The main reason why I took the blog in this direction back in 2011 was because I learned very quickly that I could help more people than just my clients with basic video hair tutorials. With the explosion of Pinterest, and the right timing, my video tutorials gained popularity really fast and I was given the opportunity to create helpful resources for women all over the world.
Coolest. Opportunity. In. The. World. By the way.
In the years since the hair tutorial heyday, my content has evolved and changed, but my love for teaching/helping hasn’t gone away! And a recent revelation while getting ready at my gym inspired me to create a new tutorial to correct some common hair issues that I keep seeing.
Since becoming pregnant, I stopped doing bootcamp and joined a more traditional gym with showers so I could get ready immediately after working out. After a few weeks, I couldn’t help but notice that the blow dry methods of the women around me were wasting time, were ineffective, and were not giving them the results I’m sure they were hoping for.
I desperately wanted to lean over and just offer advice right then and there, but I held my tongue and took mental notes instead. So this video is rounding up all the things I’ve seen women do to their hair with a blow dryer that may not be ideal.
The video is not going to demonstrate how to do a salon quality blow out with a round brush, but instead I’m going to share a few minor changes and tips to simply blowing your hair out with a vented flat brush. I didn’t want the styling technique to take away from the drying, so I’ve kept it very very simple!
I styled my hair with Oribe Foundation Mist, Shu Uemura Ultimate Remedy Extreme Restoration Duo Serum, and Aquage Uplifting Foam. After blowing dry, I smoothed through the ends with the GHD classic flat iron and finished with a bit of Oribe Dry Texture Spray and Kenra Volume 25 hairspray.
p.s. the prettiest blush watch for spring, and an equally pretty blush handbag!
comments
I hardly ever blow dry my hair (air dry all the way!) so I’m a bit of a newbie when it comes to times that I do need that hairdryer. These are really helpful tips. Thank you! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I have naturally curly/wavy hair and don’t want smooth straight hair after I blow dry. What different tips and tricks would you suggest.
Check out naturallycurly.com for product and method tips for wavy/curly hair. Not all curly girls use a blow dryer but my curls are better when I use one and I only dry with the diffusor attached.
Thank you for the video! I definitely have been making some blow dry mistakes. I have naturally curly hair, but I blow out my hair once in a while. Would love to see a round brush video!
Great tips! I see you didn’t section it off, would you suggest that for thicker hair or is it an unnecessary step?
I was wondering the same thing. I usually section off my Hair to make sure each section is perfectly dry & the under parts don’t have a weird kink to them.
Same question as above. I have super thick wavy hair so I normally have three sections when drying.
Haha! Some of your comments about applying product made me laugh out loud. Thanks for the helpful video!
I have extremely thick hair with only low and high on my dryer. And its baby bliss, not a cheap dryer. Do you recommend using the low setting? That might take all day I fear.
My old dryer was the same way. I would use a little extra heat protectant, and then use high at my roots to around mid-shaft, and then I’d switch to low to dry the ends. Maybe that would work for you to have shorter dry time, without doing a lot of damage.
Great tips !!!! And love the video !!!
Great video! I try to limit blow drying to 2-3 days a week max! It’s made such a difference in the health of my hair and minimized breakage 🙂
Very helpful tutorial! I noticed you did not use the attachment nozzle. When/how would that be used?
Yes! The nozzle question! I’m always overwhelmed by all the attachments that come with the blow dryer and never know which ones to use or when! Thanks for a great video
Thanks for making the video! I’ve been doing pretty much everything you’ve done, but I wanted to say that I’m jealous of your hair! 🙂 I have a very strong collick in the front of my hair and my part only goes one way. I wish I could toss it to either side like yours. I also have a bunch of collicks throughout my hair (it has waves and flips), and any stylist who has cut my hair through the years comments on it and how they have never seen hair like mine, and they really don’t know how to work with it. It’s also thick, flat, and coarse and is frustrating for me to work with. Thanks again! PS Congratulations on baby #3! 🙂
I feel ya with the cowlicks. I have one right up front that makes bangs out of the question. It is sort of easy as a natural part, but it doesn’t take much to make it “swoosh” in a way I don’t want. 🙄
I love this video! You definitely channeled your inner Ali Andreea!
