When you wash and blow dry your hair at home, it’s usually nothing like the sorcery that goes down in the salon chair. Going to the salon is certainly a magical experience—all the wonderful smelling shampoos, oils and conditioners the stylist uses seem to transform your hair into a glossy and shiny masterpiece, rather than a dry, frizzy mess. However, if you think that the perfect blowout is something you can only achieve in the salon, then we have some good news for you! We spoke to Diana Giacalone, a stylist at Jack Alexander Salon and Spa, as well as a few collegiettes about how to fake a salon blowout at home, because you deserve a good hair day everyday!
1. Begin by washing your hair
Although a salon blowout seems like witchcraft, faking one on your own is a lot less complicated than you may think. “If you want to fake a blowout and do it yourself at home, then begin with shampooing your hair. Use a good conditioner from middle to end and rinse with cold water—it seals the cuticles and makes your hair shiny,” Giacalone explains. Showering in hot water the whole way through is oh-so-tempting, but you don’t want to skip this step!
2. Grab your towels, ladies. And don’t forget the product!
“Towel dry your hair and get out as much of the moisture as you can,” Giacalone continues. Be sure to go easy and gentle on your hair so you don’t cause any damage. “Spray a primer and heat protectant spray into your hair, and add drops of Moroccan oil for long hair. Comb through to distribute the product.” Make sure you’re focusing on applying the product midway down to the bottom of your hair shaft so you don’t weigh down your roots.
Related: 7 Ways to Extend the Life of Your Blowout
3. Ready, set, blow dry!
“Blow dry your hair in sections until your hair is about 90 percent dry. Try to wrap your hair twice around a round brush, going section by section with the blow dryer,” says Giacalone. “Blast it with cool air to set it, and to add some volume, wrap the top section of your hair around a round brush and spray it with hairspray!” Recreating a salon blowout will save you time and money, and you’ll look so good that no one will guess that you did it in your teeny dorm room!
Victoria Corrado, a sophomore at Carthage College, sees the value in faking it until you make it. “Being a college student, it’s hard to find the time or money to get your hair done. Doing a fake blowout at home is perfect because it makes your hair look professionally done but it saves you time and money!” Yas, girl. Going to the salon is great, but saving money is even better!
In a hurry? We got you, girl.
We know that you’re a busy collegiette, so in the mornings when you’re rushing to get out the door, there are still ways to fake a rockin’ blowout and make it to class on time!
“The way I fake a blowout is by washing and conditioning my hair, separating it into sections with clips, and blow drying a portion at a time,” says Erika Gordon, a junior at Carthage College. “I also make sure to flip my hair upside down and blow dry it to get the volume where I want it. Depending on how frizzy my hair is after, I will either just apply product or straighten it as well,” Erika says. Utilizing heat tools or even going old school and using non-heat curlers at night can help you achieve the blowout you need in half the time.
Who says that a perfect blowout can only be achieved in a salon? With the right tools and steps, you can fool ‘em all with a DIY blowout that looks like you just hopped out of the chair.
