DIY Blowdry: best ever guide

Forget booking in with your stylist for a salon blow-dry. With the right equipment, a little patience and some expert tips, you can get the same result at home for a fraction of the cost!

The basics

De-tangle hair with a wide -toothed comb and arm yourself with the right brush (see page 59) and clips to section hair.
Towel-dry hair, apply a serum, cream or blow-dry lotion that has some heat protection and then roughly dry to take out about 80% of the moisture.
Style the front first. The section between the temples and the ears is where hair is at its finest and so dries the quickest.
Now section off pieces of hair starting at the nape – no section should be wider than your brush. Draw the brush carefully along hair from roots to ends.
Always direct the air from your dryer downwards and keep it 5cm away from your head, to avoid burning.
Once each section is fully dry, move onto the next without disturbing the one you’ve finished until it’s cool.
If hair dries completely before you get to it, then moisten it with a spray of water before styling.
Make sure hair is 100% dry when you’ve finished styling – if it’s still damp any humidity will start to frizz it.
Finish with a small amount of gloss spray, serum or hairspray.

Best brushes

Paddle brushes are good for blow-drying fine hair straight, as you don’t lose volume. They’re also good for longer hair.

Radial/round brushes are for if you want to bend the hair – so curl, flick or tuck under. The rule is the smaller the barrel, the tighter the curl. Mid-size radials are best for longer hair and the fat ones are great for hair that’s got a kink you want to straighten out.