Hairstyle Tips: Secrets to a Great Blow-wave

The secret to a great blow-wave is practice and knowing what tips and tricks will give you the right result. To find out exactly what those tips are, continue reading...

Hair Prep

Heat protection products and/or a hair styling product for the style you want (such as straightening balm for a straight look), should be added you hair before you fire up your blow-dryer if you want a lasting look that is salon worthy.

Long Lasting

If you need your look to last longer than one day, it's best to start with freshly washed hair. Using a shampoo and conditioner that will encourage the type of style you want also helps. For example, if you want to blow-dry your hair straight, use a sleek or straightening shampoo.

Divide and Conquer

Use hair clips to put your hair into manageable sections and to keep it tucked away while you work on one section at a time. This simple secret will make blow-waving easier and give you a much smoother result than just aiming your blow-dryer at all of your loose hair and hoping for the best.

Face-Framing Perfection

When you've finished styling, make sure that the sections of hair that frame your face are perfect. That's the area most people will see.

Fast Times

For a faster blow-wave, wrap wet hair in a towel and let as much excess water soak into the towel as possible. The drier your hair is by the time you start blow-waving, the quicker you'll get the job done.

Tame Cowlicks

If you have any cowlicks or bangs that just won't sit right, blow-dry your hair in the opposite direction of where you want it to sit, and then brush it into place and let your hair cool.

Avoid Frizz

Keep frizz out of your finish by directing the heat of your blow-dryer down your hair shaft. If you tip your head over and blow-dry your hair upwards, all you'll end up with is a fuzz-filled finish. To truly get the blow-dryer over your hair shaft, sit down to blow-dry and hold the blow-dryer directly above your head.

Don't Rush

Remember that creating a style with your blow-dryer takes time. If you rush the process and move on from each section before your hair has been properly styled and sealed, then your hairstyle won't last. Taking the time to get the style right, on the other hand, will give you a result that can last for days.

Blow-wave with Body

If you want a blow-wave look that involves texture or a bit of body then dial back your settings. If you blow-dry your hair on the highest heat and air-flow settings then you'll straighten out any natural movement and texture.

Enhanced Curls

If you're using your blow-dryer to create and enhance a curly hairstyle, try to let your diffuser do all the work. Using your fingers to scrunch your hair can actually cause it to frizz. Only use your fingers to put your hair in the right area for the diffuser to mould your curls into shape, and try not to touch your hair after you've arranged it into place.

Reach for 100%

When your hair is 100 percent dry, then you can stop blow-drying. If there's even just a hint of dampness in your locks then your blow-wave is ripe for a frizz to take over. Get it 100% dry and you'll have 0% problems.