Finally, we have hit the day and age when individuality is celebrated. Not only does this extend to our personalities, but also our hair and how we look after it. In light of this, it’s important to realise that hair care is different for all different types of hair, so to get your hair looking the best it possibly can, it’s best to consider that you might need to switch up your hair care routine, including how you dry your hair.
In this article, we’ll give you a guide to help you better understand how to use different hair-drying techniques that will suit your hair type. From fair hair to thick hair and hair with gorgeous curls, we’ve got the best tips for everybody.
What tools do you need to blow dry your hair?
The key to drying your hair properly for a bombshell blowout is to be prepared with the right tools, specifically designed for particular hair types. Here are all the essentials:
1. A hairdryer
The first thing that you’ll need to blow dry your hair properly will obviously be a hair dryer. It’s possible to go out right now and buy any hair dryer from your closest store, but when the goal is to have your most luscious, healthy hair, it’s always best to go quality over pricing. When you’re looking for a good quality hair dryer, most will have the following features in common:
- High power
- Temperature control
- An assortment of attachments
Some hair dryers even have the ability to produce negative ions, which can counteract the positively charged water ions in your hair. This feature helps to smooth your hair and decrease frizz. However, if you find that your hair tends to become limp and feel a little bit lifeless sometimes, then a non-ionic, ceramic hair dryer may be the better option in order to avoid flattening your hair cuticles.
As far as power goes, the more wattage your hairdryer has, the better. For a head-turning blowout, the ideal power is around 1,800 Watts. Those with thicker hair or curly hair generally need more power, so you should opt for a hair dryer with 2,000 watts. Finer hair still requires a good amount of power, but not usually as much, so 1,400-watt hair dryers are good to start with.
You’d want a hair dryer with power because the more power you have, the less your hair needs to be exposed to heat, which ultimately means less damage.
As mentioned, a good-quality hair dryer should come with various attachments. Getting the best blowout means using the nozzle best suited to your hair type. A concentrator is best for people with fine or straight hair, while people with curly hair should use a diffuser nozzle. These different attachments will help concentrate the hot air exactly where you need it.
2. Product
Next up on your blow dryer essentials are your products. To protect your beautiful hair from the heat, it’s always necessary to use a heat-protectant product. We like to say that a little spray goes a long way.
Different heat-protectant products are best for different types of hair. Heat protectant sprays are great for all types of hair. Anyone with fine hair should avoid heavier products like heat-protectant creams and serums, which can weigh down hair.
For anyone with curly hair, you want to get yourself a good-quality leave-in conditioner and curl-definer.
3. Round brush
Want to know the secret to getting that va-va-voom volume? A great round brush is the best weapon for adding some lift at the roots, and the bigger the brush, the more volume you’ll get.
4. Sectioning clips
What is something that you can apply to your hair-drying routine, and for which hair stylists will applaud you? Use sectioning clips! When you’re on a time crunch, it can be tempting to skip sectioning. Not only will this actually extend your drying time, but it also increases frizz! Sectioning with clips allows you to dry your hair completely section by section and prevents damage caused by continually drying the same sections.
5. Microfibre towel
You should never blow dry, sopping wet hair, as this could cause an immense amount of damage to the hair cortex and cuticle. Using a normal towel can be a bit to rough on your hair, so a microfibre towel is the most gentle option.
How to blow dry curly hair
- Once you’ve washed and conditioned your hair, it’s time to detangle your beautiful curls with a wide-tooth comb, preferably using a microfiber towel to gently squeeze out the extra water.
- Next, it’s time to apply a leave-in conditioner to your damp curls. Using your fingers, work a defining curl product into your hair from root to tip. Once the product is in, grip the ends, shake your hands from side to side, and release to allow your curls to reform.
- On low or medium heat and medium airspeed, use your diffuser attachment to blow dry the roots. Start at the nape of your neck and work your way around, avoiding the curly ends to prevent dryness and frizziness. For maximum volume, place the diffuser directly against your scalp and rotate it.
How to blow dry straight hair
- Use a microfiber towel to gently squeeze out excess water after you’ve washed and conditioned your hair. Preferably, you should let your hair air dry until it’s half dry.
- Using a wide-tooth comb, apply your products, including heat protectant spray, volumising mousse or lightweight styling cream, to your hair.
- Set your hair dryer to medium heat and high air speed, and rough dry your hair without a brush.
- When your hair is about 80% dry, section the hair on your crown and clip it into place. Then, separate the lower layers into three or four small sections.
- From roots to tips, dry off the lower sections of hair, placing your round brush under each section near the roots and rotating the brush out and away from your face while moving slowly down the hair shaft. Pointing the hair dryer nozzle in the same direction as the hair and maintaining consistent tension with your round brush will help give you a brilliant shine.
- Finally, apply your styling cream to smooth out any flyaways or mist your hair with lightweight hairspray to help your style hold.
