How to blow-dry hair at home

2 Min read

Nothing beats the feeling of having professionally blow-dried hair straight from the salon. Your hairdresser works their magic to transform your hair into volumised, bouncy tresses that you want to sneak a peek at in every shop window. By the next day, your Cinderella-worthy transformation is gone – but with the right know-how, you can recreate a salon-perfect blow-dry at home. Read on for our ten best tips on how to blow-dry hair at home.

The main rule to remember when you blow-dry hair:

Using a high temperature over a long period of time can damage the structure of your hair and your scalp, leading to dull, dry hair and irritation. Use a low heat as far as possible for drying your hair before styling. Knowing how to blow-dry your hair gently will help protect and keep it in good condition.

Ten professional tips to properly blow-dry hair:

1. Start gently: your hair is more delicate when it’s wet. After washing, gently squeeze out excess water with a towel instead of rubbing it. Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to detangle wet hair.

2. Ideally, let your hair dry under a towel for about 15 minutes before you reach for the hair dryer. Then, it's best to blow-dry hair on a low heat to start with, until it’s almost dry. As a general rule, the temperature you use on your hair should be comfortable for your skin, too – give it a try on the back of your hand.

3. Choosing the right hair dryer is vital. To properly blow-dry hair, you will need to adjust the air strength and temperature to suit each stage of styling, and also have a cold blow-dry setting. The Philips DryCare Essential Hairdryer has 3 speed and heat combinations that are easy to adjust, giving you full control over your look.

4. To protect the hair’s outer cuticle from the hot air, use technology that protects your hair from excess heat. The ThermoProtect function of the Philips DryCare Essential Hairdryer provides the optimal drying temperature, protecting against overheating with the same powerful air flow.

5. To really know how to blow-dry your hair, you need to think about your hair type. A curly-haired person’s best friend is a diffuser, which distributes air evenly into your hair as it dries and keeps your curls in place, rather than making them look unkempt. If you have natural curls, using a diffuser attachment helps keep those curl patterns intact while your hair dries. On the other hand, if you’re going for a sleek and straight look, smoothing your hair with a paddle brush as it dries will help tame it for a glossy finish.

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6. Take care not to blow your hair around too much while drying. Hair that’s tossed around can tangle, especially when it’s fine. If your hair is prone to knotting, try setting your hairdryer to a lower speed.

7. Hold the hairdryer at least 15cm away from your hair and angle it downwards. The trick to how to blow-dry your hair for a smooth, healthy-looking result is to move the hairdryer down from the base to the tips, with the downwards direction of the cuticle layer. This will make sure the cuticle closes as it dries, giving you a smoother result while also protecting your hair.

8. Work piece by piece to style your hair. Pin the top layer of your hair out of the way with a large hairclip and focus on styling the lower parts of your hair. The top parts of your hair are more exposed to the elements, so they’ll be more fragile and require gentler treatment.

9. A key step in learning how to blow-dry hair at home is getting the hang of using the right additional tools. A round brush should be your hairdryer’s best sidekick, because it helps create amazing volume.

10. Finally, fix the hair with the cold shot of the Philips DryCare Essential Hairdryer to set and finish your style. Cooling your hair down promotes elasticity, and a quick cold blast from the hairdryer will set your style in place.

It’s not hard to get the perfect blow-dry at home! Trying out these ten tricks will teach you how to blow-dry hair at home just like they do in the salon, and leave you with gorgeous, perfectly styled tresses.

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