Do you think you dry your hair like a pro? Still, some common mistakes – which you make without even knowing it – can damage your hair and sabotage your style. Here are the fixes to be made – approved by the pros! – to avoid the 11 most common mistakes.
Dry your hair while it is still wet
One of the worst misconceptions is that you should start drying your hair right out of the shower. But in reality, your hair is more prone to getting damaged when wet. And the more heat you apply to wet hair, the more damage there will be. Your new goal would rather be to minimize the drastic exposure to the hot breath of the dryer. The hair must be 50 or 60% dry before starting the “drying” operation. “Remove the maximum moisture with a towel. Then let your hair air dry for 10 to 15 minutes before you begin drying, “advises Becca Sible of Amika.
Severely dry your hair with a towel.
Two gestures that cause frizz? Wrap the hair in a turban and dry it too vigorously with a towel. Powerful wringing with a sheet (and rubbing your hair vigorously) can cause hair damage. According to Stefani Padilla, founder of La Tierra Sagrada Hair, the proper method would be to only gently press the towel over your hair to absorb excess water.
Omit certain products
Preparing your hair for drying is vital. Beyond offering protection to your hair against heat damage, hair products help you create the style you want more quickly and improve the performance of your hairdryer. Before you start drying with a gentle spin with a towel, be sure to apply a protective treatment to prepare and protect your hair from the effects of heat.
Using too much product
It’s possible to abuse …even good things! “Using too much is a big” no “,” says Jennifer Lawrence, senior stylist at Julien Farel Restore Salon. A surplus of products may weigh down the hair and cause an overproduction of oil. Depending on the thickness of your hair, you should use an amount of product that is the size of a dime (beautiful hair) or twenty-five cents (thick hair).
Using the wrong hairdryer
“Many of my clients ask me if the type of dryer they use is essential. The answer is yes,” says Stefani Padilla. A good hairdryer makes all the difference when it comes to your look. Investing in an excellent drying tool not only preserves the health of your hair but also reduces drying time while promoting better results. And, you don’t have to spend a fortune either. “Just look for a dryer that offers multiple heat settings and uses ion technology,” says Johnny Lavoy of PRO Beauty Tools Celebrity.
Do not “pre-dry” your hair.
“Pre-drying” means doing a light first drying with warm air, all over your hair, before going to the more intense heat to dry section by section. Beautiful hair should be at least 80% dry and thick wool, about 50%. “This will maximize your time and reduce breakage,” says Becca Sible.
Do not divide drying by wicks.
If you dry all the portions of your hair at the same time (after pre-drying as in # 6), you think you’re doing well, but no! “Tilting your head forward or simply putting the blow dryer on top of your head, near the root of your hair, are habits that can” overheat “your hair and even damage it. Says Johnny Lavoy. “Splitting your hair is essential, and yet it is the first thing people tend to skip.
It sounds like an unnecessary step, but in the long run, dividing your hair makes drying much easier while speeding up the work and making styling easier,” says Stefani Padilla. So share your hair into small sections (never more extensive than your brush). Start drying the hair near your neck and then go back up. “The section near the front is the most visible, so spend more time there,” advises Becca Sible.
Dry hair in the wrong direction
The roots take longer to dry than the tips. Since you do not want to use more heat than necessary on your hair, it is essential to focus on the roots before moving to the ends, so that you will not cause split or chipped ends. “Maximize the volume of your hair in the neck area by directing the air in the opposite direction to the natural fall,” says Becca Sible. So that means raising the other sections of hair with tweezers and working on the hair at the base of the neck with maximum heat, from the roots to the ends to obtain a lifting and rebound effect.
You certainly don’t want to stretch the hair down, as this will result in soft, flat hair.
Create tension with a round brush going through the root and down to the mid-length, always starting from the top. Then continue to dry the other layers of the hair by directing the breath in the natural direction of the hair. Round the ends until all sections are smooth and dry.
Use the wrong brush
Brushes are your main styling tools. Round brushes with a ceramic cylinder allow better hair grip and more effective control to get results without the frizz. Remember, size matters too!
For more volume and flexibility, choose a brush with a larger cylinder. For a tight, curly look, a round brush with a smaller bottle will be the best option. “Also, throw away your wire brushes which get too hot and can burn your hair,” warns Becca Sible.
Do not use different tips.
Hairdryers come with exclusive tips, but we don’t get enough of them. “The tip helps us create a smooth, shiny look that we are looking for so much,” says Stefani Padilla. “Besides, the diffuser is ideal for improving the appearance of curls and protecting the hair from too much heat, causing frizz.” Also, if you use your hairdryer without a nozzle, it can damage the hair fiber and the texture of your hair.
Do not vary the temperatures of the hairdryer
Hairdryers have multiple functions. You know that, right? And these are not suitable for all hair types. “Thicker hair may require a higher temperature, but fine hair prefers a lower heat setting,” says Johnny Lavoy. Also, don’t shy away from using cold air. “I always use the cold air setting to finish drying. This closes the scales of the hair and improves their luminosity in addition to helping me better position the nose for a look that will last even longer, “says Stefani Padilla.