Guess people stress about different things at the gym! Great tips, thanks!
I noticed that you don’t use a nozzle on your blow dryer. Is that ok to do or does it depend on the brand of blow dryer?
Kate, have you ever tried the w8less hairdryer from Rusk?
That was the most informative video on hair I have ever watched, and entertaining to boot! Thank you! You have inspired me as a mom of two myself to work on my hair. I’ll definitely be using your tips as soon as this morning. Have a great day!
Really good to know. I guess I’ve never been shown the correct way to dry my hair. I will apply these techniques.
Thank you.
Hi Kate! I love the cut and style of your hair! Any suggestions on what I can tell my hair stylist to get a cut like yours? I have such hair envy! Great tutorial, as always! Thanks for that one!
How do you combat static during these dry winter months?
Love the video and the tips for extra volume! What lip color are you wearing in the video?
I’ve been wanting to try Aquage Uplifting Foam – can you apply it in the morning on air-dried hair or hair that was blow dried the night before, or is it best applied to damp hair before blow drying?
I would also love to know the answer to this/these question(s) as well. Additionally, can you tell me what brush you were using?
Not only did your video include great tips but your humor had me cracking up!! LOL!
Thank you!!! What type of hair dryer do you use? Love these types of tutorials!!!
LOVE this! I’m the laziest person when it comes to blow drying my hair, so this is much appreciated!
Kim
http://trendkeeper.me .. shades of grey
What products or techniques will help prevent static?
Yes! I’d love to know this too!
This is def not a professional method, but I smooth a dryer sheet over my hair if it’s super frizzy or if I’ve been wearing a hat! Works wonders 🙂
I do the same thing! It works really well. 🙂
I don’t know if this is a good thing but I spritz a little Downey Wrinkle release with the static guard stuff in it. Works well. I use the sample size from the Walmart travel bin. Lol.
I found this video to be so helpful, Kate!
This is so helpful! I started using the Aquage Uplifting Foam over the summer and never got the results you did…looking forward to trying these tips!!
Hi Kate,
Thank you so much for posting this! I’ve been struggling on how to blow dry my hair properly. I just tried your tips and hallelujah! My hair is full of volume and helped cut down my straightening time. I still need to master the bangs trick, but they are uncooperative since I’m growing them out. I’ll keep at it! Thanks again!
Best,
Claire
What would you recommend for the small pieces of new hair growth? It doesn’t seem to matter what I do… along my part I get small pieces of hair sticking up all over. HELP!!!
I have the exact same issue!
These were some awesome tips!! I’ve been thinking about investing in a new hair dryer because I already utilize most of these habits and still feel like I get a big frizzy fluff ball. Is it really worth it to invest in a high end blow dryer?
My hair is so thick that if I waited for it to be 60% dry before using the blow dryer, I would be waiting for hours. What do you suggest?
Thank you, Kate, for a great tutorial. I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your advice for those of us with wavy/curly (and frizz-prone) hair! I want to embrace my natural texture, not fight with it. Products, tutorials, best cuts/styles – it would all be much appreciated! Thanks!
How many days do you get from a blow dry? When using product, does it make your hair oily more quickly?
Usually 2. Sometimes product can lead to hair getting more oily, but not necessarily!
Thanks! I want all that effort to be worth it! Ha!
Thanks! I’m sufficiently inexperienced here, that half of this was news to me. I’m looking forward to better results tomorrow 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this! I actually love just having helpful hints (like the post you shared earlier about how to keep your hair healthier in the shower). They’re so PRACTICAL….and I love that!
thespiritsong.wordpress.com
What are your thoughts on doing this blow dry technique at night and then sleeping on it? I always wash my hair and blow dry at night then just curl in the morning!
