How to Fake A Salon Blowout at Home in 4 Easy Steps

Thanks to Lunchbox for sponsoring today’s post. As always, all stated opinions are my honest thoughts.

I am extremely lazy when it comes to styling my hair. When I was younger, I dreaded blowdrying my long hair so much that I’d spend a good chunk of money each month on salon blowouts. I hated spending the money, but my hair would look fantastic for three days. In fact, sometimes I could stretch it out even longer with dry shampoo and/or the addition of a strategically-placed braid. It was an absolutely glorious experience…until I looked at my credit card statement at the end of the month.

As  much as I love smooth and shiny hair, I just can’t justify spending the money on weekly salon blow-outs. Last year, I spent a few days learning how to master blowdrying my hair with a roundbrush just like my stylist did at the salon. I loved the results and the money that I saved, but I slowly began to dread the process. Like I said, I’m lazy, so I want great results with minimal effort. After trial and error, I’ve learned that it’s possible to fake a salon blowout at home without spending an hour in front of the mirror. Today I’m sharing my four secrets to achieving a sleek and shiny blowout at home as well as some of my go-to hair products.

Step 1: Prep your hair with the proper products.

The first step to achieving soft and shiny hair is to use a great shampoo and conditioner. You’ll want to use products that will remove excess oil, dirt, and build-up without stripping your hair of its normal moisture, but you’ll want to avoid shampoos and conditioners that will weigh your hair down with a heavy formula. My long hair is chronically dry and damaged thanks to years of torture (hair dye, heat damage, 20 years of super-tight ballet buns, etc.), so I always opt for moisturizing formulas. A few weeks ago, I picked up the at Walmart, and I was instantly hooked. The shampoo smells absolutely magical. I’m not quite sure if the scent is more reminiscent of pink Starbusts or watermelon Jolly Ranchers, but it it positively divine. As much as I enjoy the scent, the formula is great too. Both the shampoo and conditioner moisturize and smooth my hair, and they’re fantastic products for prepping your hair for the perfect blowdry.

After your hair is squeaky clean, it’s time to add the magical elixirs. While some of the results from a salon blowout come from skillful round brush techniques, the smooth and shiny texture also comes from the lotions and potions that they apply to your hair. The exact products that you need to use depend on your hair texture and your hometown’s climate, but I stick to products that will keep my hair smooth and frizz-free in the Florida humidity.

While my hair is wet, I moisturize the ends of my hair with a smoothing cream, and spritz the lengths of my hair with heat protectant to avoid causing excess heat damage. For the finishing step, I’ll massage a hefty dollop of into my roots and run it through the lengths of my hair.  This mousse is fabulously effective and ridiculously cheap. The light texture of the mousse melts into your hair to help it maintain your style throughout the day.  I also love that it doesn’t make my hair feel hard or crunchy thanks to its alcohol-free formulation. 

Step 2: Blowdry your hair upside-down.

After your hair is completely prepped, it’s time to blow dry. My stylist used to blow dry my hair with my head upside down for a few minutes before moving on to an intricate round-brushing technique, but I just keep blow drying my hair upside now. Like I said…I’m lazy. So why upside down? Two reasons: it helps you dry your roots quickly, and it adds extra volume. I will warn you that if you blow dry your hair upside down without using a brush, it will look like a lion’s mane when you stand up again.If your hair is naturally straight, you can use a hairbrush to brush through your hair while you’re blowdrying to keep it smooth, but my hair just doesn’t like it when I try that technique. My fine and wavy hair will just get tangled in my hairbrush, and when it does decide to mind its manners, my waves won’t stay straight. Bottom line: do what works for your hair.

Now I’m going to tell you another secret that you will make you realize 1. how lazy I am and 2. how brilliant this technique truly is. I rarely blow dry my hair for more than a few minutes. How? If I wash my hair in the morning, I’ll simply continue working or run errands for a few hours while my hair dries. If I wash my hair in the evening, I’ll either do some work, watch a movie, or simply head straight to bed. Ideally, I try to blow dry my hair when it’s already 90% dry. I’ll simply flip my head over and blow dry as usual for around three to five minutes, or until it’s completely dry. If my hair has already dried completely, I’ll simply blow dry it for a shorter amount of time. The heat and air will add volume into your hair and prep it for step #3.

Step 3: Smooth your hair with a 2″ curling iron.

Step #3 is where the magic happens. My secret weapon to replicating a salon quality blow out is a curling iron with a huge barrel. Depending on the length of your hair, it should be 1.75″-2″ in diameter. This size of curling iron may seem ridiculously large in person, but the wide barrel will smooth your hair while providing volume and shine without adding a strong curl. Before you begin, you’ll want to brush your hair completely and remove any knots or tangles. If your ends look frizzy, you’ll also want to add an extra bit of smoothing cream or argan oil to smooth your split ends.

Once your hair is completely tangle-free, it’s time to start curling. As I’ve already mentioned several times, I am very lazy when it comes to styling my hair, so I don’t take the time to section off my hair. I start by grabbing approximately 2″ sections of my hair and run the curling iron straight down the length of the section just like you would with a flat iron. This step should literally take one to two seconds, and it will immediately leave your hair smoother and shinier. Next, I take the same piece of hair and curl it as usual. When the curling iron is released, your hair will have great texture and movement without being curly at all. If you want to add curls, simply use a curling iron with a smaller barrel width. With my 2″ curling iron, it takes me about three minutes to smooth all of my hair.

Please don’t be intimidated by this step. It may take you a few tries to get the hang of maneuvering a curling iron, but this process is so incredibly quick and easy with a little bit of practice! The key is to take small-ish sections of hair and only leave the curling iron on each section for a few seconds. I promise that it is so much easier than it sounds!

Step 4: Lock in the style with hairspray.

Now that your hair is perfectly smooth and shiny, it’s time to lock in your style. I like to apply a quick mist of to tame any fly-aways and give my hair an extra layer of protection against the Florida humidity. This hairspray is a longtime favorite of mine because it has great staying power and an incredibly low price point. It’s a cult favorite for a reason: it works. 

And that’s all, folks! Once you’ve mastered the lazy girl’s method of achieving a salon-quality blowout, get ready to receive a lot of compliments about your new hairdo. If you have straight or wavy hair, this technique works brilliantly; however, please know that this method will probably NOT work if you have naturally curly hair. I’m sorry my curly-haired friends, but keeping tight curls straight can be a brutal battle, and that battle usually includes a round brush, flat iron, and lots of patience.

This styling technique is perfect for freshly washed hair, but it never hurts to learn easy hairstyle ideas for 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th-day hair. Abby from TwistMePretty.com has teamed up with TRESemmé to show you how to create three gorgeous looks: an easy pull-through braid, a halo braid half-up, and a . All three looks are beautiful, so I highly recommend that you try them out this week!