4 ways you’re sabotaging your blow-dry
And how to never make these mistakes again
And how to never make these mistakes again
You’ve got the basic technique of blow-drying your hair down pat: lift up at the roots for volume, point the hairdryer down the strands for a smoother finish, and use a brush to get a lovely flick at the ends. So why doesn’t it look as good as it does when you waltz out of your hair salon? The devil is in the detail. The smallest mistake in your process can have a major bad hair day flow-on effect. Here are four ways you could be sabotaging your blow-dry, and the steps to follow to ensure you never mess up your at-home hairstyle again.
1
You’re towel-drying your hair
Put down the towel. “Rubbing wet hair with a towel will distress the cuticle and cause frizz,” explains ghd ambassador Jayne Wild. “Instead, use paper towel to squeeze excess water out of the hair.”
2
You’re blow-drying too soon
“Always remove excess moisture before applying any styling aids, otherwise you will water them down and end up using a lot of unnecessary product,” warns Wild.
3
You’re not using a good quality hairdryer
“Give yourself a fighting chance and invest in a decent hairdryer,” suggest Wild, who likes the “fast, efficient and extremely light” ghd Air Professional Hairdryer.
4
You’re using the wrong product
The styling product you use depends on the kind of hairstyle you’re after. For a bouncy blow-dry, massage a volumising foam or mousse like Toni & Guy Prep Volume Plumping Mousse through damp strands. If getting a frizz-free blow-dry is your top priority, run a serum like John Frieda Frizz Ease Perfect Finish Polishing Serum through mid-lengths and ends and go over the blow-dry with a straightener. When creating a wavy blow-dry, forget the products and focus on the tools: use a smaller brush and add more bends with a curling wand or straightener.
Need to hide a bad hair day, fast? Try these celeb-inspired hairstyles (hint: they're great for when you have dirty hair, too).
For more hair tips from the New Idea beauty team, head over to newidea.com.au
Main image credit: Getty
A beauty editor and vitamin C fanatic who has worked across a range of print and digital publications, including Stellar, marie claire, Gritty Pretty and Badlands Journal.
