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Launch Editor ZOE FOSTER

You might want to change the way you blow dry your hair straight.

Thu, 29 April 2010 2:56PM

Sometimes I learn a little insider hair trick that makes my brain pause for a second, and get its brain pen and brain notepad out and write a little note to itself saying: Blog this trick. This SAME trick happened THREE times to me lately, and I still forgot to blog it, so my brain got its little brain siren out today and blasted its little ass off. And so, the insider hair trick….

Before I tell you the little insider hair trick, allow me to intro you to the hair people I greatly admire who all did it and each taught me a little something about why:

1. Miss CATERINA DIBIASE of Heading Out Hair in Melbourne. Miss DIBIASE is the current Australian Hairdresser of the year and in fact, she is going to cut my hair tomorrow. SICK.

2. Mr. PHIL GALLO of Gallo Hair in Crown St, Darlinghurst. Not only is Phil one of the raddest kids on the block, but terribly successful for his age and knows his shit. Go here if you want a casual, ‘editorial’ updo or style.

3. Mr. HAMISH GLIANOS of People Hairdressing, Crown St, Surry Hills/Macleay St Potts Point (formerly Mahogany). If Mr GLIANOS, like Mr. GALLO, was any hipper, his bum would fall off. Super cool salon; great for tricky stuff like waterwaves or balayage.

Anyway!

The trick concerns blow drying your hair straight. And not destroying it in the process. You see, I noticed each of them were using NOT the traditional barrel-brush we all use at home, but rather one of those styling brushes I never owned or understood when they straightened my hair.

These ones:

And the idea is you slowly run the brush through damp hair from root to tip, back to front, side to side, flipping the hair over to each side of the head and generally just really having a fun time taking your hair in every which direction, almost as though you are gently creating hair turbans, or wrapping the hair over and around the head. You don’t section the hair, you don’t go over each section 567 times as you might with your barrel brush, you just gently dry the hair off all over, without any tangling or pulling or grabbing that barrel-brushes can be prone to doing.

This is a barrel-brush:

Why the Hairy Experts above prefer the ‘wrap’ drying method with the styling brush (so-called because back in The Day, before hair dryers and stuff, women would brush and then wrap the hair around the head before pinning it in places as it dried – which lengthened and straightened out curls and waves) is because you do FAR less damage to the hair and because with the invent of ceramic styling irons, there really is no need to ‘blowdry’ the hair straight, but rather dry it gently, without pulling and tugging excessively, then use a ghd/irons to get it smooth.

So guess who’s hooked? That’s right! I am!

I still use my barrel-brush to straighten the naughty front sections and get rid of cowlicks, but I am finding the gentle drying off (be sure to flip that hair all over the head and dry it in every direction for a thorough dry-off that will last a few days) followed with my ghd looks just as good and is just as straight (straighter, even?) and I don’t feel nearly so guilty making my hair straight. Of course, I always apply a heat-protectant before using ANY brush and heat combo. I’m no dumdum.

A few prodz that will also help keep your hair in good condition:

Dove’s new Daily Conditioner with Treatment – it does the job of a treatment, right, but in regular conditioning form. I have been slotting in in place of conditioner 2-3 times a week and thoroughly enjoying the silky results that follow. (Although, it may be my new techniques above helping too. God, the eternal conundrum of a beauty editor – WHICH PRODZ ARE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE?)

Kérastase Paris Resistance Force Ciment Thermiq – this stuff makes blow-drying incredibly fast, protects the hair and acts as a leave-in conditioner too. I’ve loved it for years. Apply a hazelnut sized amount all over on damp hair before blowdrying.

Moroccan Oil or Orifluido – Both lightweight styling oils that are also awfully nourishing for your hair. Apply a 20c sized piece on damp hair (avoid the roots) before turning the hairdryer on.

Did you know of this technique already to straighten the hair gently?
Do you use a barrel or a styling brush to style wet hair?
Did you know that dumdum just came back into fashion? Just now? When I wrote it?

