Does it feel like you’ve got the basics of how to use a hot air drying brush pretty much down pat? You might if you can get bombshell body whenev.
But maybe it also feels like some tips on the finer points would be nice?
As there could be nuances you’re unaware of?
Well here’s the tips you’ve been looking for and then some.
Who knows? Some could even be difference makers. Here’s a preview of what in store when you scroll on.
Hot Air Brush Tips and Tricks Equal a Big, Beautiful Blowout
- 10 Hot Air Drying Brushes Blowout Tips to Know
- The Easily Overlooked Importance Of Blowout Cream
- What Does Air Dry To 70% Mean Exactly?
- Hot or Not? – Using The “Touch Test” To Save Your Hair
10 Must Know Hot Air Drying Brushes Blowout Tips
Sure life simplifying hair dryer brushes are all the rage. Super popular with the fumble fingers set.
But you just don’t fall into a gorgeous blowout even with a simple-to-use tool like this.
So some tips might be helpful, no?
Tip #1: Work the tool as close to the root as you can. Otherwise you’re committing mane malpractice. Leaving you with Medusa hair that is all wonky near the roots. Yet sleek and smooth farther down the hair shaft. Not a good look.
Tip #2: Be sure to brush your styling products and heat protectant through your hair before firing up your dryer. A good time to do this is when detangling after rough drying.
As mentioned in our recent article, “Fake A 90s Blowout With Velcro Rollers”, a lush 90s blowout is often little more than an illusion. One created by products like leave ins, texturizing sprays or a light hold hairspray.
Tip #3: Find the lowest heat setting that will work with your hair. It’s unlikely to be high unless you have coarse or thick hair.
Tip #4: When rough drying you want to target the underneath layers. Especially with longer hair. So lift the top layers up so you can get to where the wettest hair is hiding.
Tip #5: Work with smaller sections. Yes, less is more. Easier to work with for faster, more even, drying.
Tip #6: Stop drying before your hair feels hot to the touch but not before it feels warm. More on that further down.
Tip #7: Keep the section under some tension when drying and preferably while over directing the hair. (“Over directing” is stylist speak for lifting the hair in the opposite direction it normally lays.) That one hack alone can be a game changer.
Tip: #8: Don’t use this on dry hair. Maybe obvious but then again maybe not as obvious as you’d think. But for sure it’s one of the most important tips in this list. At least if you want to avoid tumble weed tresses.
Tip #9: To avoid drying hair that’s already air dried spritz sections with water to get them back to damp if they dry out on you.
Tip: #10: Blowout cream is essential. Especially if you want a blowout that lasts longer than one day without frizzing up on you.
Not to mention better ones do the work of two or three products. Such as fight frizz, add shine AND offer heat protection.
Of course you can super charge your results by guiding the warmed up hair around some self grip hair curlers. We’ve got an entire blog post covering the ins and outs. Click that link for a quick refresher on using those bodifiers.
Anyway, blowout dryer brushes are the perfect tool for those who lack the blow dryer/round brush skills. But who still want to have hair that looks like they do.
The Easily Overlooked Importance Of Blowout Cream
You just read about how blowout cream is essential
Some take that a step beyond use a cream AND heat protectants. While stylist, hair wizard and popular YouTuber Chris Wenzel has such creams on his list of top five of products you can’t live without.
Keeping your hair healthy against any heat onslaught is their main selling point for sure.
But as already mentioned they can also help keep your style vibrant, shiny and frizz free for longer than one day.
And when you hair looks sleek, smooth or sexy longer you can wash less often.
Meaning you’ll have to resort to hot air brush stylers less often. Making it easier to have a mane that is lustrous, suffers little breakage, is strong and healthy.
Which can be the difference between a good day and a bad day. Know what I saying?
Given all that don’t skip your thermal cream.
One more thing before I forget. Let’s try to clear up a term casually tossed around by many YouTubers. 70% dry.
What Does Air Dry To 70% Mean Exactly?
When it comes to air drying ever notice people throw around advice like “let your hair air dry to 70% dry”?
Or 80%.
Or whatever percent you care to use.
What’s that mean exactly?
Yeah, how do you know your hair has air dried enough but not too much?
Again Chris Wenzel has noticed this craziness too. And suggests you use what he’s dubbed his “flyaways test”.
Here’s what that means. It’s the point when you start to notice fly aways or even the hint of frizz making an appearance.
When either shows up that means you’re done air drying. Cause there’s nothing to be gained by waiting longer. Doing so will only mean more frizz to brush away the frizz with your wet brush.
Oh and that point of no return will be different for every head.
But try it. You might like it as rules of thumb go.
Hot or Not? – Using The “Touch Test” To Save Your Hair
Nothing can ruin your hair faster than too much heat exposure.
Brittle, fried, and frizzy hair usually doesn’t make for a sleek and smooth blowout style.
Yet it’s not as easy as you’d think to know when your hair is dried just right.
So continuing on with the theme of the last section how do you know when you hair has had enough of your thermal air brush?
Easy. Do the same thing those with a curling iron addiction do. Use the touch test to see if the hair feels warm.
You see, those using a curling iron will tap on their hair to feel when it’s heating up. Ever notice that?
You want to do much the same.
So after each pass with your hot styling brush check to see how warm your strands feel.
If not so much have another go.
If warm move on to the next section or wrap this one in rollers. Because that warmth signals your hair is dry. Or the perfect time for Velcro rollers, especially for fine hair. Because when combined with a hot styling tool like a hot air brush you’re on you way way to oodles of long lasting volume. Achieved on demand.
What you don’t want to detect is hair that’s hot. As hot hair is a sign you overdid it.
Yes, I know. You worked heat protectant through your locks. But no sense in putting the 450 degree heat shield to the test, now is there? Too risky.
So you want to quit while your hair is ahead. And that’s when it’s just warm, not hot, to the touch. Let the touch test be your guide when it comes to determining if your hair is dry or not.
Got it?
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