Our friend Shaye attended a session on blow drying hair at a spa last winter and she returned with a wealth of knowledge on the subject, some of which I found interesting enough to pass it along.
Not all of this is good news for those who wash and dry their hair in a rush. For example, vigorously towel-drying hair is a no-no. I’m still wrestling with that piece of information because beginning with wetter hair will add quite a bit of time to the entire hair-drying process. Here are other stand out tidbits of information she reported:
- Towel dry hair only slightly – rubbing hair with a terry cloth towel causes friction that results in split ends, frizzy dryness and general damage. Instead, wrap towel or a cotton t-shirt around hair and squeeze the moisture out of the hair, just to stop the dripping. Let hair air-dry as long as possible.
- Separate hair into 4 – 6 sections. Large sections of hair will take longer to dry. Sectioning hair prevents over-drying and will shorten the drying process.
- Start drying the lower sections first. Make sure you have combed tangles from hair first.
- Start drying at the roots and work your way down. Never put the dryer too close to hair or scalp as you might burn.
- Don’t dry your hair completely – leaving it a little damp prevents your hair from drying out. Leave it damp enough so it will dry naturally in 5 – 10 minutes. This also helps shorten the drying process.
- Finish with a blast of cool air to lock in shine and any styling.
- In a perfect world, you would blow dry your hair only three times a week.
- The lecturer recommended Moroccan Oil. Put a small drop in the middle of your palm and rub hands together to get it warm. Starting underneath your hair at the back of your neck, work it up to the top of your forehead and come down on the surface. Moroccan Oil adds shine, reduces frizziness and sets the hair. $44.00.
If you always blow-dry your hair, make sure you have regular haircuts to keep split ends under control. You might also consider using a hair mask once a week to replace moisture, or at least use a good shampoo and conditioner to make up for moisture loss.
