Start Before You Even Plug It In
A great blowout begins with how you handle your wet hair. After washing, resist the urge to vigorously rub your hair with a towel, which creates friction and frizz. Instead, gently squeeze out excess water using a soft microfiber towel. Once your hair is damp,
not dripping, apply a heat protectant. This is a non-negotiable step that creates a barrier between your strands and the heat. For thick hair that tends to be dry, a leave-in conditioner or smoothing cream can also add a layer of moisture and control.
Rough-Dry to 80 Percent
Here's a major time-saving secret: don't start styling sopping wet hair. Use your dryer on a medium heat and high speed setting, without a nozzle, to get your hair about 80% dry. Use your fingers to lift sections at the root and move the dryer around continuously to ensure even drying. This step removes the bulk of the moisture quickly, drastically cutting down on the time you'll spend on focused, high-heat styling and minimizing overall heat damage.
Section, Section, Section
Working with a huge, unmanageable mass of hair is a recipe for failure. Sectioning may seem like a tedious extra step, but for thick hair, it's the key to control and a smooth finish. Use clips to divide your hair into at least four manageable quadrants—more if your hair is exceptionally dense. By working on one small section at a time, you ensure that every strand gets dried properly, from root to tip, preventing a half-dried, frizzy result where the top layer is cooked but the under layers remain damp.
Use the Nozzle for Sleekness and Control
That flat plastic attachment that came with your blow dryer isn't just for decoration. It's a concentrator nozzle, and it’s your best friend for fighting frizz. Snap it onto your dryer before you begin styling your sections. The nozzle focuses the airflow into a concentrated stream, which helps to smooth the hair's cuticle as you dry. Always point the nozzle downward along the hair shaft, from root to tip. This reinforces the cuticle to lie flat, creating shine and eliminating frizz.
Create Tension with a Brush
To get that sleek, polished look, you need to create tension. Using a round brush, place it at the root of a section and pull it taut as you follow it down with the blow dryer. This tension is what smooths the hair and gives it that professional finish. The brush holds the hair straight while the targeted heat from the nozzle sets the shape. For extra volume, you can lift the hair at the root with the brush, directing the airflow upwards before pulling it through the lengths.
Lock It In with the Cool Shot
The cool shot button is perhaps the most underutilized feature on a blow dryer, but it’s a game-changer for longevity. After you've finished drying a section and it's smooth and hot from the dryer, go over it one last time with a blast of cold air from the cool shot button. Heat shapes the hair, but cool air sets it. This rapid cooling process locks the style in place, closes the hair cuticle for extra shine, and ensures your hard work lasts all day.
