Basic Blow Drying Tips

Essential Kit

1. Wash your hair using the right kind of shampoo and conditioner for your hair type. Once washed, wrap your hair in a towel and leave for around 10 minutes before using the towel to squeeze and pat excess moisture from your hair.



2. Comb through your hair with a wide tooth comb before applying a styling product. For a smooth finish, apply a smoothing cream through the lengths and ends. For volume, apply body building products at the roots and top section of your hair. To make the most of your waves or curls, use a curl enhancer through the lengths before blow drying using the diffuser, rather that nozzle attachment.



3. Roughly dry your hair with the hairdryer until it is 70% dry (this will make it easier and quicker to create the look you want). If you start styling when your hair is wet, your arms will tire before you are finished. Tilt your head to one side and use your fingers to lift the hair while aiming the hairdryer down the hair shaft. Remove the nozzle attachment when rough drying (this will circulate the warm air, drying your hair more quickly and evenly).



4. To make styling and shaping the hair easier, use clips to create easy to manage sections. Start with the underneath layers at the back of your head, because this is the foundation for perfect drying. Section the hair around the crown first to avoid getting in a tangle. Then blow dry the underneath sections and then pull down the rest of the hair.



5. Using a medium section of hair, position the brush in at the roots and then grab and position the dryer above the hair, while pulling the brush down through the hair with one hand and following with the hairdryer nozzle (pointing down the hair shaft) in the other. Repeat this to make sure the section is dry and then finish each blow dried section off with a blast of cold air to set.



6. Use your fingers to shape the finished style into place. Work a couple of drops of serum between your palms and then smooth over the lengths and ends for a sleek, shiny finish. If you want more definition, roughly apply a texturiser like clay or putty. A final blast of cool air form the dryer will break the style, so that is looks less rigid and more lived in.