BYRDIE

Hair

How to Use a Round Brush to Achieve the Blowout of Your Dreams

 

If you've ever felt personally victimized by an at-home blowout attempt, you're in good company. For years, we've tried just about every technique and tutorial to achieve salon-quality results from the comfort of our vanities and failed epically. Instead of brilliant, bouncy body, we're left with tangled strands, sore arms, and a sweaty sheen that rivals any gym workout. And still, we refuse to call it quits. Finally, we called in the big guns and tapped four pro hairstylists for their best tips and tricks to master the at-home blowout (for real this time). Keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial on achieving a salon-quality blowout at home with a round brush.

Meet the Experts

• Monaè Everett is a hairstylist and the founder of the Texture Style Awards.
• Kelly Macedo is a hairstylist and the owner of the Interior Hair in Los Angeles.
• Raven Hurtado is a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.
• Olya Iudina is a hairstylist at IGK NYC in New York.

How to Pick a Round Brush

Not all round brushes were created equal, and not all promise the same results. The material and density of the bristles and the size of the brush are all factors that play into the end result. While vented metal round brushes are suitable for heat reinforcement while styling, according to Macedo, boar bristle brushes are usually firmer and denser and create more tension when pulling the hair, producing more volume and lift. "Boar bristles smooth and add shine and nylon bristles tame flyaways and frizz," explains Chicago-based hairstylist Raven Hurtado, noting that "ceramic barrels heat evenly." Olya Iudina, a hairstylist at IGK NYC is also a fan of ceramic brushes for those with finer strands. "For a fine, thin, straight type of hair that doesn’t usually hold the curl you would want to use ceramic brushes," she adds.

As far as diameter, round brushes follow the same concept as your curling irons: The bigger the diameter of the brush, the bigger the curl. "Use a large one for a classic 90's big-bodied, bouncy blowout and a medium-sized one if the goal is simply to smooth and add a more obvious bend or curl," salon owner Kelly Macedo says. However, Hurtado advises that your choice should take your hair length into consideration, too. "Size comes into play depending on your hair length. Small for short hair, medium for medium to long, and large for long hair," she continues.

If you're a blowout beginner, avoid using too-small brushes, as it tends to be easier to get your hair tangled in the bristles of a smaller brush rather than a larger one.

How to Pick a Blow Dryer

A good round brush is only half of your blowout arsenal. To complete your toolkit, you'll need a blow dryer that's up to the task. "When it comes to choosing a blow dryer, the more powerful it is the better," says Iudina. "I would recommend investing into a good professional blow dryer, the one that is powerful, light, has temperature control, and has a long cord. Because let’s be honest, [the] blowdrying process is not fun so you want to make it as easy and enjoyable as you can!"

Hurtado echoes the importance of adjustable heat settings. "For various textures such as damaged hair, fine or curly, you can use a lower heat setting," she explains. "[Look for] a cool shot button which adds shine and locks style in shape, also if it’s strong and powerful to smooth out hair, and lightweight just like Trademark Beauty Speedy Blo offers. You don’t want a hair dryer that’s heavy, your arms can get tired and might feel sore."

Byrdie Tip

"As for tips, whenever I blow dry my hair at home, I do it while sitting on the chair or on the floor in front of the mirror instead of standing through the whole process, because it saves you so much energy!" says Iudina. "And your arms won’t get tired as fast." 

How to Use a Round Brush to Blow-Dry Your Hair

Start With Clean Hair

According to hairstylist Monaè Everett, how dry your hair should be when you start styling depends on your texture. "For example, if you have pretty straight hair, you can let it air dry, or you can rough dry it with a blow dryer until it's 80 percent dry before you then use a brush to dry and style it," she says. "If you have coily hair, you will want to pull it straight with a brush while it’s soaking wet."

"[Rough drying] helps cut down on styling time and reduces unnecessary heat exposure," adds Iudina. "This technique will work on most hair types, except fine wavy/curly hair, I would recommend skipping the rough dry part as this type of hair will immediately get frizzy and dry, so you’d want to take controlled blowdry immediately."

Apply Heat Protectant and Section the Hair

Every one of the experts we spoke to emphasized the importance of this step. "In order to keep the hair as healthy as possible, you want to use a heat protectant to block it from too much heat as well as to help avoid frizz," says Everett. When it comes to selecting a heat protectant, look for something "that protects the hair up to 450 degrees, minimizes frizz, and is keratin-based," continues Everett. "Your hair is mainly composed of protein, and keratin is a protein that increases protein retention."

After you've applied your heat protectant, you can section your hair. Start by separating it into four parts. "Smaller sections give you more control and a smoother finish," notes Iudina. You'll want to work on one segment at a time, clipping the others up and out of the way.

Start Drying, Working Your Way Down From the Roots

As you start drying, begin with the round brush at the base of your roots, then roll it down to the ends, following the brush with the heat from the blow dryer. "While the way you hold a round brush depends on the section of your head you are working on, a general rule of thumb is to direct the brush away from your face while also holding the blow dryer toward the brush," says Everett.

If you have curtain bangs, which are notoriously easy to style with a round brush, Macedo says, "You'll want to position the brush on top of one of the sides of bangs and over-direct forward towards the face and then quickly move away from the face. This will allow them to fall with volume and enhance the bend that a curtain should have."

Switch Up Your Angles—and Your Settings

"When you reach the top, grab sections and lift up with the round brush to lift the roots for volume," instructs Hurtado. Then, as you reach the ends of your hair, switch up how you angle the brush. Instead of always holding the blow-dryer horizontally, after you’ve lifted the root, flip your brush vertically. Give it an extra twist of the wrist or twirl as you go to add a soft, natural-looking wave at the end. One important thing to note: No matter how you’re moving the brush, always keep the nozzle of the blow-dryer parallel and angled downward so you’re evenly dispersing the heat across the section of hair and not fluffing it up.

The other thing that needs to change consistently throughout the process is the heat setting on your blow dryer. High heat and high air may seem like the best choice, but unless you’re a professional, using only that combination can leave you with a frizzy, tangled mess.

To Speed Up the Process, Slow Down

As contradictory as this might sound, the fastest way to blow-dry your hair with a round brush is to take your time. Wrapping sections that are too large around the round brush won’t save you any time in the end because you’ll most likely have to go back and redo them. The smaller the section, the more evenly you can dry and style the hair and the faster you can move on.

Once you complete a section and while the hair is still wrapped around the brush, turn your heat setting down for a cool blast of air. This will help your hair hold its shape, according to Macedo. Although this might seem like an added, unnecessary step, skip it, and your results may not last as long. Hurtado even doubles down on the technique, adding "once you’ve finished and dried all your sections, give it a minute to cool down and use your favorite spray to lock in the shape."

"To make it last longer you may want to set rollers or pin blow dried sections while they’re hot and let it sit and cool down," says Iudina. "You may also spray it with light texture or hairspray before you take rollers or pins out."

Final Look

And there you have it—a voluminous, bouncy blowout, achieved without setting foot into a salon. To extend the life of that hard-earned blowout, Hurtado suggests wearing a silk bonnet to protect the style while you sleep.

"And simply try not to touch your [hair] too much if you want it to last, things like oils on palm of your hands and fingers affect the style," adds Iudina.