how to {do your own blowout}

Blowouts are all the rage. And for good reason… having someone else wash your hair and give you the smoothest, most voluminous style (with no effort!)… Yes please! If you love getting blowouts and have wondered how you can achieve the look at home, look no further!

The lovely Ally from Lark Blow Dry is breaking down the how- to of a blow out. Step by step we will show you how to achieve that coveted "fresh from the blow bar" look! 

{for the purpose of this post, this blowout is brought to you Bumble and bumble and I will be referencing their products; please feel free to use similar products when trying this out!}

1. Post washing, prep hair with a detangler/primer all over your damp hair. For this demonstration, we used Bb. prep spray, which I must add… smells amazing! Next, your hair needs to be combed out and detangled. Ally, who is a professional,  and I (who simply swear by it) HIGHLY recommend investing in a Wet Brush for this step. This brush will change your life. If you have long hair, especially, do yourself a favor. 

2. Next, your hair needs to be rough dried before you can start the blowout process. Rough dry means that approximately 75-80% is completely dry. Ally tip: blow dry your hair going the same way as the hair shaft. Meaning, keep the blow dryer pointed away from your roots. From roots to midshaft, Ally recommends applying a styling cream to create volume. For bottom half of your hair, a thickening mousse is key. While blow drying, use your hands or the brush, but make sure you REALLY get your roots dry. 

Don't mind my mad face, ,just very focused!

3. Once your hair is about 75-80% dry, split into sections as pictured. To split your hair, always start with the top. You can measure this by going from the outside of your eyebrows and back. Measure the section by using the round brush of your choice. The subsections should be roughly the size of the end of the round brush. (Is everyone learning a lot? Ally is wealth of knowledge. I had no idea!) When you finish you should have 4 large sections. 

4. Blow dry each section with the blow dryer under the hair shaft. Ally tip: tension is key! Using the round brush, pull the strand at a 90 degree angle away from the head. For the bottom section, which is where you will start, this is not necessary. But as you move up your head, and want more volume, the direction you pull the hair from your head will determine volume. Pulling the strand straight up while brushing away from the head will create the most dramatic volume. Roll the round brush while pointing your blow dryer down on the hair shaft. 

5. Repeat each section moving up to the top. Remember, the crown of the head (the two top sections) are where you want the MOST volume. Ally tip: Use the heat AND cool shot on your hairdryer to set each section. 

6. Use your fingers to break up the waves. Ta da! 

You just completed your first at home blowout. Does your arm hurt? Most likely. Especially if your hair is long! But it's totally worth the results. 

Do you do your own blowouts? What tips do you have? Let me know in the comments!

If you are in Omaha, and haven't experienced an in-house blowout, contact Ally at Lark! You will not regret it! Plus, she is a wealth of knowledge and will send you on your hair with beautiful hair AND information.