Achieving a salon-worthy blow out at home, without having to move your stylist in with you, is something many people struggling with. While visiting a professional hairstylist is always an option, it may not be practical to always book an appointment when you need a blow-out. Rather than wait till you have a special event and panicking that you don’t have time to book, try practicing these steps to blow-drying your hair at home.

Mastering the art of blow drying at home can save you time and money. With a few essential tools, the right technique, and a little practice, you can transform your locks into a fabulous hairstyle that will turn heads. I will give you some of my professional tips, tricks, product and tool recommendations. Its always a good idea to see if your stylist offers an in-person how-to when they are doing your post haircut or color blowout, getting tips tailored to your specific hair type and style by someone who you trust tops any DIY guide!

Step 1: Preparing for the Blow Dry:

Before you begin blow drying, it is important to prep your hair properly:

Start with clean, towel-dried hair: Ensure your hair is freshly washed and gently towel-dried to remove excess moisture. Avoid vigorous rubbing your towel over your hair, as it can cause frizz and damage. Always gently “squeeze” your hair with your towel to soak up as much water. Its a good idea to lift and separate sections at the roots and scalp too, don’t just focus on your ends.
Apply a heat protectant: To shield your strands from heat damage, apply a heat protectant spray or serum throughout your hair. This is crucial to maintaining healthy hair while using heated styling tools. There are many different kinds of heat protectant, some are intended to be used during your blowdry and some are intended to be used during heat styling with tools like a flat iron or curling wand. My ultimate favorite blow-out spray is the Amika Brooklyn Bombshell Spray, it’s a light weight heat protection spray adding lasting body, shine, volume and texture. Cruelty-free and formulated with NO MIT/MCI, artificial colors, formaldehydes, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, aluminum, talc, and has less than one percent synthetic fragrances.
Layer the right products. Okay, I know, what does that even mean!?! This is one of the many reasons I recommend coming in and chatting about what your hair goals are, or bringing it up with your current stylist. Having products tailored to you, your hair, lifestyle, needs and preferences is so important to being happy with your hair day to day. Depending on your hair type and desired style you’ll need different products than whatever is trending in amazons best selling list, or that influencer is touting as a must buy! If you have fine, straight, limp hair and you’re wanting volume, lift and the appearance of fuller hair you’ll want layer a few different products to a lasting style. I always start with applying heat blockade from the midshaft to ends, comb through with a detangleing comb. Next, spray Amika Brooklyn Bombshell Spray all over but avoid applying directly to the top of your head or roots. Always focus on applying products to midshafts and ends, and then evenly disperse products by combing through gently with a detangling comb. I recommend a wide tooth detangling comb over a wet brush(I do love wet brushes but they aren’t damage free!) because they are more gentle on your hair while wet. If you have more texture, waves, curls or coils and or thickness to your hair you will want to start with a leave in conditioner. My all time favorite is Olaplex no.6 a little bit goes a long way. Start with half a pump applied to midshafts to ends and gently work through with your fingers if you have more curly texture. You can always add more product if needed so start with less and add more as needed! If you have dry or frizzy hair, layer on a product like Velveteen Dream Smoothing Balm. I love this product because while it smooths and adds moisture to your hair it also prevents static and locks out humidity.

Step 2: Choosing the right tools:

Choosing the appropriate tools for blow drying is essential for achieving the desired results:

Hairdryer: Invest in a hairdryer with multiple heat and speed settings. This way you can ensure you are not over processing your hair with heat Ionic or tourmaline dryers can help reduce frizz and enhance shine. I usually recommend to make an investment and buy a professional quality hairdryer that will last. Most of these professional blow dryers have a warranty that you have to submit your purchase info online once taking it out of the package. However, I know that is not always an option and there are good quality budget friendly blow dryers that wont break the bank, keep in mind you will most likely have to replace a blow dryer that is intended solely for home use more often than if you invest in a higher end professional blow dryer.
Round brush: Select a round brush with a ceramic barrel, I personally don’t recommend the brushes that have the little comfort “beads" or balls on the end of the bristles. The size of the brush will depend on the length and thickness of your hair. Larger brushes create more volume, while smaller ones are better for shorter hair or adding curls. Typically I recommend most people who have chin length and longer hair use a medium to large or even extra large round brush. The larger your tool the larger your section, you can’t effectively dry a large section of hair with a smaller brush, you’ll be fumbling with your tools or you’ll be left with frizzed out hair that is over dried on the outside of the section but damp inside of it. You can also opt for a blow-dry brush. These are similar to a blow-dryer but are not intended to replace them completely. You can invest in higher end blow-dry brushes to last longer and give you more control, or opt for a more budget friendly option that may not offer as many settings and controls, keep in mind the price point will dictate the quality of the brush bristles and barrel material as well.
Sectioning clips: Use clips to divide your hair into manageable sections. This makes the drying process more efficient and helps you style each section precisely. I prefer alligator clips to butterfly clips or claw clips for finer or thinner hair. However if you have thicker hair, or wear extensions you will likely need to use a butterfly or claw clip or maybe a mix of clips for keeping your hair sections neat. Using clips to pre section out your hair after you pre-dry-dont panic, its the next step!- before you pick up your round brush or round brush dryer will keep you from getting tangled up in your own hair.

