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Why bother giving myself a blowout if it’s going to fall out almost instantly? We ask ourselves the same question often. Our arms are too sore to bear the hard work, but mostly because the volume we infuse our style with disappears in a matter of minutes. Not cool. Searching for the root of our problem, we tapped the pros. Read below as celebrity and editorial hairstylists share the mistake you’re making when it comes to blowouts and curls, what to do instead, and the right products and brushes to prevent a bouncy blowout or fluffy curls from deflating.
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The mistake you’re making:
You want to let the hair dry a bit first. If there’s no time to air dry the hair before you get into styling it, rough dry it before you begin your blowout so that the hair is 85% dry before you go in with the round brush. It’s damaging to begin your styling process when the hair is still 100% damp and you start tugging on it with heat and a brush. It’s going to also take you a lot longer to get the job done.
When you’re detangling your hair, start by brushing at the bottom of your strands and work your way up. If you start at the scalp, you’re just dragging down the tangles and creating a bigger cluster of knots. You want to pave the way for the brush to glide through with ease.
The product you should use to prep damp hair before a blowout:
I like to use a volumizing product on the roots and a protective/moisturizing product, like a serum or oil, on the ends. The volumizer and the sealant are going to work together at different parts of the strands to create a rich, smooth, full blowout. A lot of the time, that volumizer can be a good mousse. Most people only think of mousse as something to scrunch into curly hair, but it can create a really nice, soft height at the roots as well.
The product you should use to prep dry hair before curling:
I use an anti-humidity heat protectant spray before I begin with my hot tools. If I’m working with really fine hair, I’ll also use a flexible hairspray for extra hold. To make sure the hairspray is evenly distributed, take a brush or comb on your sections before ironing.
How to avoid fast-falling blowout or curls:
You may need to set your curls for a longer period of time to help train your hair into a different shape. You may also be using an iron size that’s too big. Try using a smaller barrel curling iron, or sleeping with rollers in.
Product to set the blowout with:
Product to set the curls with:
The best brush:
I use a ceramic brush to hold a curl for longer. Their barrels are ventilated so they retain the heat in the hair which is really helpful when you’re trying to create something the hair doesn’t naturally do on its own. You need that heat to really penetrate for your style to last. I love my Paul Mitchell Neuro Round Brushes. The hair never snags in any crevices of the brush, and the bristles are still in great shape considering how much I use them.
On whether heat setting matters:
It could, potentially. If you have coarse hair, you’ll probably need to use a higher temperature so the heat can penetrate through the cuticle. On most hair types, I’ll keep my Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer at its medium temperature. If you’re putting heat on your hair all the time, I would recommend you don’t put your irons above 375 degrees, especially if it’s chemically-processed in any way. We need to prioritize our hair’s health and integrity!
The mistake you’re making:
A big mistake people often make prepping hair for a voluminous style is using a rich hair mask. This will weigh down hair and make it too silky. I like to do a clarifying shampoo to get rid of any possible buildup (which also causes hair to fall flat), and follow with a light conditioner just on the ends if needed.
The product you should use to prep damp hair before a blowout:
I like to prep the hair with volumizing mousse, root lift spray, or a blow out gel. My favorite blow out gel is Kerastase Forme Fatale. These types of products will give a great foundation for hold and body.
The product you should use to prep dry hair before curling:
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with R+Co Grid Structural Hold Setting Spray. This setting spray works fantastic with hot tools. I love using this section by section before curling the hair because it gives exactly what it says it does—structure and heat protection.
How to avoid fast-falling blowout or curls:
Allow the hair to cool down before breaking up the curls. If you break up a curl fresh off of the curling iron it will fall much quicker because it’s still hot. Think about welding metal, the metal needs to be hot in order to be pliable but once it has cooled it retains its shape.
Product to set the blowout with:
I really like using a light hold hairspray for blowout because it gives hold without making the hair stiff or crunchy.
Product to set the curls with:
I tend to use a none aerosol hair spray to set curls. My favorite is Aveda Brilliant Medium Hold Hair Spray. This hair spray supports curls and body with lasting results.
The best brush:
As a general rule I prefer ceramic brushes when creating bounce and volume. I’ve found that the boar hair bristle brushes tend to smooth the hair, making it a better choice if you are seeking smoother hair styles. My favorite ceramic brush is the Olivia Garden Ceramic Ion Speed XL Brush for the quickest blowouts.
On whether heat setting matters:
If the iron is too hot the curls will drop, if it’s not hot enough the hair won’t form a shape. There is no perfect temperature for every hair type. Thicker, curly, or coarse texture require higher heat while fine hair should be styled at a lower temperature. A good rule of thumb is to set temperature half way.
The mistake you’re making:
Not using the right prep product for your hair type, and letting the hair air dry too much prior to blowing out.
