What is the best and/or easiest way to blow-dry my hair?

Train your significant other to blow-dry and style your hair for you.

This is not a flippant answer. I know a woman who sent her hubby to a hairstylist friend and said, “Please TRAIN HIM!”

She did.

That would be nice, but she doesn’t have time in the morning. Plus, I’m the girlie one in the relationship; she’s worse than I am.

@tiny: I’ve had every friggin hairstyle on the planet. Do you have an example of how you like to wear it?

Forgive my ignorance, but why not get one of those helmet-type driers, like they have in salons, where you sit under what looks like an oversized “football helmet,” reading a magazine that is three years old?

@Jack: It’d take me forever to list reasons, but suffice it to say that unless your hair is roller-set against your head or in highlighting foils on top of your head, that helmet thing is a whole world of styling disaster.

I’ll take your word for that. Just remember I did admit my ignorance on the subject.

I will say that, when I got an ex-GF one for a B-Day present (for real, no joke), she spent all of that night, “thanking” me for it, while naked.

Okay, so then I’ll clarify a little bit:

If you have long hair, it’s useless. It only dries the top, and your head is burning before the bottoms get dry. Add to that, it’s blowing air right onto your head, pushing it down. For those that need volume, it’s a disaster.

For those with short hair… the same applies with the air-pushing-hair-down argument.

There are “home versions” that look like shower caps, and you put the hair inside of it and hook the dryer up to it. That results in both tangles and the hair being “styled” into the position it was resting in the cap… haphazard. Either way, curlers need to be used to keep any of those things from happening. For those who want straight hair, curlers usually aren’t an option.

Thanks for the education.

One more reason why I am glad I was born male.

We don’t need lipstick, either.

I have medium length hair, and I just got a haircut with layers. The stylist took a round brush and kind of brushed and rounded my hair (does that make sense?) as she used the hairdrier. How can I accomplish this? She also said I could use rollers, but I tried that today, and I didn’t really notice a difference between styling it and not styling it. (iPhone disclaimer)

curled into your face like a face-frame… sort of old Jennifer Aniston? the best way to achieve this alone is to blow dry your hair upside-down, focusing on the top (which would then be the underside of your hair). Then flip it back… it should be voluminous. Give it a quick brush, and do your part, or get it about where you want it. Then take the sides by your face, and your round brush, and gently roll up the hair in the brush, rolling toward your face, with the brush vertically up and down. It’s usually easier if you do this with the handle down. Then blow dry it for a minute or two. Do this on both sides… near your forehead and near the bottom. Make sure it’s dry dry, and not damp. It might look a little silly… you can adjust it with your hands… run them through it a little bit… or you can flip your hair upside down again quickly… however your hair works. If it doesn’t tend to hold a curl until the end of the day, give it a very very light spray.

I know it might be difficult to picture it… it’s difficult to explain it.

I feel like there may be YouTube videos to help with this. I’ve used how-to vids on there for a number of things, and that might be the best way to do this. I think I could show someone how to do this no problem, but actually telling you would be another story.

What the heck, I’ll give it a whirl: The best way I could describe it would be to get a big fatty round brush (especially if you have short hair) and focus on the roots mostly. For a section of hair on the left side of your head, grab a chunk of your hair, and smooth it out with both hands (or a comb). Then, hold it out with your left hand, pick up your round brush, and wedge the round brush between the chunk of hair and your head. With the brush as close to the scalp as possible, pick up the blowdrier and point it onto the hair. So that you don’t burn the hair, it’s a good idea to sort of keep turning the brush and working it down to the tips and then back up to the scalp (this takes some practice). You just don’t want to leave the hot tip of the blowdrier pointed at your precious locks for too long at one time—keep things moving. But I think if you focus on the roots mostly, your hair will get a more finished look and it will have more body at the roots. Continue that around your head. As you get more used to it, you can start to use your ring and pinkie fingers to separate out the hair while still holding onto your tools so you don’t have to keep setting them down.

In my experience, even if you don’t have time to blowdry all your hair, if you get the stuff on top and in the front, it’ll get you through the day looking more or less professional. And then if you have something important like an interview or presentation you could try to tackle the whole thing.

Good luck!

