Hairdryers have come a very long way since they were invented by the 19th Century salon owner stylist Alexander Godefroy
Looks comfortable, doesn't it?…
But even the mechanical beast he created has a lot in common with the hairdryers we use today.
The basic concept of a hairdryer hasn’t changed for over 100 years; a fan draws in air and then blows that air over a heated element which in turn dries your hair. Simple.
But if it’s so easy, then why don’t get the salon results at home? If drying your hair has been a frustration of yours perhaps, you’re committing one of the seven hair drying sins.
1. Are you drying your hair when it is soaking wet?
You get out of the shower, quickly wrap a towel around you, head to the bedroom and whip out the hairdryer. If your hair is still dripping wet when you start to blow-dry it, you’re going to be drying it for much longer and applying hot air to your hair for long periods of time can cause damage. Try and give yourself as much time as you can to air dry your hair to about 80% dryness before you reach for the dryer.
2. Do you wave your dryer in the air, like you just don’t care?
Drying your hair should not be an opportunity to get that shoulder workout done at the same time. It might seem as though covering all areas of your head all at once is going to speed things up but have you ever heard that the fastest route is a straight line? From now on, try to section your hair and work your way up from the bottom.
3. Have you been using protection?
If you’re regularly drying your hair with a dryer then the risks of heat damage are going to be much higher. To prevent this, you need to use some heat protection. Hair heat protection should be applied onto damp, freshly cleaned hair with an even coating. As we discussed above, work in sections for max effect.
4. Quit messing with the settings!
If I have it on the highest heat, then surely my hair will dry faster? While this may be true, if you are applying this school of thought to drying your hair you may be doing unspeakable damage so please stop. The temperature you set your dryer to should only depend on the thickness of your hair. Thicker hair will need a higher heat while thinner hair will need a much lower setting. The golden rule is using the lowest heat you can.
5. Don’t forget your cooldown.
Have you ever wondered what the cold air button is for? No, it is not for bringing the room temperature down after you’ve dried your hair but it is for cooling down the strands of your hair. Once you’ve finished drying your hair, give each section a blast of soothing cool air and keep your hair looking shiny.
6. Are you a space invader?
Getting too close your scalp, trying to dry your hair faster, shame on you! Yes, this might dry your hair faster, but throwing a piece of bread on a fire toasts it faster too, it doesn’t mean you’re going to enjoy the result.
7. Using the wrong tools for the job
They all work in pretty much the same way but not all hair dryers are identical and you should get the right dryer for your hair type. If you’re after a silky finish, give a tourmaline dryer a go or if your hair is dry, give a ceramic blow dryer a try. This tip goes beyond the dryer and also applies to the type of brush your using too. I hope that none of you are using a basic flat brush? Get yourself a barrelled brush that suits your hair. Long, thick hair requires a larger barrel brush and shorter or thinner hair – you guessed it – a smaller barrel.