| Celebrity Hairdresser's Tips: Blow Drying Your Hair! |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Revised 11/22/08 - Original Publication Date: 03/06/2006 - |
Introduction
Although blow
drying hair seems like it should be a simple
undertaking there can be a lot of hidden gotchas that result in home blow outs that
are less than salon perfect.
Why? I
asked three famous hair pros -
Ken Paves (Jessica Simpson,
Eva Longoria, Brittany Murphy),
Robert Hallowell
(Courteney Cox Lucy Liu, Geena Davis, Mary Louise Parker,
Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Paul Mitchell Premiere
Educator,
Barbara
Lhotan, to share their
blow drying secrets.
I specifically asked each of the hair
experts why blow outs, whether to
create straight, curly or wavy styles,
always seem to look so much better when done
by a professional.
Ken Paves who wears his famous red blow
dryer literally slung like a gun from his
belt explained that "the trick to perfect
blow outs is using the right styling
products and learning how to use the right
sized brushes in conjunction with the blow
dryer for the desired results".
Robert Hallowell commented that "there are
lots of short cuts he uses every day" because
he works on the set of Commander In Chief in
a cramped little hair and makeup trailer and
that "perfect blow outs take lots of
practice, which professionals have because
they blow dry hair every day". Robert
pointed out that it is "always easier to get
great blow outs when someone else is doing
them for you".
Barbara Lhotan laughed and
confessed that "even she doesn't get her
hair as stick straight or sleek as when it
is done by a fellow stylist". The reason?
There are several reasons and secrets about
blow drying that Barbara (along with Ken and
Robert) agreed to share in the steps below:
1. Proper Direction of Blow
Dryer Air Flow.
Barbara explained that to get that super
sleek straight look the air flow from the
blow dryer needs to be directed "down" the
hair shaft from the roots until the ends.
That may
sound relatively simple but in reality it
means that you need to elevate the nozzle of
the blow dryer above your head. Not
only is this a challenging task for some
short armed people, it can be quite tiring
to hold a blow dryer up above your head for
an extended period of time.
Barbara
suggests sitting on a chair and holding
the blow dryer over the top of your head and
directing the air flow down the shaft does
make it easier on the arms.
Robert agreed that directing the air flow
"down the hair shaft" is key. He
explained that when he blow dries his
celebrity clients on set he has them sit in
a chair and he stands over them and blow
dries from the top down. Thus his arms
take all the abuse. He also agrees
that when people are blow drying at home,
they should find a way to comfortably
position the dryer over the head so that air
flow will be directed down.
2. Learning
Balance Between Blow Dryer & Styling Tools.
Another trick, according to Ken Paves,
hairdresser to Jessica Simpson, "is learning
to skillfully utilize a brush and a blow
dryer at the same time". Many people
have to practice using a brush in one hand
and a dryer in the other in such a manner as
to be able to successfully anchor the
section of hair being dried with the brush
while still directing air flow from the top
down.
Ken's secret? "Practice, practice, practice".
Celebrity
hairdresser, Robert
Hallowell recommends the "divide
and conquer" method. By dividing hair
into several manageable sections that are
2-4 inches in thickness, the rest of the
hair can be "clipped out of the way" and
there is less hair to worry about for the
moment. This allows easier co-ordination
between a brush and blow dryer because less
hair is in play at any one time.
Some hair
experts recommend that you separate hair
into only 3-4 major sections. Others
recommend a lot of little sections that are
only 2-4 inches in width.
Barbara
said that "ultimately it is best to
work in a way that provides the best results
for your hair type and texture and gives you
the best control of your tools" That
means that you should decide for yourself
how many sections of hair to create.
3. Pro's Blow
Drying Tricks
While it may
seem that hairdressers can blow dry hair
very quickly, the reason, Barbara
explains "is because they blow dry hair
every day for hours". Over time, they
get very fast and efficient at using their
blow dryers and can make even the most
challenging hair behave.
