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Launch Editor ZOE FOSTER

How embarrassing. We were all blow-drying our hair wrong!

Fri, 3 September 2010 12:23PM

And when I say “we” I obviously mean “me”. But it sounds less like I am a complete dingus if I make it sound universal. And, you know, there is actually a pretty good chance you were making this error too, considering I am a Total Expert and I was doing it wrong. And when I say “Total Expert” I obviously mean “fraud.”

Anyway! On to the advice that will change the way you blow dry and style your hair starting from the next time you wash it:

Hair doesn’t style until it is 80% dry, so there is absolutely NO POINT using a brush on it until that point.

Oh sure, I mean, you can use a comb on wet hair to distribute your styling prodz through and untangle knots and curls and remove clumps of chewing gum and so on, but I am referring more to that barrel brush (for straightening) or paddle brush (for wrap drying), the brush. BRUSH. That’s why up there I said ‘brush.’ The brush you use to get your hair smooth or nicely wavy or straight or whatever. Forget about it until your hair is 80% dry.

Instead, just use your fingers and tousle the hair as you point your hair dryer on it. Pay attention next time you’re in the salon and see what they do. Good hairdressers will dry off your hair pretty thoroughly before they start running brushes through it. (Bad ones will smoke cigars and kill flies with the butts.)

Bonus Advantage!! You’re going to do far less damage to your hair by keeping the brush away while the hair is wet/damp.
Another Bonus Advantage!! The whole process will be a lot faster. Especially if you spray a heat-protectant blow-dry prod through section by section once it’s 80% dry and you’re finally allowed to start actually ‘styling’ it.

Goodness me I’ve been very tip and product based of late, haven’t I?
I know the reason why too, but I will NEVER TELL.
What a refreshing change from whatever it was I used to do, which must have been terribly dull.

Did you already know this piece of information?
Who told you it? I want their full name and address.

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19 Comments

  • Posted by: Victoria // Fri, 3 September 2010 12:31pm

    Toats already knew this. Love miss Smuggy smug.

  • Posted by: jessica2468 Newbie // Fri, 3 September 2010 12:38pm

    haha yes me too! I always did this anyway, seems to make more sense!

  • Posted by: eskimojo // Fri, 3 September 2010 12:40pm

    Here’s another Smugy Pants – I figured this one out a little while ago after doing it by accident and then noticing that it left much smoother, straighter hair, and THEN noticing that it’s exactly what my hairdresser does.

  • Posted by: akisa // Fri, 3 September 2010 12:55pm

    Having thick hair, I’ve been doing this for years already for practical reasons.. My arm would have fallen off if I used a brush from the word go! And that pic is of my hairdryer too!

  • Posted by: Lou Lou // Fri, 3 September 2010 01:29pm

    I have fuzzy hair and my HD told me to never touch it with my fingers unless it’s either really wet or just about to be dry (maybe 80%?).

    So her tip (for a natural, non-frizzy look) is twirl it a bit with my fingers while 100% wet, then just blowdry only until it’s almost dry, and THEN start poking around in there with my hands…twirling, scrunching, general prodding.

  • Posted by: Kylie Smith // Fri, 3 September 2010 01:30pm

    i noticed my hairdresser doing this, so i just copied.. and hey presto, its much easier!

  • Posted by: tiger Supporter // Fri, 3 September 2010 02:42pm

    I’ve been doing this just because my hair is long and thick. It was less hassle that way. Good to know this is the right way to go :)

  • Posted by: lovestodance Newbie // Fri, 3 September 2010 03:06pm

    Sorry to add to chorus of smugitude but I too knew – my first HD told me – also that using a brush on wet hair stretches and stresses it.

  • Posted by: BeePretty Newbie // Fri, 3 September 2010 03:14pm

    Well I didn’t know, and am very pleased to find out that information. So much less effort. Except I don’t usually make it past 80% dry before getting bored and giving up. Sinful, I know.

  • Posted by: Julie // Fri, 3 September 2010 03:15pm

    I fluke this out of sheert laziness and crappy gym hairdryers taking so long, my post workout guns ache just trying to maintaining brush control!!

    Moroccan Oil my new hair holy grail, also seems to take time out of the process too!! Its magical stuff!

    Wonder how much time of our lives is spent drying our hair- for me its quite a %!!

  • Posted by: ZF // Fri, 3 September 2010 03:32pm

    Not smug, girls, clever!
    Such a clever little bunch of rascals.

  • Posted by: StylingYou Newbie // Fri, 3 September 2010 03:58pm

    Ha, ha … love it. See now I can say that my laziness in achieving a quick do is actully the very right thing to do. Thanks Zoe. Made my week!

  • Posted by: Miss Kate Daily // Fri, 3 September 2010 03:58pm

    I love the way you write Zoe, funny. I don’t blowdry my hair though, I’m a la natural. (Lazy).

  • Posted by: dearestdear // Fri, 3 September 2010 05:12pm

    Oh Zoe, Zoe, Zoe…I really thought you were the guru of styling but then I tried that crappy pinky Loreal lipstick you highly recommended & felt like my grandmother on a bad day; then I tried that Clinique mascara that you just miracuously remove with warm water & your fingers & found I lost half my lashes in the process & now I find the sin of all sins….. I have been blowdrying for a v. long time and never get the same result if I dont section and blow & stretch with the brush from the beginning. I still love you & your advice…but I beg to differ on this one!

  • Posted by: Duffy McD // Sun, 5 September 2010 07:46am

    another view is that you need to stretch hair out when wet ( if you wanting a smoother look ) to manipulate the hydrogen bonds in the hair into a sleeker look , setting them in place . meaning longer lasting . I’m not disagreeing with you though Zoe . It’s just food for thought

  • Posted by: Scarlett // Mon, 6 September 2010 05:59pm

    Zoe, another tip for a sleek blowdry that I noticed my haidresser doing to my hair for ages and I was too lazy to copy. When you pop the ghds over at the end of yr blowdry use a fine sectioning comb and as you run the irons down each section from root to tip pull the comb through layer by layer at the same time, just below the irons. I am telling you my hair is naturally curly and you wouldnt believe the sleek effect. The extra effort is totally worth it!

  • Posted by: Kim // Mon, 6 September 2010 06:27pm

    Phew! I’ve been doing it right, but that’s more through laziness than anything else…!

  • Posted by: Monica Devotee // Tue, 7 September 2010 09:24am

    People, 80% dry is still damp! Its just alot easier to work with than dripping wet hair. I 0 agree on this one Zoe :)

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