Blow Dry and Add Volume to Your Hair

For any length or thickness of hair, blow drying can add shine and volume. However, you do need to use the correct technique and protect your hair from the dangers of heat damage. Before you want to do your hair before an important occasion, though, practice blow drying your hair a few times. The technique can at first seem overwhelming, but, with practice, you should be able to blow dry your hair easily and beautifully.

Steps

Washing Your Hair

  1. Wash your hair with shampoo and then with conditioner. Choose a shampoo and conditioner that are right for your hair type. If your hair is too dry, buy a moisturizing shampoo. If your hair is too oily, buy a shampoo designed for oily hair. Use a volumizing conditioner, unless your hair already has too much volume.[1] Use about a dime to a quarter-sized amount of both shampoo and conditioner. Rinse thoroughly.
  2. Towel dry your hair. Do not rub your hair! Instead, blot it gently and repeatedly with a towel. Try to get all the excess moisture out.[1]
  3. Put in volumizing, alcohol-free mousse. Put a tennis-ball sized amount of mousse into your hands. Apply the mousse from the roots of your hair to the ends. If you have longer hair, put it up near your scalp, too.[2]
    • The same products do not work for everyone, especially in terms of mousses and volumizing products. If you try a mousse and it does not work well for your hair, ask your hairstylist what kinds of products are be best for blow drying your hair.
  4. Wait until your hair is mostly dry. Before you begin blow drying, your hair should be at least 60% dry. Keep blotting with a towel if you do not have the time for your hair to just air dry. This might seem like a long time to wait, but, to protect your hair and prevent frizziness after blow drying, the 60% dry rule is really important![3]

Preparing Your Hair

  1. Apply heat protectant to your hair. Use a thermal heat protectant that prevents damage from the heat of the blow dryer.[1] Heat protectants come in many different forms. Sometimes they are sprays, but they can often be oils. Apply it lightly and evenly to all of your hair.
  2. Divide your hair into sections. These sections should depend on the width, texture, and length of your hair. You should let down these sections gradually as you blow dry the rest of your hair. Secure them with hair clips on top of your head. Leave the bottom layer of your hair down. You should blow dry this section first.
    • If you have really thin hair, you should opt for four to six sections for your whole head. If you have thick hair, you can divide it into 10 or more sections. Take your time, and make the sections as small as you can without sacrificing too much time.
  3. Put your blow dryer on a low heat. While many people think that a hotter blow dryer is be more effective, it could give you dry, frizzy hair. Put your blow dryer on the lowest possible setting.[3]
    • If the lowest possible setting seems really ineffective, try the next highest setting. However, your hair should be mostly dry by the time you even begin blow drying, so the blow dryer should be used more as a styling tool than a drying method.

Blow Drying Your Hair

  1. Wrap one section of hair around a round brush. Do not wrap it all the way around the brush. Pull the brush (with the hair wrapped around it) to create tension on your hair, and begin to blow dry from the tips of the hair, moving the round brush up from the tips, to the middle of the hair strand, and finally to the roots.[4] When you move the brush, release the hair slightly, then wrap the next part of hair around the round brush.
    • Make sure that you have a high quality blow dryer with a nozzle or diffuser.[4]
    • Always brush in an upwards motion so that you add more volume to your hair.[5] Holding the blow dryer in one hand and the brush in the other, extend your hairbrush-wielding arm up and out rather than down. This may volumize your hair more.[3]
    • The type of brush you need will vary with your hair type. While people with thicker, more textured hair may want to opt for a paddle brush, people with thinner, fine hair may want a ceramic round brush. If you have questions about what is best for your hair, consult your hairstylist.
  2. Repeat this process with all the sections in the bottom layer of your hair. Release the sections one at a time from the next layer of your hair. Repeat the same drying process for all the layers of your hair.
  3. Blow dry your hair until it is warmer than room temperature. Many people, especially if they start with wet hair, do not blow dry their hair until it is thoroughly dry and also warm. Run your hands through all of your hair, making sure that it is warmer than the room temperature. Especially check the bottom and back of your head for cold spots. If you blow dry your hair but leave it cold, it could get dry and frizzy.[3]
  4. Blow hair up and back from your face. When all of your hair is dry, blow it all backwards, away from your face. Part your hair.[5] If you want extra volume, part your hair on the opposite side than you typically do.[2] Add any finishing products that you like (such as Moroccan oil) and style further.


Tips

  • Make sure you have the right brush for your hair type. Everyone’s hair is different, and some types work better than others for different types of hair.

Warnings

  • Do not overheat your hair! You could damage it.
  • Be careful about using electricity in the bathroom, if that is where you do your hair. Do not get your hair dryer wet.
  • Do not brush your hair immediately when you get out of the shower. Wait until it is more dry. Brushing wet hair can damage it.[6]

Things You'll Need

  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Towel
  • High quality hair dryer
  • Round brush or paddle brush
  • Mousse
  • Heat protectant
  • Other hair products you find helpful

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.matrix.com/blog/15-pro-tips-for-adding-volume-and-thickness-to-fine-thin-hair
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.schwarzkopf.com/skus/en/home/hair_styling/tips_and_tricks/styling_tricks/volume_hair.html#id217302686
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://stylecaster.com/beauty/10-biggest-blow-drying-mistakes/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.elle.com/beauty/hair/news/a14994/10-things-you-are-doing-wrong-blowdrying-your-hair/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://cupofjo.com/2014/02/how-to-blow-dry-your-hair-like-a-hair-stylist/
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJu4_j7kv3Q

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