Blogs

[#1]

Let’s face it - it’s a staple in New York City; you could even call it routine. When you want fabulous hair, have a little extra time to spare and an occasion big or small, a blowout is a no brainer. It’s a particular need for me because:

I don’t own a blow dryer (although my husband does ).

I don’t know how to use a blow dryer.

There, I said it. I feel much better already! I never knew how to use a blow dryer correctly, hence it never made sense for me to own one. Luckily, all of that changed. Drybar is a NYC institution, so I figured I’d learn from the masters. I brought my friend, makeup artist Jessica Liebeskind and my colleague Lindsey along (we run the gamut in hair colors and textures) to Drybar for a lesson on how their products and tools make tresses so tantalizing…

For any hair type, the beginning steps are the same:

Hair must be clean, so wash thoroughly. If it takes two shampoos, so be it! If volume is your aim, apply conditioner to your ends but not your roots. You don’t want to weigh your hair down.

I have long, semi thick, dark hair that tends toward loose waves and a touch of unruliness. To give me the controlled, cascading waves of the Cosmo-Tai (yes, they have a styling menu. Love.), my stylist did the following:

After combing and detangling, she applied their Hot Toddy Restorative Cream  mid-shaft to my ends add another layer of protection and acted as a leave-in conditioner. Surprise perk? It helps define the waves once they’re styled.

Next, she sectioned my hair using their signature clips (find them in Drybar’s Blowout In-a-Box!) and began working from the front. She was careful to work with small sections of hair, letting me know that a good way to gauge an appropriate amount is to match the size of your sectioned hair to the size of your brush.

While drying, my stylist pointed the nozzle of the dryer upward (who would’ve thought?) to prevent burning. Creating tension between my scalp and the brush, she dried sections straight around the crown, creating loose waves by performing a twisting motion when releasing the brush from my hair.

Check out the finished product...

Jess’s hair is similarly dark, but naturally very curly. This means moisture is key when blowing her hair smooth. Luckily, Drybar’s Cream Soda Smoothing Cream does the trick! Jess opted for the Straight Up, a style she can wear everyday:

Jess’s blowout procedure was very similar to mine. In fact, the steps were identical except for a little extra conditioning love to tame her frizz. The main lesson learned here was this: more heat, more sleek! Watching her stylist work, it was clear that she took care to “go over” each section more thoroughly and more frequently.

That being said, Jess’s finished look was anything but flat. Applying Southern Bell Volumizing Mousse prior to styling maintained lift in her roots and helped build body, allowing slight curl at her ends to stay bouncy.

Lindsey is blonde (and curly!) as can be, so color processing and her natural texture mean her ends tend toward the dry side. Hot Toddy Restorative Cream sealed them before her blowout began, helping to prevent further damage and mask any signs of breakage. Southern Bell Volumizing Mousse set the stage for lift and body.

Lindsey decided on Drybar’s Mai Tai style, which boasts beachy waves and body. To get hair smooth but create curl, her stylist pulsed the round brush forward and back, alternating the bristles closer and further from her scalp. This motion smoothes tresses at the root but creates loose spirals beginning mid-shaft. She used the twist-and-release motion I mentioned above to set the curls.

I know, it sounds complex. Take it from me – it’s not! Here’s the takeaway:

Clean hair is hair you can work with.

Tension is a must – a powerful pulling motion gets roots smooth.

Do the twist! Twisting your brush to release it from your tresses will create natural looking waves.

Product never hurts. Begin with volumizing mousse and protective cream, and finish with a smoothing serum.

* Some extra tips:

If you’re like me, you’re interrupted by distractions often. As soon as I’m out of the shower, my little tike needs my attention or an email needs a rapid response. To prevent hair from air drying past the point of no return, section hair and twist it. The spirals will lock in moisture, so you can put your blowout on hold.

Prevent greasiness from the get-go, and apply dry shampoo to your roots post blowout. You worked hard, so make it last!

Wear a sweatband when you work out after your blowout. You’ll relegate frizz to the front, so you’ll only have to touch up, not totally restyle.

Check out our Drybar board on Pinterest with steps and behind the scenes photos!

I can’t wait to take these tips for an at-home test drive, and I want to know – how did they work for you?