How to Make a Blowout Last Longer (Night One to Day Four)
Start with clean hair dried completely at the roots, and let each section cool before releasing it. At night, twist hair into a loose high bun with a soft scrunchie or claw clip and sleep on silk or satin. Use dry shampoo at the roots before hair looks oily, avoid steam, and refresh the crown with rollers.
“A blowout doesn't fall on day three. It falls in the first hour, when the roots were still a little damp and every section was let go while hot. Get the drying right and everything after it is just maintenance.”Her take
Start the blowout right
Wash thoroughly so the roots are properly clean; any leftover oil or product makes a blowout drop faster. Put conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends only, and rinse well. Heavy masks or oils at the roots weigh the style down.
Use a light heat protectant and keep stronger smoothing products for the ends. If you live somewhere humid, a lightweight anti-frizz product helps the smooth finish hold.
Dry completely and cool every section
Roots that are even slightly damp are the main reason a blowout collapses. Rough-dry until hair is mostly dry, then work section by section, and check the roots with your fingers before moving on.
Shape is set as hair cools, not while it's hot. After drying each section over a round brush, hit it with the cool-shot button, or wrap it around a self-grip roller and leave it while you do the rest of your hair.
How to protect a blowout overnight
Gather your hair loosely on top of your head and twist it into a loose bun, then secure it with a soft scrunchie or a claw clip so there's no crease. A high bun keeps hair off the pillow, and when you take it down in the morning it adds a bend at the ends.
A silk or satin pillowcase creates less friction than cotton, so there's less frizz and fewer kinks. If you prefer, a silk scarf wrapped around the head works the same way.
Use dry shampoo before you need it
Spray dry shampoo at the roots the evening of day one or two, before hair looks oily. Applied ahead of time, it absorbs oil as it forms, and it gives you time to let it sit before brushing it through in the morning.
Hold the can at the distance the label suggests, lift sections, spray at the roots only, wait a few minutes, then massage and brush. Too much at once leaves a dull, gritty finish.
Keep steam and sweat away
Steam undoes a blowout quickly. Wear a shower cap, shower with the bathroom door open or the fan on, and keep showers short. Leave the bathroom before you put on makeup if it's still steamy.
On workout days, choose lower-sweat sessions, wear your hair up in a loose, soft tie, and use a cotton headband at the hairline. Let the roots air out and cool before you take your hair down.
How to refresh a blowout on day three or four
Put two or three large self-grip rollers in at the crown while you get dressed, give them a quick blast of warm air, and let them cool. Take them out last and the volume comes back.
For flat ends, run a round brush through with a little low heat, or pin the ends into a loose twist for ten minutes. If the roots are past saving, a sleek low bun or a high ponytail is the stylish way to finish the week.
- Day 1: leave it alone.
- Day 2: dry shampoo at the roots before bed.
- Day 3: rollers at the crown, a little dry shampoo again.
- Day 4: refresh the ends, or style it up.
Questions people ask
How long should a blowout last?
Usually a few days, depending on your hair type, how oily your scalp gets and the weather. Fine hair tends to drop sooner than thick hair.
What's the best way to sleep with a blowout?
A loose high bun secured with a soft scrunchie or claw clip, on a silk or satin pillowcase.
Can I work out with a blowout?
Yes, with a loose tie, a headband at the hairline and lower-sweat workouts. Let your roots dry before you let your hair down.
Does dry shampoo work better at night?
Many people find it does, because it has time to absorb oil before morning and blends in more easily.
The takeaway
Dry the roots completely, cool every section, sleep in a loose high bun on silk, use dry shampoo early and keep steam away.
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