How to Keep Your Blowout Looking Great for Days
When was the last time you treated yourself to a quality salon blowout?
If it’s been a while...or you’ve never had a pro stylist give you a full blow-dry...we can’t recommend it enough.
Of all the special services offered by your salon, this brisk style refresher is one of the quickest, easiest, and most wallet-friendly ways to re-energize your hair.
However, even though a fine blow-dry, administered by a skilled stylist, can send you out of a salon feeling reborn…
...you’re also going to walk out of there with a big question hanging over your head:
“HOW DO I KEEP IT FEELING THIS GOOD?”
“Wouldn’t you love to keep that exhilarating just-stepped-out-of-the-salon feeling every day?”
The truth is, just like with any salon styling procedure, a blowout is going to look and feel its best right after you’ve gotten it.
And fortunately, just like with a fresh cut, color, or style, you can preserve the airy volume and body of freshly blow-dried locks…
...once you have the secrets!
So, we checked in with the people who’ve got all the keys to sustainable style:
Veteran professional stylists.
And we asked them:
“What are your top techniques for maintaining a blowout after you leave the salon?”
And whether you’re getting that blowout to spice up your look for that upcoming vacation…
...or just giving a touch of extra vitality and spark to your everyday style…
...we’re sure you’ll find these tips will help you hold on to that salon-fresh look like never before!
KEEP THAT BLOWOUT DRY
“The enemy of all blowouts is moisture.”
So says Kevin Marques, a stylist with the Frédéric Fekkai Salon at New York’s Mark Hotel.
Of course, your hair does produce its own moisture, in the form of your scalp’s essential oils.
But Marques is talking about excess dampness, especially in the form of sweat…
...and nothing makes you sweat more than a vigorous exercise session.
That’s why Marques suggests a sweat-absorbent headband for that trip to the gym or morning run.
“That will wick away perspiration from your forehead and the back of your neck,” says Marques.
Keeping the sweat away from these post-blowout problem areas will help you retain that fresh-from-the-salon look for far longer.
“Not only does the right sweatband give your workout style some flash...it also fights that post-blowout dampness.”
But during the summer months, it’s not just working out that can make you sweat.
And, as the sun gets brighter and the temperatures climb...so do your chances of sweating away that blow-dried vibrancy.
That’s why Alli Webb, founder of the California-based Drybar chain of blowout salons, suggests spending as little time outside as possible on that first day after your salon visit.
Plus, there’s a way for you to help preserve your blowout...even while you’re sleeping!
“Keep your bedroom really cold while you sleep,” suggests Webb, “to prevent night sweating.”
So, for a longer-lasting blow-dry...you want to crank up the A/C and let it blow, too!1
FOR AN UPDO, THINK LOOSE
Even with a fresh blowout, with the summer upon us, going for that face-cooling updo sure sounds inviting.
But be aware:
The kind of updo you choose can make a difference for your blow-dry’s lifespan.
“As soon as you place your hair into a pony or tight bun,” says Nexxus New York celebrity stylist Lona Vigi, “you’re ruining your blowout by creating odd bends.”
So, what’s the best way to enjoy the breezy benefits of an updo without sacrificing that blow-dried volume?
Here’s a styling tip from Jennifer Yepez, a stylist whose client list includes Kim Kardashian, Naomi Campbell, and Salma Hayek.2
Using a paddle brush with good, tight bristles, sweep your hair straight up to the top of your head.
Then wrap your hair into a large bun...but make sure it’s a LOOSE one. (For thicker hair, you’ll want to do two side-by-side buns.)
“If you go with a hot-day updo, you want to keep it loose, to prevent unsightly bends in your hair.”
Secure the hair in place with a couple bobby pins...and you’ve got a body-preserving updo that’ll keep you chilled out and comfortable!3
DEVELOP A MULTI-DAY BLOWOUT PROGRAM
You know, of course, that the free-and-easy beauty of your blowout won’t last forever.
But you can keep those tresses feeling healthy and clean for longer...with the right post-blowout routine.
Here’s a program, created by Jaiza Yelverton at Philadelphia’s DryBar City Center, for maintaining a fresh-and-fierce blow-dry look...all the way through DAY 5!
- DAY 1: Put your hair in an overnight loose-bun updo like the one suggested by Yepez, then give your locks extra protection by sleeping with a silk or satin pillowcase. Your hair will just glide over these smooth fabrics...a dynamite frizz and flyaway fighter! You’ll want to keep up this hair-protecting overnight routine throughout this cycle. (Don’t forget to turn the A/C up!)
“The low-friction feel of satin and silk is much more effective for retaining your hair’s shape and volume.”)
- DAY 2: During the day, treat your tips with your favorite hair oil or hydrating mist.
- DAY 3: By now, your hair may be feeling a little less fresh than it did before your blow-dry. But have no fear...dry shampoo is here! Spray and massage your roots to blot away excess oil and support the moisturizing effect of the previous day’s oil.
- DAY 4: On this day, you may want to reinforce any natural waves with a swift spot curl. It’s also wise to give the lower part of your locks a quick brush, as you may be starting to show a bit of tangle.
- DAY 5: Another oil-and-brushing touch-up is a good way to go, and if you’ve got plans for the evening, now’s the time to break out that cute ponytail, or maybe a chic braid.5
Yelverton’s routine, which is perfectly easy to try at home, will give your blowout a powerful new lease on life...and keep you looking and feeling fantastic for days!
YOU’LL NEVER BLOW IT AGAIN
If you’ve never gotten yourself a professional blowout before now, we understand.
After all, a salon-quality blowout is one of the most affordable stylist services around…
...but why pay anything for a procedure that’s going to just fade away by the next morning… right?
Well, you no longer have to wait to treat yourself to an incomparably rejuvenating salon experience.
Just keep these pro stylists’ expert blowout-maintenance tips in mind when you schedule your appointment…
...and soon, you’ll be making a blow-dry session a regular part of every visit to the salon!
CITATIONS
- “10 Tips to Make Your Blow-Dry Last Longer.” The Express Tribune, The Express Tribune, 10 Aug. 2015, www.tribune.com.pk/story/935480/10-tips-to-make-your-blow-dry-last-longer/.
- “The Pro Files: Hairstylist Jennifer Yepez on Working with Her 'Dream Girl' Salma Hayek, Her New Kérastase Gig and More.” PEOPLE.com, Time Inc, www.people.com/style/hairstylist-jennifer-yepez-new-kerastase-ambassador/.
- Catanese, Nicole. “6 Ways to Make Your Blowout Last Longer.” ELLE, ELLE, 7 Feb. 2018, www.elle.com/beauty/hair/news/a34706/ways-to-make-your-blowout-last-longer/.
- How To: Maintain a Perfect Blowout!, www.bloout.com/how-to-maintain-a-perfect-blowout.