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15 Comments

  • Posted by: mollie // Thu, 29 April 2010 03:08pm

    Zoe, I have resorted to saying PRODZ instead of products ALL THE TIME now because of you!! I am writing a strategy for a prodz-related brand, and I have to keep spell-checking my doc!
    But rad blog. LOVE Phil Gallo

  • Posted by: akisa // Thu, 29 April 2010 03:14pm

    Sure did! I bought the “wrap” brush before a barrel brush. However with really wavy hair I still find the barrel brush easier to use, and opted for boar bristles to mitigate the damage.

  • Posted by: Jasmin // Thu, 29 April 2010 03:17pm

    I think you’ve just stumbled across the next Primped livestream demo. Could we please have a livestream on this drying/wrapping technique. Is there a brand of this Styling Brush that is best?

  • Posted by: Duffy McD // Thu, 29 April 2010 03:34pm

    I love this trick ! Aveda’s big Paddle brush is amazing for it ! (It also massages the scalp which improves circulation for a healthy scalp )

  • Posted by: Liz // Thu, 29 April 2010 04:38pm

    Zoe, LOVE the Kerastase Ciment Thermique. I have struggled to find anything better! I find it is really nourishing but doesn’t make my hair oily and limp by the end of the day (Or over 3 days…shhhh).

  • Posted by: Rhea // Thu, 29 April 2010 05:15pm

    This brings me back to when I was 14 (about 1994) and this was the method I used to blowdry my hair, before “discovering” barrel brushes! This was of course before the reign of the GHD, which also has also caused a certain deterioration in the health of my hair.
    Might just have to hunt down one of those old school brushes!

  • Posted by: Gem05 Supporter // Thu, 29 April 2010 05:27pm

    I just bought the Kerastase Ciment Thermique a few weeks ago and it’s AMAZING and doesn’t leave your hair feeling like it’s been hairsprayed like most thermal protectants. I can’t believe I didn’t know about it sooner!

  • Posted by: Sarah // Thu, 29 April 2010 06:01pm

    I am so going to book a blow wave at Heading Out Hair next time I am in Melbourne… thanks for the tip!

  • Posted by: Juji // Thu, 29 April 2010 08:22pm

    You just describe three of my favourite blow drying tools! Those rubber based brushes (A’la Denman) are my favourite, as using a barrel brush to blow dry makes my arm ache. Plus Moroccanoil and Ciment Thermique… ahh, my loves. I have turned all the women I work with on to these.

  • Posted by: KerryWalkerNZ Newbie // Fri, 30 April 2010 07:19am

    Hmm, as someone whose idea of a blow dry is flipping her head upside down, shaking and blasting for a couple minutes, this sounds complicated! I can see how it would work for short hair, but what about long hair? I just can’t visualise!

  • Posted by: sushibaby Supporter // Fri, 30 April 2010 09:49am

    Aveda uses this method and their shop at Paddington was giving out “how to” flyers a few months ago. If you google “aveda flat wrap technique” you will find some reasonable step by step instructions with pictures!

  • Posted by: Laura // Wed, 5 May 2010 07:33pm

    Please tell me where I can buy a wrap brush! I have the Aveda paddle brush but it fell apart on me, I don’t know why. Any other suggestions? xox
    P.S. Zo I second the live stream suggestion! :)

  • Posted by: anastasia // Fri, 4 June 2010 12:06pm

    yep – my local hair salon have been using these two brushes for at least 10yrs now…i get weekly blowouts @ $30 – money well spent!!
    its pefect for my hair which is quite frizzy – gets it nice and smooth quick fast!!

  • Posted by: cantdecide Newbie // Sat, 5 June 2010 12:47pm

    I never blowdry my hair with a barrel brush. Not because I’m ahead of everyone on this trick, but because I’m totally unco and can’t gather hair sections then go over them smoothly with the brush in one hand and the dryer in the other. If the wrap drying technique doesn’t rquire too much dexterity, then I’ll be on it like white on rice.

  • Posted by: Bantam Master Fan // Sun, 30 October 2011 08:23pm

    I can never blow dry my hair straight anyway, I just blow dry it roughly and straighten.

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