How To Blow Dry Your Hair At Home In A Salon-Like Style

Trivia

Alexander Godefroy, a French stylist, invented the first blowdryer in 1890.

How To Blow Dry The Hair – Steps To Follow

Pre – Blow Drying Tips

• Brush your hair properly to detangle the knots. Brushing stimulates the scalp and ensures your hair is properly cleaned.
• Wet your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water. Warm water opens the cuticles and enables hair care products to penetrate deeply.
• Apply a deep conditioning hair mask to restore shine, hydrate the hair, and make it manageable.
• Towel dry your hair to absorb excess moisture. Do not rub the hair vigorously as it may cause breakage.
• Apply a serum or a heat protectant spray to prevent damage and dryness while using high heat in the blow drying process.

Hadia Ahmed, a licensed cosmetologist and YouTube blogger, shares how she blow-dries her hair to achieve a salon-esque look. She says, “After I get in the shower and my hair is just towel dried, I do like to put a heat protectant in my hair before blow-drying. I like to use a bigger brush in the beginning to get a lot more volume. When I want to be extra fancy, I put rollers throughout my hair (i).”

The Blow Drying Process

• Separate The Hair Into Sections

Divide clean, towel-dried hair into sections and clip it or tie a mini bun. If you have thick hair, divide each section into a bottom and top layer to manage it easily and prevent tangles. Blow dry one section at a time.

• Set The Dryer Temperature

Set the blow dryer to the lowest temperature initially with the highest speed setting. This will help dry excess water without stripping the natural moisture and oil of the tresses. Choose a blow dryer with at least three heat settings viz. low, medium, and high and three speed settings. Avoid using high heat settings to prevent dryness.

If you want to dry your hair normally, increase the heat setting to medium for faster drying. For extra bounce and volume, use the lowest temperature and highest speed setting on your blow dryer.

• Begin The Drying Process – Start With The Lower Sections

Hold the hairdryer with the handle facing downwards and the mouth upwards. Start blowing on each side by targeting the lower sections of the locks.

• Continue From Root To Tip

Brush and detangle the small sections from the crown to tip. Always keep the blow dryer 15 cm away from the scalp and hold the brush at a 45° angle. Choose a flat or roller brush, run the blow dryer along the hair’s length with the brush, from root to the tip, for salon-like hair at home.

• Change The Direction (Optional)

When the hair in the lower section feels dry, change the direction of the dryer so that its mouth is downwards. Start blowing from the top and move slowly to the lower sections. Repeat this on both sides until the hair in the top section is completely dry.

• Repeat The Steps

Repeat the above steps by blowing downwards along the sections that are left loose. Change the heat setting to medium and the speed to lowest or medium. Ensure to dry the wet roots properly and do not apply heat on the roots for more than 30 seconds.

It is important to lock the hair shine and moisture for a final finish. Check out the following steps to ensure a long-lasting, voluminous lock.

Post – Blow Drying Hair Care

• Finish With Cold Air

Apply cold air after blow drying to lock in the shine. Run your fingers through the hair to blend the sections properly. If you want to add volume to your bangs, blow dry them, hold for some time, and release.

• Apply A Hair Serum Or Hairspray

Finish the process by applying a hair serum to make your hair shiny. You can also use a hairspray to lock in the hairstyle. This helps boost hair shine and seal the cuticles to retain moisture.

The blow drying process changes as per your hair type. Read on to know the various processes in the following section.

Steps For Blow Drying Different Types Of Hair

• Blow Dry Straight Hair

1. Apply a heat protectant spray to the tresses and wait for a few minutes until the hair is dry up to 50-80%. If you have thin hair, do not apply the spray to the roots.
2. Clip your hair in small sections.
3. Hold a round hairbrush vertically, unclip the sections from the bottom, and roll it away from your face. Roll the brush until the end of the hair and repeat the process until your hair is completely dry. Let your locks cool down.
4. If you want to add more volume, lift the section at the crown of your head, hold the brush horizontally, and blow dry it from the back.
5. Run your finger through the hair to blend the sections.
6. Finish by applying a hair serum from top to bottom. Avoid using it on the scalp.

Here’s a short video to take you through the process.

Curly hair tangles easily, and blow drying it is an extensive process. Here are the steps and a tutorial video to help you blow dry curly hair.

