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How to Get the Perfect Blowout, a Q&A with Alli Webb

Everyone wants to know the secret to the perfect salon blowout. Is it in the product? What about the hairbrush? Or is it merely practice and technique? Fashion and makeup I can handle but when it comes to blowdrying my hair, I have no patience. And just like everyone, I wish I could recreate the unbelievably bouncy and shiny tresses I get at the salon with a great at-home blowout.

So I was super excited to meet with Alli Webb the creator of Drybar, the national chain of blowout-only salons, when on assignment for Latest Hairstyles. We chatted about how to recreate one of their most popular styles, The Cosmo-Tai (you can find the tutorial at Latest Hairstyles, here) and secrets for how we can get the perfect blowout at home!

how to get perfect salon blowout

Q: How can I make my blowout last for days? 

WEBB: First and foremost, I always tell people to start with really clean hair. It’s something that’s really important because a good blowout won’t last on hair that’s dirty. So use a really good cleansing shampoo and conditioner and make sure your hair is residue and product-free.

Q: Speaking of products, do you have any specific recommendations? 

WEBB: We have a great “blowout” shampoo that’s coming out, so funny you should ask! Just make you’re sure using a great shampoo, like a clarifying shampoo. Sometimes it scares people that it will strip their hair color but to use a few times a week isn’t going to hurt. It’s an important tip because if you really want your blowout to last 3-4 days, it needs to be really clean.

Q: Let hair air dry a little or dry right away? Which is best? 

WEBB: At Drybar, one of our philosophies is we don’t rough dry the hair very much because you get the best result from hair when you’re drying it from wet. Not dripping, but wet so you can really manipulate the hair to do what you want it to do versus the hair starts to dry and take on its own curl formation. People at home tend to want to get through their blowouts faster which is another thing I always tell people: plan on spending 45 minutes to dry your hair. Most people want to get through their blowout in 20 minutes at home and it just takes longer!

how to get perfect salon blowout

Q: I’m one of those people. There really are no ways to trim blow dry time? 

WEBB: If you’re at home and you’re pressed for time it’s not bad to let it air dry a little bit, rough dry it maybe 30%. I really wouldn’t go over that because you want to maintain control of what you’re doing to the hair because once hair starts to dry, it’s really hard to change the way it’s drying.

Q: What kind of tips do you have for technique? 

WEBB: Make sure when you are blow drying your hair you are working in really thin sections. You’re not overwhelming yourself by putting too much hair into the brush at once. Work in 1- to 2-inch sections and make sure they’re completely dry before moving on to the next section. If you’re getting your blowout done in half the time, guaranteed there’s frizz in it. Even 99% dry isn’t enough, it needs to be 100% dry.

Alli Webb Drybar interview

 {Hangin’ with Alli Webb, post Drybar blowout}

I, for one, am absolutely guilty of rough drying my hair in my impatience. But since this interview, I’ve been trying my hand at a little bit a patience and can see a difference. Maybe one day, practice really will make perfect!

Have you tried any of these tricks for blow drying your hair at home? Or maybe you already are a blowout pro? Share your secrets below!

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you for your explanation how to make this look step by step! It is really very easy! I should try it as soon as it possible! Thank you so much!

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