Consumers who
blow dry at home need to understand that a
perfect blow out, whether for a straight,
curly or wavy look, takes time.
Whether you're using a paddle brush to
achieve stick straight hair or a long finger
diffuser attachment to encourage curls and
waves, Barbara advises that you go very
slowly and focus on each individual section
of hair before moving to the next one.
Allow plenty
of time to blow dry so that you create your
dream style. Speed blow drying can
cause frizz and other issues to pop up.
4. Prep Tresses By Texture Type
Barbara noted
that "the products you use on your hair
before you blow dry can make all the
difference in the results". A major
consideration for selecting the proper
products is your type, texture and condition
of your hair. Ken and Robert agreed.
Listed below is a
general overview of hair textures and
recommended blow drying products.
Fine and thin strands
do better with lighter products such as
mousse or gel mousse combinations.
Medium textured hair
can behave well with lighter products such
as mousse or gel mousse as well as with
regular gel, glaze, liquids and creams.
Thickly textured hair
needs heavier products such as extra
strength mousse, gel, creams or wax.
5.
Select Best Styling Products
Additionally, the three
experts made recommendations according to
desired blow out texture (straight, curly,
wavy).
For stick
straight blow outs, utilize temporary
straightening products such as straightening
creams, gels, balms, glaze or other liquids.
Enhance curls
with products designed to give them body and
definition.
Encourage Natural
Waves
with Mousse,
gel/mousse and gel products.
Keep in mind
that the less styling products that you use,
the softer the set.
All three experts
suggest that you use a heat protectant
product if hair is prone to damage.
6. Utilizing The Proper Brush &
Attachments
Ken, Robert and Barbara agreed that hair
consumers should "always use
the highest quality brush possible".
Since hair is most fragile when wet,
extra care should be taken when styling wet
or damp strands. When possible, use a natural
boar's bristle brush or similar.
Remember that
a paddle brush is for blow drying straight
styles while a round brush is for
encouraging bend, volume and texture.
Vary the size of the brush "head" according
to how much hair you are working with and
how loose or tight you want the look or
texture.
When the goal
is to blow dry straight, Robert Hallowell
recommends using "a good quality boar's
bristle paddle style brush because it
covers the most hair territory at one time
and cuts down in drying time". When
using a paddle brush, Robert finds that he
can work with "bigger individual sections"
which helps him finish quickly.
Barbara suggest that
you utilize an air
concentrator when going for a stick straight
effect or a long finger diffuser to enhance
waves or loosen curls.
A hot sock
attachment will also work wonders on curls.
7.
Use Fingers With Care
While some
hair types and textures respond well to
"finger combing" or "scrunching" other
textures will frizz. If your hair is
prone to frizz, keep your fingers out of
your hair until it is 100% dry.
Barbara who specializes
in curly hair made a point to mention that
naturally curly strands should be "touched
as little as possible by the hands and
fingers" when diffusing or drying.
8. Correct Dampness Balance
Some types of
hair will dry faster than other.
Barbara indicated that "curly hair dries the
faster due to the structure of the hair,
which is always partially open". Wavy
hair dries quickly, although not as quickly
as curly hair. Straight hair,
especially when medium to thick, will dry
the slowest.
Barbara
confided that "the key to a perfectly
balanced blow out requires hair that is
equally moist from side to side".
Therefore, as you are working on one side of
the head, if the other side dries in the
process, remoisten it. She suggests
that you "use a spritz
bottle to slightly add back moisture and
then blow dry".
Barbara confided that "one of the
other big mistakes that hair consumers make
is trying to blow dry hair" that is "too wet
or still dripping". Not only will any
styling products "drip right off" the hair
will be much harder to handle.
Another
mistake is continuing to direct heat to a
section that is already 100% dry.
