Hair: How to Blow Dry Hair at Home


blow drying hairTIPS & TRICKS FOR BLOW DRYING HAIR AT HOME

Who doesn’t love a fresh blow dried hair? Don’t we all just love the way we feel when we walk out of a salon with blow dried hair? Shiny, silky hair just puts in me in my best mood and I feel all confident and ready to face the world. For me, on a bad hair day, no amount of makeup/good clothes can set me straight…Its just that way! On the other hand somedays when you hair just seems to be well behaved, I don’t even care to put on makeup.

Of course who are we kidding?! We cannot to go the salon often to get our hair washed & blowdried. One, it is not convenient due to time constraints; secondly it’s not quite affordable. So in my quest to have blow dried I started trying it at home. As the old adage goes “Practice makes Perfect” is absolutely true. Blow drying is quite cumbersome especially when you have to do it for yourself. The dryer in one hand, the brush in the other. I am definitely no expert, but I have improved from where I started. Here are few tips & tricks I learned along the way from various sources. They have helped me a great deal and I hope it helps at least some of you.

1) Get the Right Hair Dryer

Quite obviously, the first thing that you need to have for blow drying your hair is a hair dryer. A good hair dryer makes a huge difference to you styling experience. Choose a good branded one. A higher wattage rating will give high power to produce a strong steady supply of air. Also make sure that the dryer itself is not too heavy. Most importantly look for the features of the dryer. Make sure it comes with a nozzle/diffuser attachment. Also ensure that the dryer has a “cool air” button too.

2) Choose the Right Kind of Brush

For a straight and sleek look go for a paddle brush. If you want more volume with some “rounded” ends go for a round brush. The larger the round brush, the more volume you get. Boar bristles are supposed to give you shinier bristles. Try to avoid metal bristles, as these can be quite harsh. Salon professionals are trained to use them. We may end up with a lot of breakage.

paddle brush and round brush
paddle brush and round brush

3) Understand Your Hair Type & the Kind of Look You are Trying to Achieve

The nozzle attachment in a hair dryer is very important as it concentrates the air and helps an even flow. When Blowdrying make sure you point the nozzle downwards and move from the roots to the end of the hair.

nozzle dryer attachment
nozzle dryer attachment

People with curly hair need to look for dryer with a diffuser attachment. A diffuser looks like the below picture.

diffuser attachment
diffuser attachment

It is attached to the end of the hair dryer. This attachment diffuses the hot air very gently rather than being harsh. For curly haired beauties harsh air can cause their hair to frizz. Using a diffuser helps retain the curls at the same times dries the hair.

Tips for blow drying at home

• It is very easy to get frustrated with blow drying your own hair. I almost gave trying to do it home. But my stupid frizzy hair forced me to keep practicing. Now I am a little better .So, keep practicing.
• Always to try to air dry your hair until it’s 75 % dry and start blow drying when your hair is just damp enough. If you start with very wet hair, you may need a lot of time. It also leads to too much heat usage.
• When hair is wet apply a serum to contain frizz. I like to use Paul Mitchell’s super skinny serum.
• Always, Always use a heat protectant before you start styling. Too much heat can lead to breakage and split ends. I really like tresseme’s heat protectant spray.
• Partition your hair into section and start with a little at a time. I like to start with the back of my head as it is toughest part.
• YouTube can be a wonderful resource for this. See a lot of videos and notice the technique. Then try to mimic their hand movements.
• Go through a section a couple of times until it is completely dry. If you leave it wet, it will frizz up again. Remember moisture is your number one enemy for frizz!!
• Shoulder length hair and below is easier to style. Short hair is a bi*** when it comes to blow drying. Hair tends to curl up when you hair is short. Longer hair tends to be straighter as the weight of the hair pulls it down.
• Always finish off your blow drying session with a shot of cool hair. Not only does it feel nice, it helps seal the cuticles and adds shine. If you want that dash of extra volume, hang your head down and finish off with cold hair. Lift up your hair and comb through with your fingers.
• If you want a straight and sleek look, finish of with a straightening iron. Just run it quickly through some strands for a neat look.

Word of Caution

Do not subject your hair to heat everyday. It damages your hair quite bad and can lead to breakage split ends. Make sure you use good leave in masks/treatments to give your hair some extra nourishment.

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28 thoughts on “Hair: How to Blow Dry Hair at Home

    1. Thank you Monica..I live outside India..so I am not sure..but I think Philips is good one…look for one with a high wattage rating..around 1800 W 🙂

    2. Hi Monika. I am no expert, But you can buy a Panasonic or Philips dryer, Both are good and reasonably priced…800-1000 bucks. You might get better offers on diwali! One tip though- Buy from an electronics shop. The ones at beauty stores-not so good in my experience. Hope this helps. 🙂

  1. An awesome article Jane and thank you so much for it…. I have weirdly unruly hair and I so needed this tutorial!!! :yes: :yes: :yes:
    Thanks! :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

    1. Yeah I have the same problem..esp on the day I wash my hair..it all frizzy and poofy..I hate it..so I like to tame it a little with blowdrying 🙂

  2. Jane, Thanks a ton for this article. :yes: :yes: :yes: I do have a dryer but I mainly use it to dry my hair during winters..I love that super blow dried hair. Guess i must pick up some good brushes now. TBS has come up with these new brushes. I am thinking of getting one for myself. Ever tried them?

    1. You are welcome rati 🙂 I have never tried TBS brushes..but I am gonna try it next time..esp the round brush..I have a paddle brush from conair with me..But you already have such silky hair no ?:D I lovve your hair..its looks so soft 🙂

    1. Vinitha , others in India may have to help you 🙂 If not heat protectant , atleast have a serum before you blow dry..that protects the hair to some extent..

  3. absolutely jane
    i was duh at it
    then i got a 2100 watt ionic dryer and the right paddle and ceramic brushes and the right mousse too
    it works great for me

  4. hey……my dryer doesnt have a cold nozzel…….what to do….?
    and vinitha….kerastase makes a nice heat protectant…..its called heat protection thermique…..

    1. Shilpa , Nozzle is just an attachment to concentrate the air. But “cold air” button should a feature in the dryer itself..

  5. Awesome article, it was really helpful. I was wondering if you know any place that sells boar bristle brushes in Mumbai? Plus can you recommend any heat protectant other than Tresseme’s?
    Thanks again!

  6. Great article!! Especially for fizzy devils like me!! One question: My Philips hair dryer doesn’t have a diffuser attachment of its own. Is it possible to buy a separate diffuser? Is it a one-size fits all kind or does it differ based on the hair dryer?

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