Blow Drying Your Hair: You’re Doing It Wrong

A wise hair stylist told me many years ago, “You should treat your hair like a fine piece of cashmere.” That advice has stuck with me through the years, especially when I am racing against the clock to dry and style my hair and get out the door. Styling hair should not be a tedious chore that leaves you sweating in an overheated bathroom. Instead, it should involve the best tools to help get you from towel turban to looking like you “just stepped out of a salon.”The process of washing and drying hair has been a woman’s ritual for centuries, but we have come a long way from the beauty salon “dryer chair” days. Today there are many tools that can help spare your hair from heat damage and breakage and save you precious minutes in your routine. It’s time to toss your old lint-clogged hairdryer from the drug store beauty aisle and your daughter’s rubber paddle brush and make an investment in the health of your hair.Your hair is the most susceptible to breaking and stretching when it’s wet. Think cashmere! Don’t scrub your wet hair with a towel in order to speed up drying. This can roughen the cuticle of the hair and lead to tangles and knots. A wide-tooth comb is best for wet hair, starting at the ends and working up to the roots. And never take a hairdryer to sopping wet hair. Allow time for your hair to get about 60 percent dry before using a dryer. (I usually let my hair air dry while choosing clothes, and applying my sunscreen and makeup, so as not lose time). By taking these pre-hairdryer steps, you will notice less breakage, frizz, and damage.New technologies allow for hair dryers to dry more quickly without the singeing effects of an older model dryer. The T3 Micro hairdryers we carry at Bellacara use the innovative technology of tourmaline and ceramic, which produce negative ions to help seal the hair cuticle and retain moisture. This technology also helps reduce frizz and hair breakage from over-drying or too-high heat. An added bonus is that it is far more quiet than the hair dryers from years past. The first time I used this dryer, I don’t know what I loved more: the fact that it cut my drying time in half, or that I looked like I had just had a blowout.Pairing this dryer with a good quality round or paddle brush made of natural materials, such a boar bristles, will make you wonder how your hair survived with plastic or metal brushes.The Christophe Robin hairbrush is a great one. Made of wood and boar bristles, it’s perfect for styling because the natural bristles work well with heatThe Moroccan Oil hairbrush uses similar ceramic technology as the T3 hairdryer – reducing drying times and minimizing frizz and breakage.The Mason Pearson hairbrush, however, is my personal favorite. The London-based company has been around since the mid-1860s, and it has withstood the test of time. The Mason Pearson uses natural bristles to protect your hair from heat-related damage and the bristle design gives your hair a smooth shiny look, without the inevitable breakage that happens with metal or rubber bristles. The bonus is that these brushes will last for years. I promise, you will be a convert after one use.Investing in these hair-sparing time-saving innovative tools will change your morning routine and your hair will thank you for it. So go ahead, treat your hair like a delicate swath of luxurious cashmere. Your hair will thank you for it!