Get the perfect blow-dry

All About You online 06.03.2008

Recreate a salon blow-dry in the comfort of your own boudoir. Eve Cameron explains how.

Brush with hair curled around being blow dried Perfectly groomed, salon-sleek hair makes you look and feel fabulous. Once you're at home though, it can be hard to achieve that fresh-from-the-salon look yourself. The secret is in the technique, plus a few good products.

Stylists from Essensuals salons, cautioned us that before going anywhere near a hairdryer, you should make sure you have rinsed your hair properly.

Rinse hair properly
'No one rinses for long enough,' she insists. 'If you rinse your hair for around two minutes longer than you think you should, you'll avoid leaving behind residues of shampoo and conditioner, which can stop your hair looking shiny.'

Tools for the job
It's also important to use the right brush when blow-drying, though if your hair is very short and layered, your fingers are your best tool. Generally, however, the shorter your hair is, the smaller your brush should be. For short to bob-length hair, a vent brush is best. It lifts hair at the roots and allows air to circulate, drying it quickly and adding volume. Denman has a good range. Use a styling product that's right for your hair type

For longer hair a large round (also called radial) brush works best, whether it is natural bristle, a bristle/nylon mix or one of the new generation of ceramic brushes, which contain ceramic rods that are heated by the dryer to retain and distribute heat evenly.

Use a styling product that's right for your hair type or the look you want to achieve. For example, if your hair is fine, a volumising product, such as John Frieda's Volume Thickening Blow Dry Lotion, £4.49, gives instant body. Alternatively, you might just want a product to protect your hair from the heat – Tresemmé Heat Defence Styling Spray, £3.99, does the job well and adds shine. Use your styling product when your hair is rough-dried rather than wet.

Step-by-step guide
Once you've chosen your tools and products, try this five step guide to a perfect blow-dry.

1. Towel-dry your hair, then rough-dry until it's about 75% dry. Trying to style it before this is pointless.

2. Section the hair with large clips so you can dry a small section at a time, using your brush to lift hair at the roots and pulling it away to dry the length of the hair.

3. To get perfectly straight hair, you should always hold the nozzle of the hairdryer around six inches away from the hair, directing the air down the hair shaft to ensure the cuticle stays flat. The nozzle helps to cut down static and directs heat exactly where you want it. If you blast the hairdryer sideways, or in any other direction, it just ruffles the hair cuticles, causing frizziness.

4. If you want fuller root lift, put in some large Velcro rollers once your hair is fully dry and leave for 10 minutes.

5. To finish your hair, use serum to combat frizziness and flyaways, a little wax for a choppy style or a spritz of hairspray, such as Label M Style & Finish Hairspray, £7.95, (available from Essensuals and Toni & Guy salons).

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