My stylist told me using a brush to blow dry will make it harder for the hair to hold curl. Since you blew it straight. Is that true? Thanks Kate!
I am very inexperienced when it comes to styling hair. I recently purchased a curling iron to attempt the beach waves tutorial you shared. Ever since I tried to style my hair I seem to have a permanent wave in the front close to the root. It stays despite washing and styling it. Any ideas what this is or how to correct it?!
Is there anything you would change or recommend for thick hair? My hair is pretty thick and takes a LONG time to dry.
Love the tip about the bang area I will have to try that for sure!
Kate, This video is so informative and fun to watch, as well! Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us!
Where has this tutorial been all this time?!?! So very helpful!!! I love your hair tutorials! (And kinda miss the old days when you first started doing them!). Quick question about the aquage foam… I often wash and dry my hair at night then style the next morning if I have a really early schedule. Could the foam be used the night before or would it make my hair greasy after I sleep on it?
I find that my oily hair looks less greasy when I use the aquage at night and dry my hair, than when I don’t use any product at all.
I’m so glad i found you on Pinterest 6 years ago!! I love reading your posts and watching your tutorials! You are my go-to girl!! Thanks Kate!!
I have incredibly thick hair, so normally once I get the the “blow drying with a brush” stage I pull 2/3 of it on top of my head and dry/straighten the underneath. It seems like if I don’t do this, I never really get the very underneath of my hair dry. Is this a mistake?
I really enjoyed the video. Finally going to order the Aquage Root Lift! I’m doing pretty good with drying, until I have to hold both a brush & the hair dryer. Ordering a new brush, too. Your videos make doing hair fun & I don’t dread styling, as much, any more. You are my HG hair YouTuber.
These are great! I especially loved the face softening trick at the end, I’ll have to do that the next time I dry my hair! Thank you! xAllie http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com
Great demo! Root lifters always make my scalp itch, so I am scared to try new ones. Would you say this root lifter could be usednon a sensitive scalp?
WOW! What a difference these tips made. Kate thanks so much for these tips. I did my hair this morning and was pleasantly surprised on how smooth it turned out. Thanks for helping a girl out!!
I discovered I wasn’t making any drastic mistakes! 🙂 But I did try your tip to dry my hair parted on the opposite side of how I wear it, and to blow dry my “bangs” straight down to get a nice swoop… two super easy things to do that don’t any time to my routine, but made a significant difference in my finished style! Thanks!
Thank you so much for the great tips!
I decided to try the medium heat setting, I’ve always done the highest heat setting when drying. I couldn’t believe the results! It didn’t take that much extra time and I had less frizz and my hair actually felt softer and smoother. No more high heat setting for me. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!
Thanks for your tips all you videos are very informative Keep them coming I enjoy learning 😊
Loved the video except for the end. The part I REALLY wanted to see. It was sped up so fast, I couldn’t tell what you did. Lol. I am a Novice when it comes to my hair.
LOVE Aquage, too!
I see a lot of comments with questions about thick, wavy hair and I’m in that camp as well! Looking forward to hearing your response to those questions!! 😁
Where do I purchase aquage products???
You can find them at Ulta!
Kate, I purchased some Aquage foam recently and it appears they have changed their formula. It smells quite different. Have you bought any recently/had any issues?
I have not experienced that!
Kate, wanted to let you know I dried my hair this morning following all of the tips in your video. My hair is quite wavy so I normally pin it up and dry it in sections, laboriously going over each section with a round and/or paddle brush. Today I did exactly what you suggested. I also did flip my hair over to dry the roots for a minute. The whole process took about half the time it normally takes to blow dry, and although my hair was a bit bushy when it was dry, a few passes with a flat iron easily took care of that. I think you’re right, the most important thing is to really work in those styling products. Anyway, thank you for showing me a much easier, faster way to dry my hair!!
