The most common blow drying mistakes and how to fix them

Blow drying your own hair can seem like a chore at times. We can’t all just go to the hair salon every time you wash our hair and have someone else do it for us, even if that is what we fantasize about. If your wrists are getting tired and your hair is a mess, read on for the most common blow drying mistakes and what to do about them.

1. You are starting with hair that is too wet.

Use a towel to dry your hair as much as possible manually. Then wait 10 to 15 minutes before starting to blow dry your hair. You actually want to minimize the amount of time that your hair is exposed to heat, because this will reduce the likelihood of hair damage. Hair that is dripping wet is also more likely to develop frizz while you try drying it. Hair should actually be already two thirds dry before you even reach for the hairdryer.

2. Your dryer is too hot.

If you are in a rush to blowdry your hair, you may be tempted to put your dryer on the highest setting. Instead, you should almost always just use the lowest temperature possible. You rarely actually need to use the higher settings, and using excessive heat will just trigger frizz and split ends.

3. You aren’t using heat protectant.

A heat protectant not only prevents damage from high temperatures, but it also helps you use heated hairstyling tools more effectively. You may think that you’re hair is perfectly healthy and in the vulnerable to heat, but don’t ever skip this step. You are just asking for trouble or worse taking this shortcut.

4. Your grip on your brush is incorrect.

Naturally, you probably want to hold your heavier hairdryer with you stronger dominant hand while holding your brush with your weaker hand. The problem is that you need more fine motor control with your brush hand. Practice holding the heavier hairdryer in your weaker hand while controlling the brush with your stronger hand.

5. Your brush is made of the wrong material.

Some materials like metal conduct heat too efficiently and will damage your hair. Metal will get too hot, so instead use boar bristles or similar materials to avoid getting too hot, especially if you use heated tools.

6. You are not using hair clips to section your hair.

You should use hairclips to group little clumps of your hair together in rings around your head. Blowdry one section at a time. This will prevent frizz or unevenly dried hair. Don’t dry your hair while bent over. You’ll just give yourself a headache and poor looking hair.

7. You are moving from section to section too quickly.

You need to wait for each section of hair to cool and set in the shape that you want. Use your hand or the brush to keep the shape of the hair section intact. This will give your hair a better chance to hold a style with more body and movement.

8. Don’t pull your hair straight down.

In may seem most natural to brush your hair downward while blowing it dry. However, this will give you a flat, boring hairstyle. Use your brush to extend your hair out away from you while drying the base of the hair. Your hair should fall naturally once your brush reaches the end of your hair.

9. You do not dry your hair to completion.

Your hair may look dry, but if it still feels cold and clammy, there is still some moisture that you need to dry. Spend more time blowdrying and make sure that every section of care sufficiently dry. Otherwise your hair will get frizzy right after you stop drying it.

Further reading

Want to improve your hair drying with better tools? Why not consider a hooded hair dryer for a professional approach? Very small hair dryers make sure you can always pack one on the go, whether at the gym or in a hotel. If you want to use a hair dryer late at night or early in the morning, consider investing in an ultra-quiet model that won’t wake anyone up.