I just realized, you mentioned rollers. That’s another option, but you have to get those velcro rollers. Here’s how:

If you blowdry the whole thing without the round brush (you can go upside down for a little while for added volume), you can get it to the point where it’s just about dry, but still just barely wet. Then, you can section it out and put those velcro rollers in there (the bigger the better) and continue drying, moving the dryer around to focus on each roller for about 20 seconds, going back maybe twice to each roller so that each one gets that last little bit of dryness. Then, leave the rollers in while you make coffee or breakfast or whatever so that they can cool down while they’re in. That sort of does the same thing as the round brush, but you don’t need an extra hand since they just stick in there and you blowdry them. You said that you didn’t notice a difference, but maybe you weren’t using them right? Or were you using the velcro ones? Those are the best. Usually if you use them like a round brush they’ll have the same effect and end up looking nice.

This is what my hair looks like. I really dislike Kelly Ripa, but whatever.
Good tips far. I’m going to try. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I found this video on youtube, called How to have Hair Like Jennifer Anniston, but I think it may not be exactly what you’re looking for. Plus the announcer’s voice is really annoying. She talks about that woman like she’s god or something. ... It can’t hurt to check it out though I guess…

I also found this video
It’s not safe for work, but it sure is funny….

Try getting one of those big clips and put all your hair up when it is still damp but not soaking wet. Take it out small section by small section and blow dry those using a round brush. Always blow dry down, not up, to decrease frizz. Doing it in sections helps separate the layers and helps you get your whole head. Oh, and make sure each section is really dry before you move on to the next one.

Also, ask your stylist what products she/he uses and use them too. I like Tresseme’s thermal protector spray, John Freida’s Shine Shock (just a pea sized amount at the ends when your hair is soaking), and Aveda’s Phomollient.

It takes practice to get the coordination of using one hand to hold a brush and the other to use the blow dryer, but you’ll get it. I have fairly wavy frizzy hair and I do this every damn morning. You’ll get it. :)

Cute haircut, and very easy to style! The easiest way to solve this issue is to take your showers at night. Towel dry very well, then brush your hair so you get the part right. Let it air dry, fluffing with your fingers from time to time, or blow it dry – mostly upside down, using only your fingers…no brush till the end. When hair is mostly dry, flip your head back up and smooth hair with a brush. In the morning, use a curling iron or a flat iron to further smooth the hair, and flip the ends in the direction you want them to go. Viola! You’re done. : )

i have layered hair. the first thing i do when i wash it is mush it all up with the towel, to get most of the water off. then i brush it, part it, put some “product” (setting gel or mousse) in it. then i use my left hand to do the left side, with the round brush, and the back left. use my right hand to do the right side, and right back. then i run my fingers through it, brush any last pieces that are not in place, and then i put a little hairspray on it. the whole thing takes about 10 minutes. the secret is using the towel to get the water off in the beginning. you don’t need wet hair, you need only damp hair.

p.s. my hair, if i wash it at night, will be stuck up in all directions in the morning, and i wouldn’t be able to do anything with it. it needs to be washed in the morning.

If you start at the crown of your head ad get it dry, the rest of your hair will dry faster and you will not damage th ends so much.

flip your head and blowdry upside down
use the comb and make sure when you’re drying your roots you’re not like brushing them against your scalp. Keeping the roots up while your drying them makes your hair really nice and full of volume.
And to add shine to your hair, switch the hairdryer to cold air after drying the hair and just brush your hair with the cold air blowing. It seals the hair’s follices and makes them smoother.

Just to let you know, likeradar’s suggestion was the most successful. My hair isn’t “salon perfect”, but it looks good. Thank you!

You may have already solved this huge dilemma but I went to a class at my salon called “BYOBd” for Bring Your Own Blowdryer. For $15, a stylist teaches you the basics and she/he does half your head and you do the other half under their guidance. My hair looks better probably 75% of the tine – today being a notable exception where I’ve done the shameful scrunchy ponytail in lieu of styling. Google this for your area and good luck. A great blow out is my secret weapon (ok maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement!)

four things make my hair look good, fluffy, etc.

1. color makes it thicker (it is normally thin)
2. round brush
3. product (a little gel or mousse when damp, hairspray when dry)
4. a good haircut (i pay a lot for, but i’m not saying you need to pay a lot for). i went my whole life thinking i had hair that was straight and lifeless, and once i started going to this stylist and getting a great cut, i now have waves that i never had without using curling iron or other appliances.

@tinafaery
Sweet! :) I’m glad I was able to help you and your hair! :)

The main thing to do with a blow out, is to use your fingers until it is 70% dry. You need to lift and blow the root, all over, so it gives it body and fullness.

Once it is nearly dry, use your blow brush by again lifting and blowing in the hair direction. You may have to hold the dryer at an angle to achieve this.