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The Power of a Good Blowout
Until recently, getting a haircut was solely out of necessity: split ends, overgrown layers, and shaggy looking curls. I used basic, cheap hair products and never used a heat protectant when styling my hair. Pretty much, taking care of my hair meant I would have to wake up earlier and put forth any kind of effort.
In the past 2-3 years, my hair has undergone slight changes (thanks, hormones...) and there's more of a need to take care of it. I have found ways to maintain well-kept hair while still remaining relatively lazy. Using a leave-in conditioner once or twice a week helps restore silkiness and smoothness. I found a heat protectant that doesn't make my hair oily. Previously, I had used Rusk Thermal Serum and it made my hair oily and greasy looking within one day. I still can't justify spending a ton on shampoo and conditioner, but I have upgraded a little. Simple changes that have made a huge impact.
Invest in Your Hair. It's the Crown You Never Take Off.
Having natural curls and wildly versatile hair (#blessed) means I can get away with going a few months between coloring and cuts. Without bragging, my hair will hold a style for days, curl, straighten, and do just about anything as long as I don't mess around with it too much. My hair holds color for months at a time without fading too much or without the toner fading. The curls add natural body and volume for days.
Long story short, I have close-to-perfect hair for a long-lasting blowout.
My wonderful sister-in-law, Rachel, owns a hair salon. This makes it incredibly easy to get cuts, color, or trims. And she's partially to thank for me caring about my appearance a little bit more than before (you're welcome, World). Now, I look forward to getting my hair cut. Nothing beats a good head massage while I'm getting shampooed. But my favorite part of the whole experience is the blowout.
At New York City salons, blowouts can cost anywhere between $45-$100 depending on the stylist and length of your hair. A blowout is the process of drying your hair with a rounded brush and hair dryer. Round, thistle brushes are best for making your hair silky smooth. In theory, blowouts don't require a flat iron or curling iron. But most importantly, blowouts are built to last.
I put that theory to the test. On a Tuesday morning, I went to the salon for a trim and shape-up for my unruly layers. The fresh cut was a perfect canvas for my blowout. After a good shampoo, trim, and minimal product (the less product, the longer it lasts), Rachel dried my hair on high heat until it was about 70% dry. Then, using a rounded brush, she dried small sections, curling it under. Because my hair is so thick, she did touch it up with a flat iron after it was dried. But the result was amazing. Smooth, voluptuous hair with an simple rounded curl on the ends. It took every ounce of my being not to run my fingers through it all day.
I slept with my hair in a loose ponytail to keep it from getting all tangled and ratty. Each morning, I would flip my hair upside down and comb it with a wide tooth comb. This fluffed up the volume and kept the roots from getting matted down. On Day 3, I livened up my roots with a splash of dry shampoo (which might be cheating). But other than that, it was in great shape for 6 DAYS. In fact, the only thing that happened was that my hair got a little more volume due to the humidity. But it didn't get greasy, flat, or wavy for 6 DAYS.
People will stare. Make it worth their while. - Harry Winston
Getting a trim and a blowout always makes me feel amazing. There's something about having a good hair day that makes everything seem a little nicer. I walk out of the salon with a whole new respect for my hair and always in a good mood. A haircut has the ability to raise confidence and make any woman feel like they can conquer the day. That's the power of a good blowout.
I got a million compliments from people at work (i.e., "I love your new hair!", "Your hair looks so good", etc.). And all I got was a simple trim... and an amazing blowout.
Yes. It's true, a blowout can be done at home, but it's nowhere close to being the same level of perfection and quality of that at a salon. It's hard to get the correct angle, hair-dryer heat, and brush balance. So where you can find Pinterest instructions on "How to Master the Bombshell Blowout At Home," it's worth every penny to go to a salon.