How to get a professional blowout at home

By Alissa Hicks

After the holidays and Christmas shopping, it’s easy to feel like you should cut back on spending for a while. But there are some things we pay for that we simply hate losing. A good blowout can be one of those. Maybe this year you make it your New Year’s resolution to try doing some of your favorite pampering activities at home in order to pinch a few pennies. We talked with Katie Burke, a stylist of almost 10 years at Schaefer’s Studio Hair Salon about how to achieve that perfect, bouncy blowout at home by following these simple steps.

What you’ll need: Round brush, smoothing product, volumizing product, hair dryer, curling iron (optional), hairspray.

Step one: Wash and condition as usual. “Don’t be afraid to wash twice. You’ll get a little more body in your hair with less product buildup and residue, especially if the first wash doesn’t lather well,” says Burke.

Tip: Towel blot your hair to get excess water out. “Try not to rub with a towel because it’ll create more frizz.”

Step two: After getting excess water out of your hair, add some smoothing lotion or serum to keep frizz out and keep your hair shiny as you dry it. “If your hair is thicker, you can use a product that is a little heavier like a lotion. If your hair is on the thinner side, use a product that is lighter, such as a serum, so that it doesn’t weigh your hair down. If you have curly hair, a lotion or cream product is best to smooth and keep frizz at bay,” suggests Burke.

You’ll also want to use some sort of volumizing spray to give your hair a fuller look. For fine hair, try to stay away from mousse because it can also weigh your hair down. Mousse is better for thicker, curly hair. The best for most hair types would be some sort of root spray. Katie Burke suggests Moroccan Oil Root Boost shown here.

Tip: You’ll want to begin blow drying your hair using only your fingers at first. “Finger dry your hair until it is about 75 percent dry, and then begin using a round brush,” says Burke.

Choosing your round brush: “Try to find one that says ceramic or ionic, which will help to protect your hair and keep it shiny as you blow it out.” For curly hair, Katie suggests using a round brush with boar bristles because it’ll help grab onto the hair better to smooth it out. The longer the hair, the larger the brush you’ll need. Tip: “Some people aren’t good with a round brush. If this is you, try using Velcro rollers. As old-school as that sounds, this will give your hair the same volume and bend,” Katie says.

Step three: Once you’re ready to use your round brush, start with the very front middle section of your hair. Roll backward toward the crown of your head (away from your face). If you have full bangs, blow those very first, aiming downward with your round brush. Be sure to use sections of hair that are the same size as your round brush for accuracy. From here, move in sections back toward the crown of your head, blowing each section until nice and dry. Start with the round brush at the root and pull slowly upward to give hair height and volume. Once the brush nears the ends of hair, roll back in toward the roots while continuing to blow with heat.

Tip: Once you can tell a selected section is dry and before taking the round brush out, you can blast the section with cold air to help close the cuticle and set the hair, making the curl last longer.

Focus on the entire top section and crown of head first. Move back from there, getting the rest of the hair in sections just the same. Move from front to back on sides as well in the same motion, pulling the hair up and back while blowing dry.

Once you’re done and dry, gently run your fingers through your hair to separate sections, making it look natural and full.

If you want a little more curl and body to your hair, touch up with a large barrel curling iron (about the same size as your round brush or larger). This will give your hair extra bounce and help it look natural and not too structurally curled. Do the exact same sectioning with your curling iron as you did with the round brush, and curl in the same direction.

Tip: “To make your curls last even longer, you can stop at each section and pin as you move along,” Katie says. (Shown here) “This will help set the curl and also give it that volume and height for a longer-lasting blown-out look. You can use whatever pins you have on hand. Bobby pins work just fine.”

Tip: To get another day out of your blowout, use dry shampoo on your roots and try spritzing a texturizing spray all over to help revive the curl.