Because nobody just wakes up like this...
Welcome to “How to” hair-dry, reference you always wished you’d had.
Don’t have time to get an expert? Use these expert tricks for a better blow out.
Party season is officially in full swing. Xmas carols are on a perpetual loop in the office, mulled wine and mince pies flow freely at all hours of the day ( wine at 10 AM? sure! it’s Christmas after all! ) and it is now socially acceptable to adorn yourself( and any unsuspecting , friends and family) with so much glitter and tinsel it would make Santa clause blush.
With this in mind I know many of you will be struggling to get that perfect party hair that will withstand the office-to-party change over and of course all those cocktails , gossip and drama! I often hear from my clients “ My hair has a mind of it’s own “ “ I wish I could recreate that salon blow-dry at home, but I just don’t know where to start” or my favourite “ I’m just not good with my hair “ Sound like you?? The Struggle Is REAL. Trust me, I have said many of the same phrases myself! So, I thought why not pop together a little guide of expert tips and tricks to show you that an amazing hair is easier than you think! These beauty secrets will hopefully see you past the party season preparations and be a GAME CHANGER in your beauty routines for the new year.
1. Knowledge is power
Access and correct your hair condition + texture
Before we can go ahead and get creative with our blow drys and hair styles, we first need to access the hair condition when it is dry to understand what we are working with. Once we have a true understanding of our hair condition at THIS moment ( not how it was yesterday or last week! ) we can go about selecting the right products to correct problem areas, enhancing our styles and creating our desired hair texture.
Pick up a section of hair from your scalp and run your fingers from the root to the tip; is the hair drier towards the ends? Is it damaged from colour ? Is your natural texture coarse or fine? Do you have silky, virgin hair that has never been treated with colour? Ask yourself these questions to help you better understand your own hair:
Has my hair been colour treated? (If so are the ends dry?)
YES > Use more moisture at the mid-lengths and ends where the hair is most DAMAGED.
Is my hair naturally coarse and wild?
YES > Select moisturising products at the mid-lengths and ends to tame frizz and smooth the cuticle ( outer layer part of the hair follicle.)
Is my hair fine, silky or fly away?
YES > Use drier products such as sea salt sprays, dry shampoo and texture powders at the root to create more texture and hold.
Is my hair oilier at the root?
YES > Use drier products to absorb the oil and add more texture.
2. It’s all about that hair prep
Preparation is key + often overlooked
Now you understand your hair condition and texture a little better we can go ahead and start selecting products to address your concerns and help to make your blow dry smoother, glossier and with more volume! Remember you can ‘cocktail’ a couple of products together to create your desired result, much like with makeup, your hair may require several products at different areas to address different concerns.
Top Tip for Dry/ Brittle areas : Such as the mid-lengths and ends: Add more moisturising products such as creams, serums, leave in conditioners.
Top Tip for Volume & Texture: We tend to want volume at the roots so this area need to be a little ‘ drier’ to create more lift. Use products such as sea salt spray, mouse, dry shampoos and texture powders for a little more volume and grip.
3. Firm Favs
Mineral Rich Sea salt spray
Spritz in wet or dry hair. Dry naturally or use a hair dryer to speed things up. Spritz at the roots of dry hair. Turn your head upside down & blast with a dryer to give volume to fine hair.
Leave in conditioner
Apply sparingly to hair after shampoo. Rub and massage deep into the ends of hair. Do not rinse out.
Root boosting styling powder
Shake a small amount into your palm and rub hands together. You will see the powder disappear but you will still feel it on your hands. Distribute into dry hair, focusing on the roots, for an INSTANT root boost and volume.
Smoothing moisturising cream
Apply 1 to 2 hazelnut-size drops onto shampooed and towel dried hair. Spread evenly with a comb on to lengths and ends. For smooth results, blow-dry hair.
5: Style Sexy Hair Play Dirty Texture Wax
Texture wax spray for styling
Shake well before use. Spray lightly into dry hair for added texture and hold. For dimension, play with the shape and style as desired.
4. ROUGH DRY YOUR HAIR UNTIL IT’S 80% DRY
Nobody has 3 hours to kill on a blow out
This top tip has saved my arms so much pain over the years ! I often find people go straight in and start trying to style the hair when it’s still super damp. Save yourself the time and rough dry your hair until 70-80% of the moisture is out of the hair. Use a tangle teaser to brush your hair as you rough dry so you don’t get those “ Monica from Friends, in Barbados “ hair vibes.
Top tip: Before beginning your blow dry go in at the root with something like the sea salt spray for added volume ( Number 1 in my firm favs) and spritz the mid-lengths and ends with leave in conditioner ( Number 2) for smoother hair that’s easier to blow – out.
5. KEEP YOUR SECTIONS CLEAN
IT’S ORGANISED CHAOS! HONEST!
Start by taking one inch sections above the nape of your neck and comb throw to remove the tangles. Keeping each section smooth as you blow dry by brushing through to remove tangles first. This will create a smoother result with less fly-a-ways.
6. CHOOSE THE SIZE OF YOUR BRUSH WITH CARE
YOUR BRUSH SELECTION IS KEY TO YOUR CURL SIZE
The size of the brush you select will determine the size of the curl you create. A Large round brush will create a soft, big bouncy curl. Smaller brushes create smaller, tighter curls. Top Tip: If you struggle with keeping the curl in your hair opt for a smaller brush and tighter curl. Your hair will drop as the day goes on creating a lovely loose effect .
6. IT’S ALL THOSE ANGLES
THERE IS A SCIENCE TO A GOOD BLOW OUT AND IT STARTS WITH GOOD MATHS!
Believe it or not we get to utilise some of our elementary maths skills when creating our perfect blow dry! For that voluminous effect ensure to place your brush under your section at 90 degree angle from the head and blow dry upwards for extra lift. if you apply heat to the roots at anything below 90 degree from the scalp this is known as “Off Based” in the industry and will cause root drag or in other words the less volume at the root. this technique takes a bit of practice but it’s worth it for that extra volume.
Top tip: Blow dry your hair section in 3 segments. 1. Root. 2. Mid-length. 3. Tip.
Root > Go over this section several times until dry. Concentrating on lifting the root upwards towards the ceiling for volume
Mid-length> Once the root is dry concentrate on moving your round brush down the rest of the hair to smooth and dry and mid-lengths
Tip > Once the mid-LENGTH is dry go over the ends of the hair several times using your round brush to dry in that curl.
7. PIN CURL OR VELCRO ROLLER EACH SECTION FOR HOLD
Long lasting curls need to cool and set
Now you your section is completely dry the best way to create a longer lasting curl is to set the section in a pin curl or Velcro roller for around 20 minutes ( or longer if you have the time!). 20 minutes is the MINIMUM as it takes this amount of time for the bonds to reform into the curl in the hair. Less than this and your curls won’t last as long as they could.
8. DON’T FORGET TO STYLE YOUR HAIR
Once you remove all the clips IT’S time to finish the style the professional way! Grab some smoothing product for the mid-lengths and ends, like a serum or cream( number 4 above in my firm favs) and run this over the section for a more professional finish. Once this is complete, give your curls a little shake to break up your sections. Spritz with hairspray to hold and Viola! You’re all done!
