Achieving a sleek blowout at home can seem daunting, but it’s entirely possible with the right approach. A blowout refers to a professional wash-and-blow-dry styling session that leaves your hair voluminous and frizz-free. With proper care, a fresh blowout can stay sleek for about three to six days. In this guide, we’ll share blowout hairstyle tips and step-by-step techniques to help you get a salon-quality blowout without leaving your home.
Essential Tools for a Perfect Blowout
Before you begin, make sure you have the right equipment on hand. Using quality tools will significantly influence your results. Key items include:
- Hair Dryer: A powerful dryer with adjustable heat settings is a must. Attach the concentrator nozzle, as this focuses the airflow and is crucial for a smooth result. Many at-home users skip the nozzle, but it helps direct air where you need it and makes the cuticle lie flat for shine, reducing frizz if you have fine hair that needs volume. A traditional dryer can help, whereas ionic dryers are great for taming frizz in curly or thick hair.
- Brushes: Arming yourself with the best blowout brush for your hair type will make styling easier. A round brush is the go-to for blowouts. Choose one with boar bristles for optimal smoothing. Boar bristle round brushes are considered the gold standard because they distribute oils and eliminate static, smoothing the hair more than plastic brushes. The barrel size matters too: a larger round brush creates more lift and gentle waves, while a smaller barrel produces tighter curls or bends. If you’re aiming for big volume, use a big round brush. For a flick or tighter curl at the ends, use a smaller one.
- Clips and Comb: Sectioning clips are essential to divide your hair into workable sections. A wide-tooth comb or detangling brush helps remove knots gently after washing, without breakage.
- Products: While not tools per se, certain products are important companions to your tools. At minimum, have a good heat protectant spray or cream, a styling product suited to your goal, and a light finishing spray or serum for touch-ups. We’ll discuss how to use these in the prep and styling steps.
By gathering these blowout tools beforehand, you set yourself up for success. A quality dryer plus the right brush will do most of the work in creating a salon-worthy result.
Preparing Your Hair: Wash, Condition, and Protect
A flawless blowout actually begins in the shower. The foundation of a great blowout is properly prepped, clean hair. Always start with a fresh wash using the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type. If your hair tends to go flat, use a lightweight or volumizing formula. If it’s frizzy or dry, opt for a smoothing, hydrating formula. Conditioner should be applied mainly to the lengths and ends.
For an extra boost, treat yourself to a deep conditioning hair treatment at home before you blow out. Applying a nourishing hair mask once a week will make your hair softer and more manageable. Well-moisturized hair not only looks healthier but also is easier to style and less prone to frizz. Think of this as priming the canvas.
After washing, gently towel-dry without rough rubbing, and use a microfiber towel or a soft old T-shirt to squeeze out excess water. This reduces friction and frizz. Make sure your hair is damp, not dripping, before you start the blow dryer. Detangle carefully using a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush, and start from the tips and work upward to ease out knots without damage.
Apply your prep products strategically. Never skip heat protection. Smooth a heat protectant product through your damp hair from mid-lengths to ends. This is vital to shield your strands from the high heat of blow-drying. If you have fine hair, use a lightweight spray protectant; if you have thick or curly hair, you might prefer a cream-based heat protectant for extra moisture. Additionally, if your goal is a voluminous blowout, mist a volumizing spray or apply a puff of mousse at the roots for lift. Conversely, for a straighter style, you could use a smoothing cream or serum on the lengths to help tame frizz. Just don’t overdo it. Too much product can weigh hair down or make it oily.
Consider one more hair treatment at home: a leave-in conditioner or primer. A small amount of leave-in conditioner on the ends can keep them hydrated and resilient through the blowout process. Healthy ends will look smoother and prevent the style from looking frizzy or dry. Once you’ve applied your chosen products, give your hair a last gentle comb-through to distribute everything evenly. Now you’re prepped and ready for the main event. Proper prep is also the secret to long-lasting hair styling. Residue or oil left in the hair can cause your blowout to fall flat faster, so starting with super clean, well-conditioned hair really pays off in the days to come.
Step-by-Step: How to Do a Blowout at Home
Here is a step-by-step breakdown on how to do a blowout so you can achieve professional results. Take your time with each step. Before you begin, ensure you’re in a comfortable area with a mirror, and your tools are within reach. Let’s get started on your at-home blowout routine:
- Section Your Damp Hair: It’s much easier to work in sections than to tackle all your hair at once. Divide your hair into manageable parts using clips. A common approach is to split it into four main sections: two at the back and two at the front. If you have very thick hair, you might even do six or eight smaller sections. Clip everything except the first section you’ll work on. Proper sectioning ensures you can dry each portion thoroughly and evenly.
