Hairstyling Course

Blow drying is a technique that is used to dry wet/towel dried hair into an air formed style, with the use of styling products and a variety of different brushes. Many Hairstyles can be created by the use of different blow drying and curling techniques; whether it be smooth, flicked out, with volume, or curled.

When hair is blow dried from wet to dry, the heat changes the physical structure of the hair by breaking down the bonds and temporarily changing its shape. After blow drying or curling the hair you should always let the hair cool down completely before brushing, combing or setting the hair; this allows the hair to cool down into its new formation making it hold its shape. The rain, humidity and washing your hair will cause the hair to return to its original shape! (Styling products can help a blow dry or curls stay in for longer)

Blow drying refers to the process of drying the hair and styling to create a new style. Blow driers and their attachments are used to create temporary changes to the hair. There are a variety of different brands but all have the same concept having a nozzle, heating element, motor, temperature switch, airflow controls, and a handle. (They can range from 1,000-2,000 watts)

Blow dryer Attachments

Concentrator- Which targets and concentrates on a small area of the hair, used to smooth the hair down to heat the hair into a desired shape.

Diffuser- A big round attachment used to gently dry of the hair. Most commonly used to dry naturally curly hair or to encourage wavy hair to become curlier with the use of products.

When blow drying remember stand up tall, tilt pelvis forward and have the hair you are drying directly in front of you. Do not bend, twist and try to avoid lifting your arms up too high!

Blow drying Guidelines

• Always use a heat protector or styling product that contains a heat protector in it as this helps protect the hair from heat damage. Choose a styling product to suit the hair type and help you achieve the look/ style you are going for. If you have someone with flat frizzy hair and you would like to blow dry their hair smooth with volume, use a volumising product on the roots and a de frizz products from the mid-lengths to the ends.
• Dry off and remove 50% of the hairs moisture before you start styling the hair into its new air-formed shape. This saves time, effort and if the hair is too wet before you start to style it doesn’t transfer the heat through the hair thoroughly and is less effective.
• Dry the hair off on the highest setting, style the hair on the medium setting and cool and set the style on the cool setting.
• When drying the hair make sure the airflow is directing the cuticles downwards rather than against the natural scales as this will help set the blow dry and give the hair a lovely shine.
• Make sure you are always moving the heat over the hair in motion as if you keep the drier in one spot for too long you will burn your clients scalp and or hair. If you have a client with brittle, damaged or bleached hair use with caution as this type of hair can be easily broken.

1. Firstly brush the hair removing any knots. Then using your tail comb section the hair into two sections from ear to ear. Secure the top section out of the way with a sectioning clip. Get a rubber band and slip two bobby pins on to the rubber band, for later use.
2. Put a small amount of gel/ pomade in your palm and rub hands together, then evenly distribute the product through the roots of the bottom section. Concentrating on the perimeter of the hairline where there may be fine fly away strands of hair.
3. Next using your teasing comb, brush the hair into a sleek ponytail using some shine spray to smooth the roots down as you are brushing.
4. Once the hair is smooth hold the hair in place and with the other hand pick up one of the bobby pins attached to the rubber band and pin it into the top middle part of the pony tail. Then grab the other bobby pin that is attached to the rubber band and wrap the band around the base of the pony tail until firm, then pin the bobby pin in to hair to secure.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 with the top section of the hair.
6. Once you have secured both sections grab a 2cm piece of hair from the pony tail and wrap around the rubber bands and secure with a bobby pin under the pony tail.
7. Finish off with hairspray.

Curling Iron Techniques

Base to ends technique- Which is where the curling iron is placed at the base of the roots firstly and the rest of the hair is wound around the iron. This techniques is used to create volume at the roots and a consistent curl pattern.

Ends to base technique- The curling iron is placed at the ends of the hair firstly with the clamp of the curling tool holding the ends securely in place, then rotated upwards to the roots. Depending on the length of the hair this technique tends to make the curl stronger on the ends and weaker at the roots.

Ends technique- Creating a flicked out or curled under texture for the ends only. To have the hair flicked out you would position the iron on top of the hair and to have the hair curled under you would have the curling iron positioned underneath the hair.