The product you should use to prep damp hair before a blowout:
It all depends on your hair type, but my favorite volumizing product is Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray. For all hair types, I really like Aveda Phomollient or Aveda Volumizing Tonic, but a great drug store find is John Frieda Luxurious Volume Root Booster Lotion.
The product you should use to prep dry hair before curling:
I really like using a light coat of Oribe Soft Lacquer Heat Styling Spray. To get hold, I think it’s important to use hairspray before and after curling if your hair, especially if it has difficulty holding a curl. My go-to is Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray or R+Co Vicious Strong Hold Flexible Hairspray. Tip: make sure you brush out the hairspray before you curl it to keep it from sticking to the curling iron.
How to avoid fast-falling blowout or curls:
If you live in humid weather, lack of humidity spray could make your hair fall flat. If you don’t, it could be the way you’re setting your hair during the curling or blowout process. My favorite humidity spray is Amika The Shield Anti-Humidity Spray and Oribe Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray which is literally Miami-proof.
The best brush:
I recommend a boar bristle brush, but if your hair is fine to medium, I like to use a ceramic round brush because it heats up and can cut dry time. My favorites are the Olivia Garden Ceramic Round Brush and Ibiza Boar Bristle Round Brush.
On whether heat setting matters:
In my opinion, I think high heat always works best. But if you’re not comfortable with the tools you’re using, I would drop down to a lower heat for more control. The same thing goes for curling iron—to make your curls last, make sure you’re letting the curls cool and not brushing them out right away. You can loosen them if they’re too tight.
The mistake you’re making:
I think it’s important to prep your hair the right way before a blowout. I’d recommend to have the hairline wet, (if you have bangs, wet them down too) and start blow drying from scratch. A common mistake people make is getting out of the shower and keeping their towel on their head. As time goes by, the hair starts drying by itself and it’s really hard to get it right after it’s been in the towel dried like that. So start drying your hair immediately after the wash.
The product you should use to prep damp hair before a blowout:
Mousse is a really good choice for prepping damp hair before a blowout. It’s old school but it works, as it provides hold and protects the hair since it contains heat-protectant elements.
The product you should use to prep dry hair before curling:
Before curling, I really love the Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray. Spray it on before curling on each section. I like it because it gives the perfect beachy texture and hold.
How to avoid fast-falling blowout or curls:
I’d say most of the reasons include not prepping the hair with correct products. For example, using big sections when curling or using too big of a sized curling iron. To avoid this, try to go with a 1″ size curling iron and spray each section of the hair with Oribe before curling.
Product to set the blowout with:
Product to set the curls with:
The best brush:
I’d recommend using a ceramic one for not too curly hair, and a bristle one for very curly hair. I personally like YS Park Bristle Round Brush for curly hair, and any other ceramic brush for straight or wavy hair.
On whether heat setting matters:
Yes, for sure. Unless you have very damaged blonde hair, I would recommend using full heat on blow dryer and curling iron. I love Harry Josh Pro Tools Curling Irons 380 degrees, it gives me perfect waves every time. The full heat setting on my Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer gives me the desired shine and silkiness of the hair.
The mistake you’re making:
The amount of product you apply and where you’re applying the product. The two main causes for hairstyles going flat is due to the wrong products/application or not properly setting the hair.
The product you should use to prep damp hair before a blowout:
This depends on what your hair type is and the desired finished blowout look. But on most hair types I like to use Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer and Christophe Robin Volumizing Mist.
The product you should use to prep dry hair before curling:
Depending on your hair texture and type, and the amount of bounce or hold you want in your curl will determine the product you use. I tend to lean towards soft silhouettes lately and have been using Paul Mitchell Hold Me Tight Hairspray as it provides a lot of memory for the hair but keeps the hair touchable and clean feeling.
How to avoid fast-falling blowout or curls:
When your hair gets hot, it expands, and as it cools it contracts. If you want to insure your blowout or curls last longer, setting them on rollers or in clips as they cool down will lock in your look.
Product to set the blowout with:
Once I’ve set the curls or blowout in clips to cool, I like to use Oribe’s Superfine Hair Spray in a “halo” spraying movement and then use the cool shot on the blow dryer to speed up the locking time.
Product to set the curls with:
My go to fav is Oribe’s Superfine Hair Spray. The spray is super fine, evenly distributing on the hair for all day hold that never gets sticky.
The best brush:
Ceramic brushes heat up and thus “curl” or bend the hair as you blowout the hair. Boar bristle brushes are great for smoothing the hair and adding shine. If you’re not getting the bounce or bend you want with your blow out then try going down a size with your brush.
On whether heat setting matters:
The temperature is important but even more so the quality of the hot tool you are using. Many irons you find online or at your local department store say “ceramic” but in reality they are just plated, not solid ceramic. Invest in a professional quality tool that says “solid ceramic” as this will ensure that your hair is curled evenly and consistently, making your style last all day.
