June 19, 2014

Beauty Tip: How to achieve a Salon Quality Blow Out at home! + a $50 Gift Card Giveaway!

Disclosure: I received one or more of these  products as part of an advertorial campaign.

Let me start by saying this is MY routine to go from my natural crazy curls to a great VS angel salon quality blow out - I'm not a cosmetologist, I just know what works for me and wanted to share! I've always LOVED a good salon quality blow out. What's not to love about only having to blow dry my hair and not use any other hot tools - hello, healthier hair and happier Lauren... I'm lazy when it comes to beauty routines and I can fully say that a good blow out is easy-shmeezy with the right tools.



Now let's get to the nitty-gritty, a good blow out begins with a good blow dryer and the right products used correctly.


You will NEED to have a hair dryer with a direct nozzle and a round brush. I suggest getting a Velecta Paramount Professional Ceramic Ionic Hair Dryer from Flat Iron Experts. It seriously is the BEST hair dryer I have ever had. Not only is it powerful, it's super compact - think travel size but with a full size ability, this makes it a little lighter than the average dryer to... I would say this baby is professional quality with the airflow at a whopping 86 mph, 2 heat settings, 2 speed settings, a cool shot button, and a built-in Ionic generator that eliminates static and creates mega shine. I fell in love the first time I used this baby, I went from taking around 35 minutes to only blow dry with my old school dryer plus straightening with a flat iron which took FOREVER to spending only around 15 minutes for a TOTAL salon quality blow out!


Now to achieve the perfect blow out, you must use the correct products AND make sure your hair is healthy. Condition, condition, condition. Your hair needs to be treated with a deep conditioner regularly to look healthy if you are going to be applying heat of any kind- my hair relies on Aussie 3 minute moist which you can find at almost all local grocery stores and Organic Morocco Argan Oil Hair Treatment Mask! Aussie 3-minute moist is my favorite regular day-to-day conditioner and I use the Organic Morocco Argan Oil Hair Treatment Mask once a week or so to really repair my hair. The mask is made of only organic ingredients and it heals damaged hair, a life saver for a former bleach user like myself. I love both of these products because they leave my hair feeling silky, whether wearing it curly or trying to achieve a salon blow out. I also highly recommend using a leave-in conditioner, like this General Value Product from Sally's: Leave-In Treatment: Compared to Sebastian Potion 9 . Also, I highly suggest General Value Product from Sally's: Matrix Sleek Look Extreme Styling Creme to help keep your hair manageable, no matter what look you are going for.



After making sure your hair is nice and healthy and smothered in conditioner to the point that it's super hydrated, it's time to talk about products that will protect it and style it! I use Aveda's Brilliant Damage Control spray while my hair is wet/still being dried to keep it protected from the heat of the hair dryer as well as CHI Shine INfusion Hair Shine Spray or KQC Thermal Shine Spray for a finishing touch on my last once over with the brush and dryer on my hair. Both shine sprays are amazing, CHI shine infusion helps repair damaged hair and helps prevent it as well. KQC Thermal Shine Spray helps protect your hair and prevent from damage. Both are great quality, although I tend to grab the CHI shine spray more often.  


Lastly, a finishing product like Silk Elements Glossing Polish or L'Oreal's EverSleek Precious Oil Treatment is a good way to smooth out the little bits of frizz that may pop up. I run my hand through my hair constantly after a good blow out, because I feel that good  when my hair looks great -- this also means a finishing product like this is vital so I keep a smooth and polished look!






Now to the fun stuff, what techniques do I use to get this fantastic blow out?



Hydrate and Prep as I said, then you will need your hair dryer as well as your round brush. First off, I do a rough dry - meaning I suggest you get your hair mostly dry without the brush first, always aiming the nozzle of the dryer downwards to prevent frizz. Then Section off bits of your hair, since my hair is thick I typically section it into 3-4 layers horizontally around my head, a top layer clipped to the top of my head, another layer in a big clip just below and so on. 

Hold your brush in your dominant hand and your hair dryer WITH the direct nozzle in the other hand, begin by grabbing a section of the hair and placing it onto the brush, then using the dryer about 1-2 inches from the brush and  begin to firmly roll the brush down your hair. Continue to roll the brush through out your hair in small sections within the sections you have already divided. Make sure to focus on the root (that's where I tend to hold moisture anyways). If you want the little curl I have at the end of your hair, just turn the brush at an angle at the end and twist your hair out. If your hair is too voluminous, re-dry the top sections with the dryer set to a higher heat setting. Then smooth your ends with a light conditioning oil. It's that easy.

I also suggest investing in a good bottle of dry shampoo, although I don't have a preferred brand - yet! It will help you keep the look for a day or two, if you feel so inclined.


Here's to beautiful hair and a good Salon Quality Blow Out for all!

Lucky for you, I'm giving away a $50 Sally's Gift Card so that you can invest in some products to get your hair looking great.


Please use the giveaway tools form below to enter:

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through July 19th at 11:59 pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win.  This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other company mentioned above. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and all other bloggers participating are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.

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