3 Simple Tips for a Better Blowout

Everyone loves getting a blowout at the salon. Suddenly your hair looks thicker and shinier, and has more volume than ever before. But for many of us, the thrill is gone once we wash our hair. Even if you watch closely while your stylist meticulously dries and styles your hair, it can be hard to recreate the same style at home. Though most women own a blow dryer, the results we get from them can hardly be called salon quality. Frizz, unruly styles or heat styling damage are more likely to be the end result.

The problem is that many women look for the magic in what their stylist does, and miss out on the ABCs of heat styling. Incorporating these into your styling routine will give you the results you want without having to get certified in cosmetology. Here they are ladies, the 3 simple tips for a better blowout.

Prepare Yourself

The first step to getting a great blowout is using the right products. Though these will vary depending on your hair's texture and type, the qualities you're looking for remain the same. First up, you need a heat protection product. Usually found in spray or serum form, these products will protect your hair from heat styling damage. These should be applied before you perform any kind of heat styling, from hot rollers to straightening irons.

Next up is some sort of volumizing product. These come in many different forms, but the most common is mousse. This product should be worked into the roots of your hair anywhere you want some extra lift and volume - typically the top of the head and crown areas. For big hair all over, this can also be applied from root to tip.

Smoothing products are next on the list. These help the hair lie flat instead of frizzing, and help to relax curls and waves. These products are generally applied all over the hair, particularly on the "top layer" of your style. Smoothing products should also be applied to the ends of your hair, to avoid flyaways or a dry appearance. Like the products listed above, smoothing products are usually applied before you begin your blowout.

Last but not least, a shine product finishes the job. Applied towards the end of a blowout, these help your hair give off a healthy, brilliant shine. Sprays are the most common shine products, and a little goes a long way. Just spritz a few times, smooth it along the hair with your hands, and you're done.

Going Down?

Another common blowout mistake is not using the right technique. How you hold your dryer and brush in relation to your hair can make all the difference in your results. As you dry your hair, it's important to always point the dryer downward, towards the ends of your hair rather than the roots. Having heat applied in the other direction causes frizz, and makes unwanted details stand out - like split or damaged ends. For best results, hold your dryer slightly above the hair you're drying and point it at a downward angle.

During a blowout, you'll typically only be drying hair that's wrapped in your brush. Though it can take some finagling, make sure to still use a downward angle with hair that's in your brush. Women will often point the dryer at the side of the brush rather than the top, which causes the same frizz and damage as pointing the hairdryer upwards. An easy way to get used to the motion is to simply start experimenting with smaller sections. Pick up less hair with the brush than you normally would, and pay special attention to your technique.

A Brush With Greatness

Last but not least, many women simply don't use the right brushes for their blowouts. More often than not, these won't be the same brushes you use just to detangle your hair. The best brushes for blowouts are designed to retain and distribute heat throughout the hair while you brush, and to hold the hair snugly as you drag them through. While most standard brushes have a solid core, heat styling brushes are vented to allow the warm air from your dryer to pass through.

You'll need a large, round brush to create lift and volume. Large brushes also allow you to dry large sections of hair at a time, making them ideal for heat styling situations. Often called a barrel brush, these can have a diameter of up to a few inches. Large brushes are typically used where you want the most lift, typically at the crown and the top of your head.

As you work your way down the hair, you can switch to smaller vented brushes for more precision work. Also round, these brushes have a much smaller barrel than those you'd use on the top of your head. Depending on your hair, you may need to use multiple smaller brushes to get the look you want. A very small brush can be used to "flick" your ends, and brushes of varying sizes can be used to handle short styles, layers, or bangs.

Using the right products and techniques, you can get salon-quality blowouts at home. Though these can take some time to master, the end result will be beautiful, healthy hair without an appointment.