Quick Tip: The Better Blow Dry Trick

Sure, good hair is hard to master, but if there’s one thing hairstylists make look way easier than it is, it’s blow-drying. What woman hasn’t tried to recreate the voluminous, effortless, and totally manageable salon-fresh look her hairstylist whipped up right after a color or cut? Of course, it never turns out the same. When you want a fresh new look, it’s nice to go to a professional, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pocket a few secrets for those (many) in-between days.

The little-known trick to better results with your blow-dryer? It’s all in the cool setting. (Raise your hand if you’re one of those people who just realized your hair dryer even had a cooling button–it’s easy to disregard after years of blasting your locks with major heat after every shower!) Utilizing the cool setting on your dryer is known to set the style, meaning that whatever you did to your hair with the hot air will stay put longer. First, however, you need to know how to style your hair properly while drying, so here are a few quick tips:

• Let your hair air dry most of the way to minimize heat damage
• Spritz a heat protectant spray on your strands before using hot tools
• Blow dry on a medium setting, styling with a brush and following it from root to end with the dryer (but make sure not to hold too close)
• Once you’ve styled hair how you like, go over it with the cool setting; do this for each portion of hair that you style with your brush

Of course, all hair is different, but these tips should get you on your way to a better blow dry.

Have you tried this trick before?

<3 Mish

Photo: Freida Pinto for Flare Magazine 2011