Five Product Must-Haves to Blow Out Your Natural Hair
Within the natural hair community, many naturals believe that using a heat protectant product protects the hair from heat damage when using tools such as blow dryers and irons. However, the truth is that actual heat protection is a full process that involves properly prepping and priming the hair for heat exposure.
What? Yep, you heard us correctly! A product labeled as a “heat protectant” does not protect your hair from heat all on its own. As licensed stylists and tight curl educators, we’d like to provide you with the full steps for how to properly prep your hair for a blow out and how to help mitigate any potential thermal reconditioning of the hair, also known as heat damage.
How to Prep Your Hair for Heat Styling
Prepping your hair for a blow out involves thoroughly cleansing your hair with the appropriate shampoo category, conditioning and treating the hair if needed.
Prepping the hair is followed up with priming the hair with a blow dry primer, using a water soluble leave-in conditioner then a blow dry cream/blow dry balm—while using either a serum and/or holding spray to maintain your hair in between shampoos.
“PRO TIP: Prior to a blow out, you will likely need to thoroughly cleanse your hair at least 2 to 3 times. If you’re unsure of the proper shampoo to use, we would encourage you to revisit the Shampoo Spectrum.”
Black Girl Curls’ motto of cleansing, conditioning and styling holds true even when it comes to blowing out our hair. We also hold true to The Five Product Rule, however there are an additional five products needed to help execute a flawless blow out.
Licensed Hair Pros
(Left) Roni Jones of Pasadena, CA and (Right) Sonnie Garrett of Dallas, TX
We reached out to veteran stylists—Roni Jones and Sonnie Garrett, for additional insight for properly blowing out your hair out at home and let us tell you, they gave Black Girl CUrls quite an earful to share with you all.
These industry vets have worked with a lot of tight curlies + naturals behind-the-chair who like to occasionally get their hair blown out. We understand getting to the salon may not always be an option for some, so we wanted to be sure that you all have an understanding of how to go about achieving a successful blow-out at home.
We also want you to know that while we are gathering insight from the pros—it’s highly unlikely that you will get a finish that mimics a salon one. However, with the proper information you can prep your hair successfully to achieve stretched out hair that makes you proud.
Five Products For a Successful Blow Out:
1. Blow Dry Primer: Blow dry primers are setting lotions used on the hair to prime the hair for blow dry styling. This product category will not be labeled as an “actual primer” as brands have so many names for products that are available amongst their selection.
Redken Quick Blowout
Is a lightweight blow dry primer spray that can be used to prime your strands for your next blow out
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2. Leave-In: According to Roni, a leave-in can used for added moisture giving the hair a base so that you may have slip and lubrication. Sonnie says “leave-in isn’t necessary,” but it’s nice to have. Both suggest that when applying a leave-in, it should be done very conservatively.
Mizani 25 Miracle Milk
Is a favorite of many hair stylists including Carlisa Rush, who used this leave-in in our SeeSomeCurls blow out tutorials
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3. Blow Dry Balm/Cream: Blow Dry Balms are lightweight, aids in humidity defense and some even have thermal protections. Blow dry creams provide weight, shine and pliability to the hair. Blow dry balms can be layered with a blow dry cream or you can use the blow dry cream alone.
Redken Big Blowout
Is an accessible product that you find online or at your local Ulta store
Innersense Serenity Smoothing Cream
Is a blow dry cream that you can find online or at your local Ulta store
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4. Hair Serum: According to L’Oréal, professional hair serums are a liquid-based treatment usually formulated using silicones that provide a protective layer over the hair fiber, assisting in smoothing frizz. This smooth layer then reflects the light, which is how serum gives your hair a shiny, not greasy, finish.
Paul Mitchell Super
Skinny Serum
Is an accessible product that you find online or at your local Ulta store
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5. Hair Spray with Hold: Many of us probably haven’t thought much about hair spray since we had a relaxer back in the day. However, when it comes to blowing out your hair and just wearing it as is—hair spray can help to minimize frizz and shrinkage that most experience when wearing their hair stretched.
Kenra Volume Spray 25
This product comes highly recommended by stylist, Carlisa Rush. She shares that this spray has a nice firm, but flexible hold.
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Blow Dryer Options:
There are a variety of tools out on the market for blow drying your natural hair. Ultimately, what you decide to use will come down to personal preference. This list just simply provides accessible options that you can purchase online or at your local beauty retailer.
When using a blow dryer, it’s recommended to start the dryer on a low heat setting, as the specific settings will vary by brand.
Red By Kiss Handle-Less 2200 Ceramic Tourmaline Hair Dryer
According to Carlisa and Sonnie, this is a user-friendly option since it’s handle-less and ergonomic friendly
With the Red By Kiss Handle-Less dryer, we recommend starting with low speed and finishing on high.
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Dyson Supersonic™ Hair Dryer
This dryer has great heat distribution, dries quickly and has adjustable settings for heat/wind speed
With the Dyson Supersonic™ Hair Dryer, we recommend starting with medium speed + medium heat, then finishing with high speed + medium heat.
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Want more tips for how to successfully execute a blow-out at home along with recommended products? We have brand new heat styling tutorials demonstrated by licensed stylist, Carlisa Rush available now in our digital course community—The SeeSomeCurls Visual Library.
Our 1.2K+ course community of tight curl + naturals are shaving more than 50% of time off their wash day, being showered left and right with hair compliments, and are receiving direct support of a very encouraging community of tight curlies + naturals who have been exactly where you are.