• Blow Dry Curly Hair

1. It is important to nourish curly hair as it does not allow the natural oils to travel down the tip. Prep your curly locks with natural and organic hair products. Apply a leave-in conditioner and wrap your hair with a shower cap for deep penetration.
2. Use a diffuser to reduce frizz and provide natural waviness. It also adds volume and body to the curls. You can also use a hair mousse or hair gel to define your curls.
3. After washing, towel dry your hair from the roots to absorb excess water without disturbing the waves.
4. Apply a hair serum to make the locks soft and shiny. Scrunch the waves with your hands.
5. Begin blow drying with a diffuser– take a few sections of the hair, use the diffuser for 10-15 seconds, and repeat with another section.
6. Diffuse the roots to add more volume and scrunch with your hands.
7. Once your hair is almost 95% dry, detach the diffuser and use a regular blow dryer at a low speed to dry the roots.
8. Finish by applying a hair serum gently without disturbing the wavy structure.

Here’s a video to help you out.
Adding volume to short hair while maintaining its moisture is tricky. Check out the following steps with a tutorial video to nail it.

• Blow Dry Short Hair

1. Prep your hair with a shampoo and conditioner.
2. Towel dry damp hair gently without rubbing to absorb excess water.
3. Apply hair serum to lock in the moisture and restore shine. You can also use a heat protectant spray before the blow drying process.
4. Brush your hair gently with a wide-toothed comb to distribute the hair serum or heat protectant spray throughout the hair.
5. Adjust the airflow of the hair dryer and set it to low or medium.
6. Begin with a cool drying process– a high flow of air to dry the hair. Keep the blow dryer nozzle 15 cm away from the scalp to prevent hair damage and scalp inflammation.
7. To keep your hair straight, pull the hair with a round brush from root to tip while blow drying.
8. Finish by applying a hair serum or natural hairspray.

Watch this video for a clearer understanding of the process.

We often repeat certain mistakes in our hair styling sessions. Here’s what to avoid when blow drying your hair.

Dos And Don’ts While Blow Drying The Hair

Did You Know?

Excessive use of a blowdryer may leave your hair dry, frizzy, and brittle, which may eventually cause hair breakage. Therefore, use it moderately.

Now that you’ve learned the ins and outs of blow-drying, here comes the big question. Can you actually blow dry regularly?

Is It Okay To Blow Dry Your Hair Everyday?

Blow drying your hair everyday may not be healthy for your hair. Excess heat exposure can lead to hair damage and make your hair more prone to breakage, dryness, and frizz. Frequent blow drying can also strip away the natural oils and reduce moisture. This can leave your hair looking dull. Hence, it’s essential to strike a balance between convenience and hair health. If daily blow drying is a necessity, use lower heat settings and keep the dryer at a distance to minimize damage. Also use a heat protectant. Ideally, it’s best to allow your hair to air dry more often. More importantly, use heat styling tools sparingly to maintain healthier, more vibrant hair in the long run.

Infographic: The Ultimate Guide To Blow Drying Your Hair

Blow drying elevates the style and volume of your hair. However, if done incorrectly, it can also harm your hair. In the infographic below, we have highlighted step-by-step instructions to follow during the blow-drying process to achieve beautiful and healthy hair. Check it out!

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a boho blow dry?

The boho blow dry is the new curly blow dry hair look. It has a casual finish with a wavy, beachy style that would suit a boho-chic look.

What are the different drying techniques used?

The different ways in which you can dry your hair include air drying, blow-drying, towel-drying, and plopping.

Should you blow dry wet hair?

No. Hair bonds are weak when wet, and blow drying entails heat damage. You may air dry or towel dry your hair until it is damp before blow drying it. That will be comparatively gentler on your hair.

What is permanent blow dry?

A permanent blow dry refers to keratin treatment to eliminate frizz for a shiny and smooth texture of hair. With proper care, the effects of this treatment could last for 3-6 months.

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

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Learn how to get the perfect 90s blowout like a pro! Watch this video and follow the easy steps, and you’ll be rocking the perfect ‘do in no time!

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Dr. Shruti ChavanMBBS

Dr. Shruti Chavan is a consulting dermatologist at Dr.Sheth's Skin and Hair Clinic since 6 years. She is a co-committee member of CDSI (Cosmetic dermatologist Society of India). She is highly skilled in non-surgical facial skin rejuvenation and face lift by the use of injection treatments and lasers.   Dr. Chavan is well-versed with dermatological and aesthetic procedures. Her special...more

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

 

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy. She has taken it upon herself to show...more

Ramona SinhaEditor

Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal. She also did a certificate course in dermatology offered by the Novosibirsk State University...more

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Krati is an associate commerce editor, a certified skin care coach, and a beauty enthusiast. She has a master’s degree in advertising and publishing relations from DAVV University and three years of experience in writing and editing for different niches. She has also worked with a number of high-profile beauty brands on a freelance basis to upscale their businesses. Krati...more