Oak+Iris Highlights: Vol. 2- Beautiful, At-Home Blowout
Want to have several good hair days between shampoo sessions? The way you treat your hair on wash day sets the stage for every day after. By taking 20-30 minutes to give yourself a high quality blowout, you will have a much easier time styling on subsequent, non-wash days.
The most common thing I hear in regards to home styling is, “I could never recreate this on myself.” I promise, you can. In this edition of Oak + Iris Highlights, I will give you a thorough tutorial with video instructions to show you how I blowout my own hair. Styling your own hair can feel awkward, especially when working in the mirror. With a little patience and practice, you will be able to style your hair like a pro in no time.
Click this link for full At-Home Blowout video with step by step instructions. I recommend watching the video first, then come back if you need a reminder of what to do at each step: Blowout Tutorial Video
Below, you will find the step-by-step instructions from the video, and links to amazing, professional products. This will give you all the information you need to be able to achieve this look. If you choose to shop from the links below (not available for shipping in all states), you can choose from an assortment of amazing products. As a side note, if you use a blow dry brush, you can apply the same steps to your blow dry routine.
After applying and rinsing shampoo and conditioner, thoroughly towel dry your hair.
Apply light weight heat protectant or detangler spray throughout the hair.
Use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to gently comb out any tangles. Start toward the ends and work upwards.
Pro tip: Hair is much more fragile when it is wet. DO NOT aggressively pull tough knots. If it hurts your head or creates tension, stop what you’re doing. Carefully work through larger tangles from the bottom, applying extra detangler spray directly to that area if necessary.
Once you have removed all the tangles, you can apply treatments and styling aids. Apply moisturizers, oils, or repair products first. Run these products thoroughly over the ends, then use what is left on your hands to treat shorter pieces, such as the bang area. Then, apply styling aids, such as volumizers to the suggested area- i.e. volume products at the root area, smoothing products toward the ends. Where and how you apply your styling aids will depend on your desired end result.
Once you’ve applied necessary products, it’s time to start drying.
use the fine teeth of a comb to smooth out hard-to-tame areas, such as cowlicks or hairline curls. Comb the section of hair in all directions, using the shape of your head to create a natural hair flow.
After shaping the front pieces, it’s time to rough dry. For body and volume, use your hand and push the hair up and away from its natural falling position to create lift. For smoothness, use a paddle brush and direct the hair in a downward motion, or follow the shape of your head. Because hair is more fragile when wet, I prefer to get the hair mostly dry before using excess tension or manipulating with a round or blow dry brush .
Before using a round or blow dry brush, after rough drying, I like to add a small amount of oil or moisture cream to my ends. This gives extra shine while adding another layer of heat protection. Similar to towel-dried hair, once you’ve distributed the product through your ends, use any excess on your hands to apply to the bang area or shorter layers.
Use sectioning clips to divide hair into sections to make round brushing easier.
separate the top section, around the parietal ridge, and clip it away.
starting at the parietal ridge, just behind the ears, work your fingers diagonally down and away from the ears, separating the center back area from the nape section.
Now, round brush.
at the front section, next to the hairline, in front of the ear, bring the brush underneath the hair. Get as close to the the scalp as possible, and turn your wrist up and away to create tension. Hold the brush vertically, in a repeated rolling motion until that hair is dry. Dry root area completely before moving on the the ends. It’s ok if you drop the section while you’re working on it. Use the brush to pick it up again, and keep going.
Once the section is dry, hit the cool shot button on the dryer. Allow a moment for the air flow to cool, then aim it back at the hair. Using cool air sets the shape and adds shine. Roll brush away from the face one time, and gently pull down and away, following the brush with the cool air. Smooth the shape with your fingers. Switch back to the hot temperature setting and repeat on other side.
Pro tip: practice using the round or blow dry brush in the same hand as the side of the head you are working on. It may feel awkward at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. This keeps your body in a more natural position, preventing your arms and shoulders from burning out too quickly.
Move on to nape section. Divide the nape area in half and repeat the same steps as the front hairline. Keep your elbows down and pull the sections out to the side with the round brush. This will create body and movement, and, again, save your arms and shoulders from burning out.
Once the nape is totally dry and cooled, drop the center back section. Continue pulling the hair out and away, but now also roll the brush slightly upward to create volume. The center back section will be more dense than the nape section. If splitting in half feels like too much, you can always break it down to three sections.
The top section requires a slightly different technique. To create maximum volume, take sections parallel to your face. Place the round brush directly behind the section, then, roll the brush slightly forward, toward the face. Pull hair from both sides of your part, and roll the brush vertically. Once the roots and ends are completely dry, cool and set the section. Instead of rolling away from the face, however, for the top section, roll the brush down and forward, draping the hair over one side, letting it lay opposite its natural falling position to create lasting volume. Repeat through whole top and crown of head.
once you feel like you’ve dried the whole top and crown, gently pat the center back section to make sure all the hair has been dried completely. Having any dampness in the hair can cause those sections to lose shape prematurely.
Before flipping the top section back into it’s natural falling position, give a quick spray with a flexible hold finishing spray. I love Kevin Murphy Session Spray Flex!
Flip hair back into natural falling position, and gently shape it with your hands or a paddle brush. You may add another tiny bit of oil or moisture cream and/or finishing spray.
This may sound like a lot of work, but I promise, once you get the hang of it, giving yourself a gorgeous blowout is a breeze.
Thank you for visiting my page. If you choose to shop the links above, all purchases directly support Oak + Iris, giving us the ability to invest in products and education to give you the best experience on the blog, and in the chair.
Want another tutorial? Let me know what you’d like to see! Contact heather@oakandiris.com with content requests or questions!
Come back soon for my next post!