9. Alternate Hot With Cold
Barbara
pointed out that the heat from the blow
dryer "opens the cuticle and allows a style
to be formed". Finishing a section
with a blast of cool/cold air from the blow
dryer will help to close the newly created
texture or lock in the straightness of the
section.
Start with
hot and finish with cold on every section to
first build in the desired style and then
lock in the set.
Additional Dos & Don'ts
Barbara, Ken
and Robert had other dos and don't to
consider when doing your own blow out at
home:
1. Forget Shaking The Blow Dryer
One mistake
that Barbara sees many consumers make is
that they feel the need to "shake their blow
dryers back and forth". This really
doesn't have any benefit at all to the hair.
She explained that because consumer "worry
about overheating individual section" they
tend to wave the nozzle back and forth.
The way to
avoid overheating is not to shake the nozzle
but to use a medium heat setting, hold the
nozzle at least 6 inches away fro the head
and not direct the air flow at any one
section more than a few seconds at a time.
2. Avoid Over Blowing Your Hair
Robert warns
against using a blow dryer that is either
too hot or used at full speed. He
points out that "too much air flow" or "too
much heat" may over-blow the style and
remove natural curls and/or waves, if you
are blow drying to encourage texture.
When blow drying straight, too much heat can
dry out the strands and cause them to lose
that silky finish that the pros build into
their salon blow outs.
3. Limit Everyday Blow Drying
All three
experts strongly recommend going easy on the
the use of a blow dryer. Ken Paves
goes so far as to recommend blow drying
"only for special events".
Barbara
Lhotan agrees that the hair does better when
it has a break between blow drying session.
Robert
Hallowell agrees that if you treat your hair
with lots of tender loving care, you can get
away with frequent blow drying sessions, but
he also believe that giving hair a rest from
the heat is "always a good thing".
4. Blow Dry From Back To Front
Barbara
recommends that you start "on the back of the
head and work around towards the front".
This gives you a chance to first deal with
the part of the head where wrinkles or
creases may form more easily. She also
recommends working "from the ends up to the
roots for better volume enhancement".
5. Tackle Hardest Part
Of Hair First
Robert
recommends that consumers tackle the most
difficult sections of their hair first,
whatever section that might be for them.
Therefore, if the front tends to wave or
curl or develop odd drying patterns, those
areas should be dried first.
6.
To Flip Or Not To Flip
Many hair
experts recommend that you bend over at the
waist and blow dry with your strands flipped
upside down.
Robert does not agree
with this method and prefers to dry with the
hair in its normal position. He points
out that when you "blow dry upside down, you
encourage the natural cuticles to lay the
wrong direction. This can cause
tangling and make hair more difficult to
control."
Barbara and
Ken Paves concur. They both prefer to
dry the strands of their clients without
having them flip their tresses over.
Barbara "never ever flips hair over".
Since
opinions are mixed whether to flip the hair
over or not, use your own judgment based on
the results that you achieve.
7. Avoid
Clips That Cause Wrinkles
When Robert blow
dries his celebrity clients, he makes sure
that if he is using any type of metal or
salon clip to hold the finished section into
a curl shape, he place a piece of tissue
paper between the curl and the clip.
This prevents the formation of any ridges in
the newly blown out strands. Both Ken and
Barbara agree with this trick.
8. Skip
The Professional Style Blow Dryers
Barbara pointed out
that many consumers assume that they should
only blow dry their hair with the industrial
strength blow dryers that the professionals
use. While professional hairdressers
need super powerful motors on their dryers,
it is because they blow dry so many clients
every day.
For consumers, Barbara
pointed out that a professional style dryer
is overkill and can actually apply too much
heat on delicate strands if careful
moderation is not performed.
Summary
Like
everything else in the hair world, blow
drying your style at home so that you
achieve perfectly sleek straight tresses,
carefully scrunched waves or beautifully
looped ringlets involves utilizing the right
tools, a few good secrets from the pros and
lots of practice. So what are you
waiting for? Start your engines. |