Love , Love, Love this video! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate these “things I should have learned in middle school” topics! I grew up a tomboy with a tomboy Mother (who is an amazing person), but I never had an interest or a resource to teach me the basics then.
Now at 28, this content is priceless!
Hi Kate! I’ve been following your blog for years and Love it! My question may be dumb but when would you recommend using a concentrator attachment (I think thats what it’s called) and what is it’s purpose really? I’ve never used one, but have thought about trying it out. Thank you!
1) I love all your hair tutorials!!!!! They are always SO helpful.
2) You’re so fun to watch!
Keep up the great work!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video! I am lazy when it comes to my hair, and also not very talented at styling. I would either just blow the dryer around a bit, and let my hair dry, or else try a blow-out with a round brush. Either way I always faded when it came to the back, and did nothing with it! But now I have turned the heat down, let it dry mostly before even putting the dryer to it, and am very careful to keep the dryer pointed towards the floor! I have noticed such a difference! I am also trying to get out of the habit of always tucking the hair behind my ears – which always left a weird dent in the hair. I’m not a huge fan of hair in my face, but I’m trying!
Great tips – but it would be helpful to see one for curly haired girls too! Some parts of the video I literally cringed (like full on face contortion) bc there was no way I could blow dry my hair that way and still get a brush through it afterward!!! Love you though and thanks for the tips!
So many compliments after following your tips !! Thank you
Love this video! Thank you!. I never know what to do and I am totally the woman who puts all of her product on the top layer of hair in the front! Lol
oh my word! this just changed my life! i am always so frustrated trying to dry my hair & just want to chop it all off most days…and wouldn’t you know i was doing wayyyy too many of these mistakes haha! i felt empowered to dry my hair this morning for the first time ever & couldn’t believe how much i actually liked my hair after just drying it! thank you so much!!
Your hair is seriously flawless !!! I’ve definitely been using my blow dryer a lot more to style my hair, rather than doing a rough dry then using a curler etc… Can’t wait to watch your video for some tips and tricks ;)! xo Lauren Will from http://www.LaurensLipGlossary.com
I was doing some of these things already, but not all of them… and since watching your video and changing up a couple things, I have been getting lots of hair compliments! Thank you!
Great info! Thanks so much!
Depending on your hair type blow drying it is pretty important.
I love your earrings in this video! 😉
Hi! I loved this tutorial! Do you have any suggestions for post-partum hair loss? My son is now 1 year old and I still don’t feel like my hair is back to normal.
I really enjoyed this tutorial. You are so cute and funny! I was happy to see that for the most part, I am blow drying my hair correctly. Yay! I really like your tip at the end about blow drying your bangs in front of your face. I love how your hair sweeps over your forehead like that and now hopefully I can do it too. I’m really glad that I found your blog and I will definitely be coming back for more tips and to learn different ways to braid or pull my hair up. I also wanted to say that I love the design of your blog. You have used really soothing colors and the simplicity is really effective.
How do you like the Oribe products?
I like them a lot!
Great, I will have to give them a try. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Kate!
Any ideas for hairstyles for shoulder length hair? I am 55, a grandma of 5 and am in a big rut as far as hairstyles go!
This is great, thank you for sharing! Question: I have such baby fine hair, that when I blow dry upside down, or over to one side, then the other, I lose my part/direction forever, and it all just stands straight up.
(even my hair dresser does it!)
Or, then, if I do it less, it just falls limp.
Any tips??
I want your amazing, thick hair 😉
I finally watched this video last night and I couldn’t stop laughing! Having a hair stylist for a grandma and sister ensured that I absolutely know how to correctly blow dry my hair and I cringe when I see people doing it incorrectly at the gym or in movies for that matter. 🙂
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I liked the blow dry tips you eventually gave, but I wasn’t impressed with the condescending way you discussed things some may be doing that are “wrong”
I wasn’t being condescending, I’m sorry you interpreted my sense of humor that way.
