6 Steps To Getting The Perfect Blowout At Home

 

Photos by Isis Paulina Loyo Fernandez

If you've followed this blog or my Instagram for any amount of time, you surely know that having my hair perfectly blown out is, shall we say, important to me. And though my absolute favorite is a salon blowout, I've also honed my at-home hairstyling skills and can give myself a pretty good one, too.

Today, I've partnered with BJ's Wholesale Club to show you how I get a great blowout at home.

1. Start with a good shampoo and conditioner. I always go with either a moisturizing formula or a smoothing one. If it's super humid, I might go for the smoothing so I get some extra frizz-control. If it's in the winter or my hair is feeling extra fried, I'll do a more moisturizing formula. I love this one--Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek--because it happens to cover all the bases. It helps stop frizz, and it's super moisturizing. I also love these giant bottles, which a) ensure it takes forever to run out, and b) cost--wait for it--just $8.99 each!

2. Work a heat-protecting smoothing cream through your hair. This helps condition the hair and protect it from all the heat you're about to inflict on it. It also just makes your hair feel so much softer and your blowout look better. Don't skip it!

3. Use the right tools. My two essentials are a round brush (I like the ones with a mix of both boar bristles, for smoothing, and nylon ones, for gripping), and then a high-powered blowdryer with a nozzle. The nozzle is a must; it concentrates the air directly onto the hair that you're working with instead of blowing it all around every which way. This speeds up the whole process a ton.

4. Section out your hair. You can use fancy alligator clips, a scrunchie--whatever. I have a giant claw clip that was super cheap and works perfectly. I gather all of my hair on top of my head and secure it into the clip. Then I let down small sections, a bit at a time, starting with the nape of the neck and moving up and forward as I go. Never attempt to blowdry your hair without sectioning. It goes so much faster this way and you'll get much better results.

5. Seal it in. After everything is dry and smooth, I finish with a few drops of a serum or an oil like OGX Renewing Argan Oil. You can add it allover for lots of shine, or just use it sparingly. I usually work it into my ends, which are always very dry and scraggly, and then add a touch to my hairline where I tend to get flyways. 

6. Lock it in with hairspray. This is an optional step for me, but it can be an important one. I don't use hairspray on every blowout, but it's a must if I've done a blowout with loose curls, or if I just want my style to look extra perfect and last for something important later in the day like a photo shoot or a big event. The key is to use a formula with a touchable hold. If you use something super strong, your hair is going to feel crunchy and it's going to look awful. But a formula like this one (Nexxus Comb Thru Touchable Hold Finishing Spray, which BTW, comes in a two-pack at BJ's so you can keep one in your bathroom and one in your gym bag!) provides just-enough soft hold, so it keeps your style looking good, but feels like barely anything. (And true to the name, you can even brush through it!)

Thank you to BJ's for partnering with me on this post. Are you a BJ's member? If not, use this link to sign up for only $25 (over 50% off the usual price!). Click here for details.