Hair Ideas: 5 Blowout Tips From the Founder of Drybar

It’s not every day you get a lesson in blowouts from Alli Webb, founder of the Drybar blowout bars. Rule number one: If you’ve gotten your blowouts down to 10 minutes, you’re doing something wrong. (Sorry!) Webb gave me the rundown on the other most common styling mistakes—and how to get the ultimate results.

1. Shampoo. The best styling sessions start in the shower. Shampoo thoroughly, because you want your hair to be as clean and oil-free as possible.

2. Choose the right brush. If you’re going for a smooth look, use a large-barrel boar-bristle brush. “The cork handle on Ibiza brushes is really easy to work with, and they’re great at smoothing the hair,” says Webb. For curls or wavy styles, round metal brushes are best. “They heat up and act like a curling iron,” says Webb. While drying, constantly twirl hair back (from the mid-shaft down) using the brush. “The biggest mistake is curling your hair toward the face,” says Webb. Simple reason: It’ll look cheesy.

3. Don’t rush. “You really need to work in small, one-inch sections,” says Webb. And dry each section completely before moving along to the next. “It takes us 30 to 45 minutes to dry a client’s hair, so it should take you at least that long,” says Webb. “Otherwise, your hair won’t be 100 percent dry. If there’s any moisture left in the hair, it will frizz.”

4. Try tools. If you can’t get your hair totally smooth and frizz-free just by blow-drying, go over problem areas with a flatiron. If your waves look frizzy, wrap them around a medium-barrel curling iron (again twirling away from the face). Then gently pull down on each curl to straighten it out a little.

5. Finish with a light shine spray. It’ll make your blowout look extra professional. If you can still see some frizz, aim a lightweight hair spray at your hands, then run them through your hair.