The number one complaint that I hear from people is, “I love my hair when I leave the salon, but I can never make it look like that at home.” Dressing hair is an art form and I am saddened when I see a client leave with a wet head. Every time you have your hair blown out by a professional, you not only get a great do for the next day couple of days, but you can also learn a few new tips and tricks. You can use that time to observe and ask questions. Notice the tools the stylist uses, watch the patience as they dry and coax each section into place.
There really is no magic, no big secret, yet the biggest component is practice. And if you are already blow drying your hair every day, or every other you are definitely getting practice! My golden rule remains the same, no matter what style I am trying to create. TOOLS- TECHNIQUE- PRODUCT. Say it with me now, “TOOLS- TECHNIQUE-PRODUCT!!” If you follow these simple guidelines you will be that much closer to styling your hair like a pro and having it look good all the time. It also provides a great advertising tool for your stylist so he or she should be more than willing to go over their techniques with you.
TOOLS-Think of tools in a tool shed. Every tool was invented to make a particular task easier. Every woman should invest in a great blowdryer. You don’t have to spend $300 on one, but a $100 dryer for at home use is perfect. Professional dryers last much longer dry hair faster and leave it shinier and typically carry a 2 year warranty if it does happen to break. Also brushes are a huge part of the equation. Remember, you are blow drying your hair into which ever shape you wrap it around so if you don’t want fluffy hair, don’t use too small of a round brush close to the head. There are stainless round, boar bristle, styling, paddle, vent and smoothing brushes- so many kinds to choose from. Using a big square paddle brush is perfect for brushing out tangles on wet hair. You may also use it to style long straight hair. BUT, if you DO want bounce and curl, that paddle brush won’t do it. A flat-wrapping brush is perfect for those flat, side swept bangs that you don’t want to pop up. Boar bristle brushes do an amazing job of smoothing the hair, and making it bouncy and mega shiny. If you are curling your hair, you have to consider the size of the curling iron- if you don’t want lion’s mane curls, then don’t pull out that curling iron from 6th grade. Invest in the many new shapes and sizes of irons so that you can get a look that is more “today.”
TECHNIQUE- Don’t work to your detriment. Even using the right tool, but with the wrong technique can work against the progress you are trying to make. For example, if you want to diffuse curly hair so that the curl is uniform, shiny and de-frizzed, you need to apply product in large sections and then comb through with a large tooth comb IN THE direction you would like it to dry. Often I see clients struggle while blow drying the front of the hair. Just simple instruction on what angle to hold the brush can make a huge impact on the overall style. If you are using a curling iron, make sure you are curling the hair in the right direction. If you want the hair to flow towards the face, you must curl it that way. If you hold the iron improperly you can get kinks in the hair. When using a flat iron, avoid taking sections of hair that are deeper and wider than the size of your iron- this could also cause lines in the hair. There are definitely methods to the madness that your stylist can share to give you a salon look everyday!
PRODUCT- While the tools are the producers of the movie, and the technique is the script the product is truly the star of the show! Every product you use has an intended use and purpose. Different types of looks require different products. In the salon, every product I pick up and use on a client has a mantra: “What am I using, Why am I using it, How do I use it? For example: What am I using? Silkening Oil Treatment by Aquage. Why am I using it: To blow out the hair soft and silky smooth while increasing the drying time by up to 44%. How do I use it? Apply into palm of hand in 1 ml pump increments. Emulsify by rubbing palms together and disperse through the hair evenly from roots to ends. If you want your hair to be full and bouncy you MUST use product! I often hear, “I don’t like to use a lot of product in my hair….” First off, the hair will be subject to its growth pattern and texture without the use of product. Second, today’s products protect the hair from the elements, have sunscreens and conditioning agents that keep it from getting dry and losing its luster.
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