How to get the perfect blow-dry: big, bouncy and volumised!

One of the things I love the most about going to the hairdressers is when they blow-dry your hair into the perfectly coiffed bouffant, darling.  It's amazing how much difference it makes to my hair when someone takes the time and effort to blow-dry it properly, instead of my usual routine of towel rubbing, an upside-down shake and a quick comb through. Unfortunately this usually leaves me looking something like this guy...(before the GHD's come out, that is)

I definitely can't afford £20 a week or however much it would cost for blow-drys every time I fancied them, so in an attempt to mimic the salon effect at home and negate the need for straighteners, I've tried: various lotions and potions;leave in rollers (OUCH!); those foamy sausage things; salt spray for a more beachy look and I can't even remember what else but I'm sure the list goes on! None of these methods gave me the desired effect.

Recently I visited the Rainbow Rooms Training Academy in Glasgow after getting a brilliant deal through itison.com (highly recommend!) .The stylist did such a good job that I left filled with a new found enthusiasm to never let my hair look a mess again!

I bounced (mostly my hair, maybe a bit of thigh) to Superdrug on a mission to stock up on an artillery of hair products to keep my tassels tamed!  

After reading a few things online, and trying to remember the magic my stylist worked at the Rainbow Rooms, I got to work and attempted to get my hair looking fabulous again. I was pretty happy with the results (see obligatory selfie below) so here are some tips for trying it yourself!

Use the right products. I tend to find that volumizing shampoos and conditions leave quite a lot of residue in your hair, so just use a Shampoo + Conditioner that works for you. I love this 'Raspberry and Macadamia nut' range from Superdrug which really bring out the different colours in my hair.

Tip: Avoid putting conditioner on the roots of your hair as this will make it look greasier more quickly. 

Get it dry. Towel dry your hair by patting it with a towel (no rubbing!) to get as much moisture out of it as possible before you even look at the hairdryer. If possible even let it dry naturally for a while. 

Heat defence. I find serums and mousses leave your hair either feeling sticky, greasy or crunchy so if I'm going to use anything on my hair before blow-drying then it'll be a heat defence spray. Right now I'm using the '"This One: is for when the heat is on" blowdry spray but I've heard quite good things about the Tresemme one so might go for that next! Spray or rub it into the mid-ends of your hair and remember to lift sections up so it's not only the top layer of hair you get the product on.

Blow-dry time. Divide your hair into sections (top, medium, bottom and front/back) and start at the bottom taking each section of hair and wrapping around a big barrel brush - lifting it up as you do.  Point the hair dryer downward and hold it close to the hair (not touching) then pull down. Whilst the hair is still coiled round the barrel blast it with cold air as this will help to set the shape and also close your hair follicles which make it smoother (or so I've heard)

Finishing touch. Once you're finished blow-drying you might find you have some bits that aren't sitting quite right, or are still a bit frizzy- it's normally the very top of my head and around the fringe area. Go over these bits with straighteners bending them slightly so you're not actually straightening the hair but just reshaping and smoothing it a bit. Pick any hairspray that works for you and tip your head back then give it a light blast from about 30cm away. 

Tip: If you tip your head forward then hairspray it you really will end up looking like that caveman up there!


Voila! >>>

Thanks for reading, do you have any tips for getting that 'salon look' at home?

Melissa x

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