- Rough Dry to 70%: Before introducing any brush, use your dryer to pre-dry your hair until it’s about 60-70% dry. This step removes the bulk of moisture so that styling will be faster and less damaging. Using medium heat and your fingers, lift at the roots and shake through the lengths as you dry. You can even flip your head upside down during this rough-dry stage for extra root volume if that’s a goal. The idea is to get your hair from soaking wet to just damp. Remember, never start using a round brush on dripping wet hair. It won’t hold shape, and you’ll over-expose your hair to heat. Rough drying is a crucial time-saver.
- Begin Blow-Drying with a Round Brush: Once your hair is damp, not wet, it’s time to actually blow-dry at home like a pro. Take your first section and unclip it. Attach the concentrator nozzle to your dryer if you haven’t already. Place your round brush at the roots of that section. With the dryer on medium or high heat, start drying the roots first. Aim the nozzle down the hair shaft as you follow the brush. This downward angle is key to a smooth result because it forces the cuticle to lie flat. Pull the brush through the hair slowly from root to tip, keeping tension. Imagine you are essentially “pulling” the hair straight with the brush bristles as the dryer follows along. How to do a blowout like the pros? It’s all about that coordination between brush and dryer. When you reach the ends, you can either roll the brush under or outward while still applying heat.
- Repeat and Roll: Work through that section of hair multiple times with a brush and dryer until it’s completely dry and smooth. For extra polish or curl at the ends, you can roll the brush and hold it there for a moment with heat before releasing. Be patient and don’t move on until the section is 100% dry.
- Work Your Way Through All Sections: Continue this process section by section. Unclip a new section, use your brush and dryer with steady tension and downward airflow, and dry it completely. Always aim the dryer downward along the hair and maintain some tension with the brush, as this combo yields that glossy look. If you’re aiming for volume, lift each section upward as you brush to give the roots some height. If a section is being stubbornly frizzy, you can apply a tiny bit of smoothing serum or leave-in conditioner to that damp section and then re-dry.
- Use the “Cool Shot” to Set the Shape. Many blow dryers have a “cool shot” button. This blasts cool air. Use it! After you finish drying a section with heat, hit it with a few seconds of cold air from root to end. Cooling the hair down while it’s in the desired shape “locks in” the style. For example, if you’ve been rolling a section around the brush for a nice curve, keep it on the brush and switch to cool air for a moment, then gently release. This helps the curl or smoothness set in place. It’s the same idea as how a curling iron style sets as it cools. This little step can make a big difference in longevity and polish.
- Tackle Face-Framing Pieces Last. The front sections are often the most important for the final look, so do them at the end when you’re not rushing. If you want a sweeping, voluminous front, over-direct these pieces forward as you blow-dry, then flip them back. This creates a beautiful swoop and lift at the front. If you prefer them sleek and straight down, still direct the nozzle downward and consider using a slightly lower heat to avoid fluffiness. For bangs or short front layers, a small round brush or even a flat brush can be used, curling under slightly. Take care to get right at the roots of these pieces so they don’t lie too flat against your head.
- Finishing Touches. Once all sections are dry and you’ve gone over any bits that needed extra smoothing, you’re essentially done with heat. Examine your hair in the mirror. If you see any frizzy bits or flyaways, you can smooth a tiny drop of lightweight serum on your palms and pat them down. If your hair tends not to hold curl or volume well, you can mist a flexible-hold hairspray over it at this stage. Give your hair a gentle shake-out or run your fingers through to relax any overly tight curls from the round brush.
Don’t worry if your first attempt isn’t perfect. Even with all these blowout hairstyle tips, it takes a bit of practice to build coordination with the brush and dryer.
Techniques for Volume vs. Sleek Blowouts
One of the beauties of a blowout is its versatility. You can style your hair for big volume or opt for a silky straight look, all using similar tools with slight technique tweaks. In this section, we’ll discuss how to adjust your approach for blowout styling for volume versus a smooth, straight finish. There is no one “right” way. It depends on the look you’re going for.
A voluminous blowout aims for maximum body and movement. This means blowout styling for volume will emphasize lifting the roots and creating fullness throughout. You achieve this by holding sections of hair up and away from the scalp as you dry and using techniques like over-directing. Over-directing means pulling a section in the opposite direction of how it will fall so that when they fall back, they have extra bounce. On the other hand, a sleek blowout prioritizes smoothness and a straight, shiny look with minimal volume. To get a smooth hair blowout style, focus on tension and downward angles. You’ll still section and dry thoroughly, but you may use a bit more tension with the brush and always angle the dryer straight down each section to eliminate any poof. Sleek blowout techniques often involve using slightly higher heat to really seal the cuticle, and possibly finishing with a cool blast to add shine. You might also use a flat paddle brush for parts of the blowout instead of a round brush, especially on very long hair, to pull it straight.
