HAIR EXTENSION DRYING MISTAKE YOU MAY BE MAKING
1. Aggressive towel drying
We see this all the time in TV shows and movies, the actress steps out of the shower or pool and starts drying her hair by quickly rubbing a towel against her hair between the palms of her hand. Avoid doing this at all costs! Using a standard bath towel over a prolonged period of time coupled with this aggressive motion is rough on wet hair strands, and can actually play a big part in breakage, causing damage.
2. Leaving your wet hair wrapped in a towel for a prolonged amount of time
Hopping out of the shower and wrapping your hair in a towel to absorb some water is totally fine, however, leaving your hair wrapped in a regular bath towel while you lounge around will accelerate damage without you even realizing it. In general, pulling wet hair up and away from the scalp whether it’s in a towel or tied with an elastic) contributes to breakage and even hair loss over time.
When styling your hair, it is important to keep in mind the condition and health of your hair. Everyone wants that sleek and polished look achieved from flat ironing or blow drying hair, however that shouldn’t come at the expense of healthy, shiny tresses. Directly exposing hair to hot tools without first applying a heat protectant spray or cream will accelerate damage to your hair, drying the hair out. That doesn't mean all heat protectants are right for your hair, though. A silicone-based heat protectant can be just as damaging to your hair as no heat protectant at all. It’s time to sift through all of your hair products, if they contain silicones, ditch them! Silicone is essentially a type of rubber or plastic, which coats the hair giving it that artificial gloss and shine. Products containing this ingredient can build up on the hair over time resulting is weighed-down, lifeless hair and can even contribute to breakage and hair loss. Instead, nourish your hair from within to achieve that high-def shine naturally.
5. Heat styling wet or damp hair
Making sure hair is fully dried before heat styling is a fundamental rule of hair styling. Never, under any circumstance, apply a hot tool to wet or even damp hair! When you bring wet hair into contact with a hot tool that is hundreds of degrees you are literally frying it. This may seem obvious to some of you, but trust us, it happens more often than you‘d think. Whether it’s not having enough time to dry your hair, not being thorough enough, or absentmindedly missing a few damp spots it’s important to know how to keep hot tools and moist hair from coming into contact. How to avoid hair drying mistakes now that we have covered the don't's, let’s get into the do's of how to blow dry your hair.
6. Get your hands on a microfiber towel
Microfiber fabric towels have finer threads than regular towels, which glides easily over hair, reducing strain. Microfiber towels also absorb more moisture in the hair in less time than a regular cotton towel, cutting down drying time. While using a microfiber hair towel be sure to gently squeeze the towel on your hair in an upward motion to use the least amount of force and friction as possible in order to keep your hair soft and frizz-free.
7. Let your hair air dry
One of the best things you can do for your hair is to just leave it alone. Think of it as a vacation for your scalp and hair—the less processing, pulling, tugging, and external force it goes through, the better. That means stronger, shinier, healthier looking hair, achieved with minimal effort! A quick tip, when air dying your hair, throw it into loose braids. Undo the braids after a few hours and enjoy easy, mermaid curls.
If you don't have the time to wait around for your hair to air dry, be sure to use a heat protectant before blow drying or coming into contact with any curling wand or hair straightener. We also recommend getting your hands on a blow dry spray, like the Kenra blow dry spray, which dramatically cuts down drying time while providing heat protection. The benefit? Not only do you gain a few extra minutes in the morning, but less time spent under a hot blow dryer also equals less damage to your hair strands.
9. Use the correct styling tools
Ever notice how your hair has bounce and volume when you leave the hair salon? It seems that the salon blowout is something many women spend years trying to perfect at home, and we've got the scoop for you to do just that. The trick to a salon blowout is in the ROUND BRUSH ,is best for blow drying hair and the bigger the brush, the more volume you will get. Use a natural boar brush, which distributes oils from your scalp throughout your hair strands to help you get that smooth salon-quality finish.
10. Use the nozzle
The small but mighty hair dryer nozzle is an important component to getting the perfect blowout. The nozzle helps to direct airflow to a concentrated area of your hair, to smooth down the hair cuticle and help lock in shine. Stylists will argue that the nozzle needs to be attached facing a certain direction but as long as you can comfortably hold the blow dryer so that the widest part of the nozzle is horizontal and parallel to each piece of hair, the nozzle will work for you. To achieve a sleek and shiny look with plenty of volume, point the blow dryer at a downward angle while you use a round brush to smooth it out.