Master your blow drying skills for a professional result blowout
It may seem like an easy task: grab a blow-dryer, point, and blast with heat. But there is a mastery behind it. And you may be making simple mistakes that are actually hurting your hair even more than your look. Here, We break down the science to getting a gorgeous at home blowout every single time and point out all the rookie mistakes that keep them in business.

Mistake #1: Blow drying hair when it’s sopping wet

One of the biggest misconceptions is that you should start drying your hair when it’s fresh out of the shower. But in reality, your hair is most prone to damage when wet. And the longer heat is applied, the more damage it causes, so your goal is to minimize the amount of heat exposure. Hair should be 50 to 60 percent dry before you start blow-drying. Get as much moisture out as you can with a towel, and let your hair air-dry for a 10 to 15 minutes after you towel-dry.

Mistake #2: Towel drying incorrectly

A common mistake and a major cause of frizz is wrapping hair up in a turban or rough drying it with a towel. Aggressively rubbing the towel over your hair can also cause damage. The proper method is to gently press the towel onto the hair to soak up excess water.

Mistake #3: Skipping product

Prepping hair is key. Beyond just protecting strands from heat and tension damage, hair products help you achieve the desired look and enhance the performance of your dryer. Before you begin blow-drying, be sure to use a multi-benefit primer to help prep and protect your strands against damage caused by heat styling. For fine or thin tresses, look for a lightweight formula that also adds body and bounce. For color-treated hair, use a product to protects against heat styling and color-fading. For thick strands that a need little help in the manageability department, Use a Blow Out Primer that is a great to speed up the drying time and slim down the volume. Anti-Frizz Smoothing Serum is excellent for coarse, frizz-prone hair. Wondering what other products should be in your arsenal?

Mistake #4: You’re not layering your hair styling products properly.

The fix: Hairstyling professionals know how to build the right sequence of hair products into the hair. When hair is completely wet, they work in a styling crème for a sleek result on coarse or thick hair, or a Volumizing mousse or spray if the goal is fullness for fine hair. Then when the hair is about 80 percent dry, they’ll hit it with a heat protection spray. Finally, when the blow-dry is complete, (and only then), you can mist your hair with hairspray to lock the hairstyle into place. Wondering what other products should be in your arsenal? Please feel free to stop by at AALAM The Salon so we can help you with your questions!

Mistake #5: Using too much product

It’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Using too much product is a big no-no. Excess product will weigh down the hair and cause it to overproduce oil. Depending on the thickness of your hair, you should use anywhere from a dime to a quarter-size amount of product. Fine, thin strands should get a dime-size dose, and scale up from there.

Mistake #6: Using the wrong hair dryer

Many of the clients ask if it matters what kind of dryer they use. The answer is yes. A good hair dryer makes all the difference when it comes to styling. Depending on the quality of your dryer, you may be causing more damage than you’re aware of. Investing in a good drying tool (Blow dryer, Curling Iron, Flat Iron) not only preserves the health of your hair, but also cuts down on drying and styling time and creates a better result and you don’t have to spend a fortune either.

Mistake #7: Not rough-drying your hair

Make sure to rough-dry your hair before you start round brushing. Rough-drying means lightly giving your hair an all-over drying with the hair dryer before you get down to heat styling it in sections. Finer strands should be rough-dried at least 80 percent, and coarse hair about 50 percent. This will maximize your time and reduce breakage.

Mistake #8: Not sectioning strands

If you’re drying your hair all at once (after your rough-dry), you’re doing it wrong. Flipping your head over, or just aiming the blow-dryer at the top layer of your hair can lead to over-drying and even damage, Sectioning is so important, though it’s the number one thing people tend to skip over. It seems like it’s an extra step, but in the long run, sectioning makes the whole drying process easier, it helps speed things up and gives you the professional blowout you want. Divide the hair into small sections (no wider than your barrel brush). Start sectioning at the nape of your neck and move upward. The front section will be the most visible, so spend time mastering this segment.

Mistake #9: Blow-drying hair in the wrong direction

The roots take longer to dry than the ends. Since you don’t want to use any more heat on the hair than is necessary, it’s important to focus on the roots before you move to the ends, so you don’t trigger overworked locks, split ends, and breakage. Maximize volume by over-directing in the root area, and blow-dry hair against its natural fall. That means raise the sections of hair and blast heat up toward the ends, so you’ll get lift and bounce. You definitely don’t want pull the hair straight down, as this will result in limp, flat hair. Create tension with the round brush as you travel down the hair, and move to the mid shaft, always passing over the top. As you continue working downward toward the tips, keep the airflow with the direction of the hair and round the ends till you have a smooth, dry section.

Mistake #10: Using the wrong brush

Brushes are an essential styling tool and are key to creating your desired look. Round, ceramic brushes use tension and control for shiny, frizz-free results. Remember, size matters!
For bounce and body, use a larger barrel. For a curlier look, a smaller round brush is going to be better. Ionic Ceramic Thermal Brushes, come with an extra-long barrel, which helps dry larger sections faster.

Mistake #11: Not using the nozzle

Blow-dryers come with attachments for a reason, though we don’t all take advantage of them. The nozzle is what helps to create that smooth, shiny appearance we all desire in a blowout. Similarly, a diffuser is great for enhancing curls and also protects hair from frizz. What’s more, if you’re using a blow-dryer without an attachment, it can damage the cuticle and harm the texture of your hair.

Mistake #12: Using the wrong temperature setting

Blow-dryers come with multiple settings, who knew, right? And not all work for all hair types. Thicker hair can take a higher temperature, but anyone with fine hair should be using a lower heat setting. And don’t neglect the cool setting. We always use the cool setting to finish the blow dry. This closes the cuticle, enhances shine, and helps set the hair for a longer-lasting style, Try these tricks to make your blowout last for days.

Mistake #13: You’re not drying your hair completely

This is possibly mistake numero uno for most people. Any section of hair that remains damp is susceptible to curling, waving or frizzing. So, that tiny section of hair at your neck that you just skipped over? Go back and make sure it’s dry!

Mistake #14: You’re not styling your hair to make the most of your hair color

Those buttery blonde Balayage highlights you budget for so carefully, The gorgeous chestnut hair color that makes you feel so alluring, They don’t mean a thing if they don’t have that swing. Meaning, a sleek hair blow-out is a must for making beautiful hair color look its best, shiny, supple and glossy. Blow-drying your hairstyle closes the outer cuticle of the hair, giving each strand the ability to reflect light and deflect hair frizz. Your hair color will look amazing!