Blowout Routine for Curly Hair
Understand what a blowout does to curly hair. The combination of heat + tension (brushing) effectively stretches and temporarily straightens the curl pattern. This is achieved by breaking the hydrogen bonds in your hair that give it shape. But those bonds will re-form once your hair gets wet again, returning your curls. A standard blowout temporarily relaxes curls without permanently altering them. It means you can have straight hair for a few days, and your curls will bounce back after a wash. The tighter your curls, the more careful you must be with blowout heat, since high heat can easily rob tight curls of their natural bounce. Always err on the side of caution with both heat level and how long you concentrate heat on any one section.
Pro Tips for a Long-Lasting Blowout
You’ve put in the effort to perfect your blowout – now, how do you make it last beyond a day or two? The good news is, with a few long-lasting hair styling tricks, you can extend that blowout for several days of gorgeous hair. Here are some pro tips to maintain your blowout and keep it looking fresh:
- Hands off! As tempting as it is to run your fingers through your soft hair, try to avoid touching your hair too much. Oils from your hands can transfer and make your hair get greasy or limp faster. Additionally, excessive tucking behind ears or playing with your hair can flatten out the volume and create kinks. Preserve that style by handling your hair gently and infrequently during the day.
- Sleep smart: The way you treat your hair at night is crucial. Friction and pressure while you sleep can undo your blowout quickly, so it’s worth adopting a bedtime hair routine. First, swap your cotton pillowcase for a silk or satin pillowcase. Unlike cotton, satin/silk is ultra-smooth and causes far less friction on your hair. This simple change can preserve your style significantly. Second, consider loosely securing your hair on top of your head before bed. Gather your hair into a very loose high ponytail or bun using a soft scrunchie or coil that won’t leave creases. This keeps your hair from being tossed around and prevents your roots from being flattened by your head. If your hair is long, two loose buns on top of your head can distribute the weight. The idea is to keep your hair from rubbing on your pillow and to maintain volume at the crown.
- Fight moisture and sweat: Water is the enemy of a blowout. To make your style last, avoid humidity and moisture as much as you can. When you shower, use a shower cap, and not a flimsy one. Invest in a good terry-cloth-lined shower cap that fully blocks steam. If it’s a humid day or you know you’ll be sweating, be proactive: for workouts, use a sweatband or wrap a bandana around your hairline to catch sweat before it hits your hair.
- Dry shampoo is your best friend: Oil buildup at the scalp will eventually weigh down your blowout and make it look less fresh. To combat this, use dry shampoo on your roots starting on day 2 or 3. Dry shampoo absorbs excess oil and can even add back a touch of volume. Spray it at the roots in sections, let it sit for a minute, then brush or massage it in. This keeps your hair looking and smelling fresh without washing.
- Touch-ups with tools: You don’t want to redo your entire blowout, but a little maintenance can go a long way. Each morning, assess your hair. If some ends have flipped funny or a section has a crease from how you slept, you can do a quick spot fix: take your round brush and blow dryer, lightly mist that section with water, and re-blow it for a few seconds to reshape it. You’re basically doing a mini-blowout on the parts that need it.
All these tips will help maintain that beautiful style you worked (or paid) for. A bit of nightly care and smart product use, and you can easily get 3-5 days of great hair.
DIY vs. Professional Blowout Services
A salon blowout or on-demand stylist service can be a treat. A trained stylist can typically blow out hair faster and often smoothly, thanks to their experience. They know tricks for difficult hair types and can often get longer-lasting results because they’re able to apply perfect tension and thorough drying. Many salons also include a nice wash and scalp massage, and they have all the high-end products to tailor to your needs. If you have very thick, long, or super curly hair and you find doing your own blowout too time-consuming or tiring, going to a salon or hiring a pro can save effort.
There are now also mobile hairstyling services that bring the blowout to you. For instance, Glamsquad is a popular on-demand service that allows clients to book a blowout session at home. This kind of service offers salon-quality results with ultimate convenience, perfect for busy individuals or those who prefer not to travel to a salon. You can simply relax at home and let the stylist handle everything from wash to finish. Many people actually mix both: they might do their own quick blowouts most of the time, but book a blowout session with a pro for important events or whenever they want an extra treat.
A gorgeous blowout hairstyle can truly transform your look. Small techniques, like angling the dryer downward for shine or using the cool shot to set shape, make a huge difference in achieving a salon-quality blowout finish. Whether you’re aiming for big va-va-voom volume or a sleek and smooth silhouette, you can adjust your blowout styling techniques to get the effect you want.
Sources:
- Glamsquad Blog – “How to Make a Blowout Last Longer at Home”glamsquad.comglamsquad.com
- Allure – “How to Give Yourself a Salon-Worthy Blowout at Home” (Rebecca Dancer)allure.comallure.com
- Matrix Blog – “11 Hairdresser Secrets for Making Your Blowout Last”matrix.com
- Lordis Loft Salon – “Master the Art of Blowouts: 10 Essential Tips”lordisloft.com
- Glamsquad Blog – “Blowout for Curly Hair: Can You Keep the Curls Intact?”glamsquad.com
- Glamsquad Website – On-demand blowout service (Glamsquad)glamsquad.com
