What Should I Put In My Hair Before and After Blow Drying It? – Acajou
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In the realm of hairstyling, few tools offer the transformative power that a blow dryer does. But with great power comes great responsibility—especially when it comes to safeguarding the health and vitality of your precious locks.
Whether you’re aiming for a sleek and polished finish, voluminous waves, or something in between, the journey to impeccable hair begins well before you power up that blow dryer. Using the right products is key to protecting your hair while you give it long-lasting style, free of frizz and flyaways.
What Should I Put In My Hair Before Blow Drying It?
Leave-In Conditioner
Leave-in conditioner is one of the most underrated hair products in my humble opinion. It gives hair extra moisture and makes hair easier to detangle and increases softness and shine. Styling hair with heat, whether it’s a blow dryer or curling iron, can damage hair and leave it drier. A leave-in conditioner pumps hair with hydration that keeps heat-styled hair from becoming dry. Use a leave-in conditioner on wet or damp hair before blow drying to prep your hair.
My Recommendation: Kristin Ess Weightless Shine Leave-In Conditioner
Heat Protectant
If there’s one thing you should use before blow drying, it’s heat protectant. When your hair is exposed to high temperatures from blow drying, the heat can strip away the natural moisture and protective oils that keep your hair healthy and vibrant. This leaves the hair cuticles vulnerable and prone to damage. Heat protectants work by forming a protective barrier over the hair shaft, acting as a shield between the intense heat and your delicate strands. This barrier helps to minimize moisture loss, prevent the cuticles from lifting, and reduce the risk of heat-induced damage.
By applying a heat protectant before blow drying, you’re essentially giving your hair an extra layer of defense against the potentially harmful effects of heat styling. This step not only helps preserve the overall health of your hair but also contributes to a sleeker, shinier finish by minimizing frizz and promoting smoother texture.
My Recommendation: Amika Blockade Heat Defense Serum
Volumizing Mousse or Spray
Blowing out your hair can make it sleek and give it polish, but if you want volume, mousse or a volumizing spray is your friend. Volumizing mousses and sprays are best applied on damp hair before blow drying. When applied all over starting at the roots, they add lift and volume that can almost make hair bouncier and appear thicker.
Volumizing mousses and sprays can also add hold to your hairstyle, which is super important for anyone who doesn’t want to put in the effort to maintain their style for days. These products add structure and grip to your hair which keep it in place for longer.
My Recommendation: Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse
Anti-Frizz Spray or Cream
If you struggle with frizz after blow drying your hair, one solution is to apply an anti-frizz cream or spray before getting out your blow dryer. They can create an incredible smoothing effect that makes your blowout look salon-worthy while only adding one extra step (or none if you are able to use a heat protectant with anti-frizz benefits!) Using an anti-frizz spray before blow drying my hair has been a game changer for making my hair look sleek and shiny right out of the gate.
My Recommendation: Virtue 6-in-1 Styler
What Should I Put In My Hair After Blow Drying It?
Texturizing Spray or Hairspray
Texturizing spray or hairspray is a must for giving your hair long-lasting hold. Hairspray is stronger than texturizing spray and tends to leave a stickier and crunchier film on the hair, so I normally prefer texturizing spray. Texturizing spray also gives your hair a malleability that allows you to style it and create more texture.
My Recommendation: Verb Volume Dry Texture Spray
Hair Oil
Hair oil has a number of benefits for hair after blow drying, like giving your hair more shine, sealing in moisture, and reducing frizz. It can also make your hair more manageable by reducing knots and tangles. Best of all, it helps to restore some of the hydration that can be lost after blow drying hair and gives your hair back some of that oil that keeps it looking and feeling healthy.
My Recommendation: Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil
What Should I Put In My Hair Before and After Blow Drying It Conclusion
While you all of these products can be helpful to get a sleek and voluminous blow dry, whether you need all of them will depend on your goals. Heat protectant is the true hero here, regardless of what look you’re going for as it can protect you hair from damage due to heat styling and keep your hair looking healthy and shiny.
So to recap:
Leave-in conditioner pumps your hair with moisture to give yourself a good foundation before you style your hair.
Before blow drying, the careful application of heat protectant acts as a shield, safeguarding your strands from the potentially damaging effects of high temperatures. This crucial step helps maintain your hair’s integrity, leaving you with locks that feel and look vibrant.
Pre-blow drying, volumizing mousse or spray transforms fine, limp hair into voluminous, bouncy locks that defy gravity. These products bring life and movement to your hair, creating a foundation for a show-stopping blowout that lasts.
Anti-frizz sprays and creams before you blow dry can leave hair smooth and sleek, taming any frizz that you would otherwise find as the result of a blow dry.
Post-blow drying, the addition of hair oil tames unruly strands and ensures your hard work withstands the test of time. These products lock in the sleekness and minimize frizz, granting you the confidence to embrace whatever the day may bring.
Finishing touches are equally crucial, as texturizing spray or hairspray adds texture, definition, and hold to your masterpiece. These products offer the final flourish to your styling efforts, helping you maintain your chosen style throughout the day and into the night.