You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the paintings you write.
The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to
mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
great tips, but I noticed a big mistake– Always… ALWAYS use a nozzle! So many people fry their hair because they let those hot coils touch the hair… in the video I see your doing a pretty good job at keeping the heating coils at a distance, but most women wont. https://tomybsalon.com/
Is the hairdryer in this video your favorite? I’m in the market for a new one but want to make sure I purchase a good one!
I needed this! Thank you!
Would love to know what brush you are using!
So glad we discovered your blog! This is super helpful. I’m always a little hesitant to add multiple products into my fine hair but I’m going to try your technique. We are all about these simple tips!
Kristin
a.dose.of
http://www.adoseofblog.com
Wow, these are some really helpful tips for someone who use Blow dryers every day! thanks again..
Super helpful tips! Favorite hair dryer? I’m planning to get my mom a new one for Mothers Day and am willing to splurge. I’m just so overwhelmed what to look for!
It’s impressive that you are getting ideas from this post as well as from our discussion made at this time.
This is so helpful! One question-I’ve always applied a detangler/heat protector (like It’s a 10 or Beauty Protector), then used a pick to comb through my hair before blow drying. Do you just towel dry your hair, then start blow drying? I’m wondering if the pick is causing my hair to break more.
Well written!!! I like the way you’ve explained some common blow dry mistakes we all may do and how to fix them in your post. In an effort to drying our hair faster, we could be totally frying our strands without. There are lots of products available in the market and various salons, who are offer hair wash and blow dry services. Thanks for sharing this information with us. Keep updated!
You are so damn cute! Congrats on the beautiful baby!
Does this process work with fine hair, too? Too much product scares me. I have a little kink and frizz to my hair but my hairdresser says i have a lot just super fine like a cotton ball 🙂
p.s. I shared your website with all my Besties! Keep sharing 🙂
Seriously one of my favorite videos you’ve ever made! Great tips!
great! Thanks!!
It may seem like an easy task: grab a blow-dryer, point, and blast with heat. But there is a mastery behind it.
what brand and color eyebrow pencil are you using in this video – looks great on you – I love it! (and love the video..have watched it several times – so incredibly helpful!)
Thank you for your tips. I normally air dry my hair but when I do use a dryer I am using it on full heat. I have thick hair so I am generally bored with it before it is dry. Will try your techniques.
Thanks for sharing helpful information.
Awesome tips, thanks!
I have a question about products. I blowdry my hair with the technique you decribe above and it looks great….for an hour or so.
At that point, it seems to get…bigger? Or somehow lose it’s smoothness. If it’s humid, I can have trouble fitting through doors it starts to get so big. It will continue to get bigger until Day 3 post shampoo and then it finally settles to smooth again.
I know I have super dry hair always slather on the moisturizing masks and conditioners.
I style with things like Kenra Platinium daily defense oil, Oribe Royal Blowout Spray, Bumble and Bumble Straight, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5 in 1. Generally products that have some slip, heat protection and promote smoothing. Is finishing with hairspray the step I’m missing?
I am very anti feeling like there’s anything in my hair, but I cannot stand looking like a pouffy mess.
Help?
Thank you for that demo. I wonder if you would think of doing a demo on short hair that’s neither curly or wavy but both! And thick as well!
Hello! Lovely video and very helpful but the reason I wanted to watch it is to understand the bangs swoop but it was so fast, I did not understand how to do it. Can you email me or post HOW you dried the hair for bangs sweep?
i would like to thank you for sharing informative blog.
Watched the video and found it to be very informative. My hair is a little shorter than yours but I in retrospect I maybe wasn’t sing enough of the products in my hair, so will be giving that a try. Wanted to thank you and hope to see more.
Could you please inform where can I get that brush you’re using in the video?
Thank you
Lost me after the flat iron. Do you brush your hair after applying the dry texture spray, how did you apply it, and can you use a liguid texture product? When did you brush your hair during this finishing process? And how do you refresh your style during the day. I live in Texas and it gets quite windy.
