With the blowout trend still going strong, what’s the secret to a perfect blow dry? Jill Marcordes, Executive Director of Cosmetology & Nail Technology at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture (www.tricociuniversity.edu), shares her top tips:
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- You must remove excess moisture from the client’s hair prior to blow drying. This step is easy to miss, especially when we are in a hurry, but it is crucial for a successful end result. Not removing the moisture will actually pro-long the drying time and lead to a frizzy, less smooth finish. If possible, let your client’s hair air dry for about 15 minutes prior to the blow dry (offer them another magazine or a cup of coffee to fill the time!) – this will usually allow enough time to get rid of that extra moisture.
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- Make sure you use the correct styling products, too. This includes a blow dry lotion which will cut down time, with an added bonus of providing heat protection. Redken has a number of amazing blow dry lotions. The one I’m really excited about lately is its new ‘Pillow Proof’ blow dry primer which helps to seal the cuticle layer, making the hair feel and look smoother
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- Consider the correct direction of the blow dry, too. Start in the back and work your way up the head – although I like to do the client’s hairline and fringe area right away to avoid any unwanted directional movement. Make sure that you always section the client’s hair off and not just randomly apply heat all over. Make sure your sections are small enough to get a little tension while drying, too. If your sections are too big, it will take longer to dry and could damage the top layer of the hair fiber. The roots tend to hold more moisture, so always dry that area first and then work your way down to the ends which tend to be dry by nature.
- Remember to use the proper heat setting on the hair dryer. The highest heat setting won’t make hair dry faster – it might cause more damage to the hair fiber. An easy tip for finding your heat setting: The air stream should feel comfortable on the back of your hand. Another mistake is not using the ‘cool shot’ on the hair dryer. This truly is the most underutilized function a blow dry has. A cool shot will help seal the hair’s cuticle layer and set the air form, helping your fabulous blow-dry to last longer!
This article originally appeared on Beauty Launchpad here.