Step 3: The Blow Drying Technique:

Follow these steps to achieve a salon-worthy blowout at home:

Start by pre-drying at your root. Take whichever hand is not holding your blow dryer and use it to “rake” hair with your fingers and lift at the roots. When your fingers are only about 1.5”-3” from your root close your “rake” so you are now holding your hair between your fingers (palms facing your scalp) and apply a comfortable amount of tension by pulling away from your head at least 90 degrees from where your hair in that section grows. Tension and lifting the hair 90 degrees or more from where it grows is key to building lasting volume in your hair.
Yes root boosting products are great, but without a foundation for that volume to build your hair will continue to fall flat throughout the day. Work slower rather than whipping through your hair with your hands. Take your time to lift up sections with your fingers and direct airflow from the blow dryer using the concentrater attachment, always aim to hair the air blowing in the same direction that your hair grows. Blow drying “up” your hair shaft will cause unwanted frizz and can even cause tangles! That is a big reason why I wouldn’t even suggest flipping your head upsidedown and blow drying “back and forth” even though I know! I know! We have all done it!! Before becoming a stylist if I tried to blow dry at home I usually opted that route. Truth be told though, mostly my pre-stylist days my hair was styled by rolling my windows down while driving! We all start somewhere, so if I can learn I believe you can, too!
Start in the front: I know, most tutorials tell you to start in the back. Most likely, your stylist does too. However, when doing a blow dry time is of the essence! You don’t want to waste time fumbling behind your back while your hair you will be looking at all day begins to air dry causing frizz and fly-aways. Pick the heavy side of your part if you have a side part ( or any side if you have no part/middle part) and split it into 2 or 3 “sub-sections” depending on your hair density. Determine this based off your tool size you picked out, if you’re feeling lost on how to sub-section. Remember, bigger brush size, bigger section; the diameter of your brush ( ex: 2” ,2.5”) should be the same size of your “sub-section”. Since your hair has been pre-dried your roots should all ready feel dry, and your mid-shaft to ends should be slightly damp ;at this point you should not have water dripping all over your bathroom or bedroom.
Lift and dry: Now, you’ll start on your sub-section closest to your hairline/ear and make sure those sub-sections above it are clipped securely out of your way! Use your round brush, and place it at your root, ever so slightly rotate it a quarter of a turn to “ lock” it into your hair; there should not be hair rounded around the round brush. You will then direct your round brush away from your hair, do not turn your wrist as you work down your midshaft! If you’re wanting to have a beveled/ curled end to your hair you can rotate another quarter turn as you reach the ends of your hair in each section. Depending on how much volume you want to achieve will determine how much you elevate each section from where it naturally grows. Repeat this process on all sub-sections for the front of your hair, typically I have 4-5 sub-sections in the front when I am blow drying myself or a clients hair. This is because I typically use a large or extra large round brush. Using a smaller brush will require more sub-sections.
Move to the back: Once you are satisfied with your blow-out in the front you are going to gently clip it out of the way. I wouldn’t use the same alligator or claw clips you used when your hair was wet as these could cause a dent in your hair. Using no bend duck bill clips can help gently direct your hair away from where you are working. They are also great to clip your hair away from your face while applying make-up! Remember, your roots should be dry from your pre-dry and now we are only working on smoothing the mid-ends with your ceramic round brush. This is that hardest part at home and it’s almost impossible to mimic how a stylist would. I usually recommend sectioning from ear to ear on the back of your head and splitting your hair into 4 quadrants. Clip each section using your alligator clips or claw clips. Then start on either ( just one at a time) of the bottom sections, place your round brush under your section and slightly rotate as if you are going to turn 1 full quarter, it may be difficult to do in this position. Then bring your brush forward, directing your hair towards you in the mirror. Repeat this on each bottom section. The top 2 remaining sections I usually split each section into 2 and repeat the same process from the original “bottom section” to the new “bottom section” ( middle section of back)
Style the top section: Whichever sections in the back end up being your “last two” you can bring to the top of your head and place your round brush under the section ( so your hair is in front of the brush if you are looking in a mirror) and “lock it” in with a quarter turn at your root, and direct towards you. It will look like you are “rolling” your hair on top of your head. Just remember the motion with the round brush is always the same and the hair should not be rounded around the round brush. Styling your last sections this way will give you volume on top, where as “pulling” them around the side like the bottom two sections will result in less volume to your crown area.

Cool blast and finishing touches:

To set your style, finish each section with the “cool air” function on your blow dryer. This is the secret at the salon! The hot air from your dryer is breaking your hairs hydrogen bonds ( this isn’t damaging your overall hair health!) and the cool air will set those hydrogen bonds in the style you just worked on. Hydrogen bonds are the weakest bonds in your hair and get broken by water or heat. This is how we are able to manipulate hair into desired styles. The bonds then“re-bond” as you dry/set your hair and will break again when wet. This is why your hair doesnt stay in blow out and returns to it natural texture.

Finishing products: If you aren’t planning on styling with hot tools to finish your look, you’re done! But wait! Don’t go running your fingers through your gorgeous at home blow out just yet! Finish off your style to make it last. I typically recommend an anti-humidity finishing spray like amika the shield . Shake well before use. When spraying, avoiding pointing the products directly at your root or crown on your head, hold the can about 12” away and point it from your ends “up” and move around your head in all directons, but still avoid directly spraying at your scalp/root! The Sheild is heat activated so it is great to use pre hot-tools if you’re not done yet, but if you are you can now take your blow-dryer on low air-flow med heat and gently blow in the direction your hair grows, never against your hair cuticle! Finish up with the cool button one last time and you and your blow out are all set!

With the right tools, proper technique, and a bit of practice, you can achieve a flawless blowout at home.

By following these steps, you'll be able to create salon-worthy hairstyles that enhance your natural beauty. Remember, patience and attention to detail are key to mastering the art of blow drying. So, say goodbye to bad hair days and hello to fabulous, perfectly styled locks from the comfort of your own home!

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Master a salon quality blowout at home