Thank you so much for the blow dry info! I diffenatly learned some things. My question is, the back of my hair. I feel like a 2 year old trying to make the dryer and the brush work together. And I don’t want to brush and blow straight down. You may have already cover this, in which case just direct me to the video that explains this. Thank you! From all us ladies who needed help on tips to blow dry!
Hi , I really like your blog . I don t usually go on you tube but I found it really helpful so I subscribed . Can I ask you the names of the products you are using during the blow drying tutorial and also I absolutely love the lamps in brass behind you , I m so sorry to ask, can I ask you where you bought them from . I so sorry to ask . Thank you.
Sophie
I love your eyebrows. I’m blind like you and most blind pencils are too brown. Are yours natural or sa powder/pencil?
What kind of brush are you using?
I love your blogs on fixing hair. I never knew how to blow dry or use a flat iron or even Bobby pins before watching your blogs. I’m 63 and at Thanksgiving dinner yesterday my girls couldn’t believe how much better my hair looked. I told them they should have taught me how to use flat irons and blow dryers.
GREAT video. Hadn’t heard of a root product, so that’s on my list now. And please ignore the rude folks commenting on YouTube–they obviously don’t get your humor and don’t realize that, in fact, you ARE an expert (former hair stylist). They can just move on to their next negative, uninformed comment!! Keep up the great work!
If I find I’m getting little wispys at the ends of my hair after blow drying what do you recommend?
Informative and very well illustrated with fervor. Great tips. Tops!
I bought the Kenra hairspray and like it except the nozzle gets clogged quite frequently. Does yours do that?
Hi Kate,
Thank you for your video, really enjoyed two of them today. Blow drying mistakes and texturizing you a great job of covering everything, makes it so easy to follow.
Thank You
I run into the problem with my hair being SUPER tangled if I brush it, wet, damp or dry. I use conditioner and I even use a “detangling spray” but my head just aches if I brush it. Any tips for that? 🙁
Try using a “Wet brush”, start at the bottom and work your way up!
Hi Kate,
Do you have a video on tips for dry shampoo? I’m just getting into using dry shampoo and would love any advice you have to offer. I love watching your YouTube videos.
I would love to see that too!
Thank you for sharing!
Really appreciate your YouTube videos and blog, just found them! Great tips, I’m 50 and still learning about beauty…
I love my hair, but when I apply product, sooner or later in the day, it looks oily!
What products do you suggest please…
I’m high-lighted blonde.
I come back to this video time and time again! I recently started using the aquage uplifting foam and noticed it made my hair sticky. I section my hair the way I see in the video and run it through my hair. Any suggestions?
Stickiness may mean that you are using too much, try using less!
HI, what brand of blow dryer is it that you use? I tried to go to the links for the products but they say they aren’t available any more and don’t say what the brand or name is. Love this video, very helpful.
I just discovered your blog, subscribe on youtube. Your videos are great! I was previously drying hair with round brush, painful and much hair in brush. I tried your suggestions in this video and in the layering video and saw a major difference in my hair. Thank you and looking forward to more of your helpful videos.
While I appreciate your tips for blowdrying long hair …I would like to have some ideas for blowdying short hair as well ? Thank you Happy New Year 2020
Where can I find the brush with holes on each side?
Hi the hair dryer is no longer available thru Ulta. Could you tell me the brand please.
Awesome. I’ve been doing most everything the opposite of right! You are REAL!
You don’t brush the product through your hair before you blower dry it? Thank you for this tutorial!
I have worked as a manager of salons for almost a decade and these tips are SO HELPFUL!!!
Hi! Helpful tips as always! Unnoticed you didn’t use a concentrator end. Are they a good idea or no? I have thick/coarse hair.
Thanks!
I now have grey hair and my hairdresser always tells me NEVER to use a flat iron or curling iron. Is she right. She says I will burn and break my hair.