When you spend the time and/or money getting (or giving yourself) a blowout, you want it to last. But, since we’re not all professional hairstylists, that often becomes more of a wish than a reality. For that reason, we chatted with a handful of celebrity hairstylists to determine the top tips for making your blowout last not only overnight but for days to come. Curious how to keep your hair straight or curly overnight after a blowout? Keep reading to discover their nine tried-and-true voluminous hair hacks, below.
For Starters, Perfect Your Blowout Technique
While many people think that a long-lasting blowout starts in the salon chair, celebrity hairstylist Justin Anderson says it really kicks off in the shower. “You’ll want to start with a really good wash, I suggest using a clarifying shampoo to get your hair very clean,” he says.
After you’ve adequately cleansed and conditioned your hair, celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko says that a high-quality leave-in conditioner is a must—she recommends Noughty Haircare’s Intensive Care Leave In Conditioner ($10). After spritzing your hair with the seemingly-magical leave-in, Anderson says to apply a very small amount of Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother Reparative Styling Creme ($28) to speed up blow-drying time and pump up the smooth, head-turning shine. While No.6 will undoubtedly cut out frizz (for up to 72 hours, Anderson assures), it won’t fully protect strands against heat, so be sure to add a heat protectant to your routine before getting hands-on with any hot tools.
Once you’ve protected your tresses, it’s time to divide them. As much as you may believe that four sections is enough to bring a blowout to life, JOON Haircare founder Shiva Tavakoli promises that eight will be the sweet spot.
“I suggest dividing your hair into eight sections divided equally around the head—the key is to work in small zones and to use a round-brush that will allow you to create enough tension to give hair a smooth and polished look as you dry each section,” she explains. Beyond the number of sections, Tavakoli admits that many people also start their blowout in the back of their head—she suggests working in the opposite direction.
“The front sections are what you see first, so you really want to smooth them while they’re wet and you have more control,” she explains.
As far as how to style your blowout, you have options. Where Tavakoli recommends velcro rollers for old-fashioned volume, Polko swears by T3’s Cura Luxe Professional Ionic Hair Dryer with Auto Pause Sensor ($285) and a round brush. Of course, if you don’t have rollers on hand or you’re not the most skilled with a round brush, you can reach for Dyson’s Airwrap Styler ($549), which features an array of different sized barrels to create smooth, long-lasting waves and curls on all hair types.
Use Dry Shampoo, But Don’t Overdo It
If you’re someone who naturally gets very oily roots very quickly post-shower, celebrity hairstylist Chad Kenyon says to lightly apply dry shampoo before you actually need it gravely. “This will absorb unwanted moisture and impurities that can way down your hair and wreak havoc on your hair style,” he explains. Just remember: Less is more. No need to cover a freshly-blown out head of hair in dry shampoo.
For the best result, Oribe educator Adam Livermore says to spritz dry shampoo in sections—not once over your part. “Make partings and open up your hair, spray it right on the roots, [section by section], then work it in with your fingers and brush it out with a boar or natural bristle flat brush,” he instructs. “The ingredients absorb oil from your scalp and roots like tiny sponges, but you want to remove that oil loaded product with a brush. Don’t just let it sit in there.”
Use a Silk Pillowcase
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If you don’t trust yourself to not roll around in your sleep, opting for the hair-over-the-pillow method might not be the best option for you. Instead, Polko and Kenyon agree that sleeping on a silk pillowcase—like Slip’s Silk Pillowcase ($89)—will help keep your blowout looking freshly styled. That’s because the ultra-smooth finish of the pillowcase won’t inadvertently snag the structure of your hair, so you’ll be able to maintain smoothness and shine without worrying about waking up to frizz come morning.
Try a Restyling Spray
Following a fantastic blowout, you might be afraid to introduce any sort of wet mist to your mane—and, hey, we get it. That said, if you have bangs or your hair’s begun to fall a touch flat, reaching for a restyling spray—like Oribe’s Mystify Restyling Spray ($22)—could help. These sprays are designed to nourish and revive hair. They’re particularly great for folks who feel like they can never get their dry shampoo to blend in quite right. By spritzing hair with a restyling spray before a spritz of dry shampoo, you can style your hair with a brush and blowdryer to make it look fresh out of the salon once more.
Fun fact: Restyling sprays are great beyond trying to extend the life of your blowout. According to Livermore, they work wonders at releasing ponytail wrinkles, rehydrating dry ends, protecting hair against heat, and reactivating products already within the hair.
Add a Dry Texturizing Spray to Your Routine
Following a blowout, fashion and beauty entrepreneur and founder of Elaluz, Camila Coelho, recommends finishing the look with a dry texture finishing spray to give it a little hold and a lot of style. Then, follow Anderson’s technique and steer clear of products for a couple days before reintroducing the texture hero back into your hair care routine. As for which to choose, the Elauz Dry Texture Finishing Spray ($36)—which works wonders from the roots all the way down to the ends—has quickly become a fan favorite. Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray (linked above) is also a cult-favorite.
Sleep With Your Hair Up Over the Pillow (Rather Than Under Your Head and Neck)
Extending the life of your blowout goes beyond knowing which haircare products to use. It’s also important to know how to sleep on your blowout without messing it up. One such way is to sleep with your hair pulled up over the pillow. Polko says that snoozing this way will prevent you from rolling over on your volume and curls, hopefully protecting it from deflating overnight.
Or, Sleep in a Top Knot (or Ponytail)
No time to run out and buy a new silk pillowcase? Or perhaps you don’t like the sleek feel? Whatever the case may be, Kenyon says that another option is to pull your hair into the highest ponytail possible and to gently tie it at the roots (preferably with a silk hair tie or other non-crimping option) before twisting it into a topknot. This way you won’t have a kink (at least not in your hair) come morning.
Avoid Touching Your Hair as Much as Possible
Last but not least—and, quite honestly, it should probably be mentioned before you even step out of the salon—don’t touch your hair. Your hands are covered in dirt, bacteria, and natural oils that can quickly take hair from fab to drab. So, as stunning as your locks look all blown out, do your best to keep your hands off.
