Ok….so another very early interview with my lovely Mr Glynn started at 3.30am over tea and toast (momentary midweek madness!). I asked the question: what makes a good blow dry? Read on……..
The key issues that a stylist needs to consider is how the client can achieve and maintain the look on a daily basis so they keep the style looking smart between salon visits.
Lifestyle: What does the client do every day? If they’re a busy working mum who has the school run to do, walk the dog and get herself to work by 9am, then an intricate half hour blow dry is out of the question! That’s not to say that the style has to be boring or bland (or ageing)!
Time: How long does the client want to spend in front of the mirror styling, or washing, conditioning, towel drying? For most people in the morning (including men), a quick and easy routine with effective results is preferable – 15 minutes max to style is a good measure., however a blow dry should never be rushed.
Product: There’s no point resisting product use unless you’re happy with the way your hair behaves naturally. To create lift, shine, soft & shiny curls or sculpting short fringes means some sort of product needs to be included into your regimen. Take the professional advise of your stylist and watch carefully how much and what technique they use to apply it your hair.
Tools: I had never seen such an array of brushes for hair styling until I met Glynn! Round ones fat ones thin ones , natural bristle ones , plastic ones, flat ones, back combers: you name it he has it – and each one gives a different finish (think your hairdresser charges too much? Think again, one brush can cost more than you pay for a cut and colour)! Anyway, suffice to say there’s a brush for every style and occasion and it makes your styling life easier.
How to dry your hair
Step 1
Towel dry by gently squeezing out excess moisture, don’t rub vigorously as the friction can cause split ends, frizz, dryness and hair breakage.
Step 2
Use a wide tooth comb to separate the hair as it doesn’t overstretch the hair and gently releases any knots.
Step 3
Apply your recommended product, making sure you get an even distribution by applying from root to tip.
Step 4
Section hair with clips (about 4-6) and start at the back section (you’ll get bored drying this as you can’t see it and will be tempted to rush it). Hold your dryer about 6 inches away from your scalp and start to dry – if you smell burning stop and check what’s happening!! Blow dry from root to tip on a mediium settting and when you’re sure the section is dry set the section with a blast of cold air.
Step 5
Apply any finishing product, use straighteners, tongs or rollers as advised or to suit your creative mood.
What to look out for when your stylist is blow drying
IMAGINE HOW BIG THE SALON WOULD HAVE TO BE IF WE STILL DID THIS!!
In recent years the art of blow drying hasn’t been taught comprehensively since there are now a multitude of finishing tools to achieve curls or straight locks. A well trained professional stylist will touch each section of hair with their fingers between brush strokes, rather than resting it on their hair dryer so they can feel the natural texture (they usually want the cuticle to lay smooth and flat), temperature and when the hair is dry. By resting the hair on the dryer more heat is created in the section so there is then a certain amount of guesswork as to whether the hair is sufficiently dry to do the final cold blast. The resulting finish isn’t as glossy or smooth and the style won’t hold for as long. Also be wary if your stylists ‘blast’ dries your hair before starting to style it – this is quite a lazy technique and again can give poorer results or reliance on other devices to finish the style such as straighteners.
Conclusions
I hate blow drying my hair, their’s a lot of it and it’s naturally curly. I get hot, bothered and bored by the process, and since my job means I have to wear it off my face I very rarely do it. If I have time and feel particularly patient I can do a decent job, but my hair is cut to allow it to dry naturally and hold it’s shape making my life easier. So next time you visit your stylist discuss with them how you intend to manage your style so they can tailor it accordingly and advise you how to get the best from your hair every day – failing that, marry your hairdresser!!!
Amanda and Glynn