Six: Lock-In the Look
Once you’ve finished styling, turn your dryer to its cool setting and quickly go over your hair one last time.
This step helps to seal your hair’s cuticle, locking in moisture and shine.
If you find that your hairstyles don’t have the staying power you’d like them to, definitely give this step a try.
Step Seven: Add a Gleaming Finish
Ever notice how shiny your hair is when you step foot out of the salon? Oftentimes stylists will complete our look with a dash of a finishing oil or a shine spray.
This step does double duty because in addition to making your hair smoother and more lustrous, it also helps to trap moisture inside the hair.
To avoid weighing down your ‘do or making it feel greasy, make sure to focus the product primarily on your lengths and ends.
And voila! A salon-worthy blowout couldn’t be simpler.
We hope you’ve learned something new from these salon-inspired techniques. They may take a little practice, but eventually they’ll become second nature.
Tell us, what new technique are you most excited to try? And please teach any special techniques you like to use while drying your hair.
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