Most home blowouts fall apart in the same spot, and it isn't the ends. It's the root. The lengths get all the attention, the roots never actually get lifted, and an hour later the whole thing has gone flat.
A round brush is what fixes that, but only if your tension stays even from root to end and you let the shape set before you move on. Here's how to use one, and how to get a smooth finish without cooking your hair to get there.
Start here
Work in small sections on damp hair, not wet. Point the dryer down the hair shaft, keep light tension all the way through, and let each section cool before you let it go. That last part is the step everyone skips, and it's the one that matters most, because hair sets as it cools. Release a section while it's still warm and you undo the shape you just spent a minute building.
What barrel size actually changes
Barrel size decides the kind of finish you get, not whether the blowout works.
|
Barrel |
What it does |
Finish |
|
Small |
Wraps more hair around less surface |
Tighter bend, more movement. Suits short hair and bangs. |
|
Medium |
Balances lift at the root with smoothing down the length |
Smooth with a soft curve at the ends. The most versatile of the three. |
|
Large |
Stretches hair over a wider surface |
Straighter and more polished, with less bend. |
We made one, and we made it medium, because it's the size that handles the widest range of hair and the widest range of finishes.
If your hair is longer than shoulder length, take slightly smaller sections and expect more polish than bend. If your hair is short, work closer to the root and keep your passes shorter.
Why the bristles matter
Boar bristles grip the hair and smooth the cuticle as it dries, which is the same reason a boar bristle brush gives you shine with no heat at all. On a round brush that grip is doing double duty, holding tension while the heat sets the shape.
Worth remembering that boar bristles are hair themselves, so keep the dryer moving and stay off the highest setting.
And the barrel
The Lilia is a medium barrel with a ceramic coating. Ceramic holds heat rather than shedding it the moment you stop the dryer, which is why the cooling hold in step six works as well as it does. It also means a lower heat setting goes further, which matters when the bristles are hair too.
The technique
1. Rough dry to about 80 percent. Never start on soaking hair. Wet strands stretch under tension, and you'll spend twenty minutes drying with nothing to show for it. Rough dry with your fingers or a paddle brush until your hair is barely damp, then section.
2. Detangle first, completely. A round brush dragging through a knot under hot air is where most damage starts. Get every tangle out before the barrel goes anywhere near your hair. A wet detangling brush on damp hair, working up from the ends, handles this in a minute.
3. Clip into four, then work small. Take pieces no wider than the barrel of The Lilia itself. Small sections dry faster and hold their shape, and oversized sections are the real reason home blowouts come out uneven.
4. Lift at the root before you pull down. Slide the brush under the section at the root and lift straight up, dryer above, nozzle angled down toward the ends. Two or three seconds of heat right there is where all your volume comes from. Then roll the brush down the length in one continuous pass.
5. Keep the nozzle pointed down. Air moving down the hair closes the cuticle. Air moving up opens it, and an open cuticle reads as frizz. Use the concentrator nozzle. This is what it's for.
6. Roll under, hold, and cool. At the ends, roll the brush under and hold for five to ten seconds with the heat off. Cool air or no air, either works. Because the ceramic stays warm after the dryer stops, the section keeps setting in your hand, so use temperature as your cue rather than a count. Touch the hair, and if there's any warmth left, hold longer.
7. Finish with a paddle brush. Once you're dry, run a paddle boar bristle brush through the lengths to spread your natural oils and flatten anything left over. The Essential Boar Bristle Brush does it in a few passes.
Adjusting for your hair
Fine or thin hair: lower heat, and overdirect the section forward at the root for lift. Fine hair sets quickly, so shorter passes keep you from overworking it.
Thick or coarse hair: smaller sections than you think you need, and rough dry a little further first, closer to 90 percent.
Curly or wavy hair: stretch the curl on the first pass rather than trying to smooth and shape at the same time. Two light passes beat one aggressive one every time.
Short hair: work from the back forward so your front sections stay fresh for the final shape.
Making heat styling sustainable
Heat styling isn't the problem. Heat styling on hair that's already dry and fragile is. If a blowout is part of your week, the goal is keeping your hair strong enough to take it. Growing Season Burdock Hair Growth Oil is a pre-shampoo treatment made with a 50 percent infusion of burdock root and nettle, two botanicals used for generations to strengthen hair. Apply it to your scalp, massage it in, leave it 30 minutes or overnight, then wash.
Questions we get
Should my hair be wet or dry?
Damp, around 80 percent dry. Soaking hair stretches under tension and takes forever to set. Fully dry hair won't take shape at all.
Why does my blowout fall flat right away?
One of two things. You let the section go while it was still warm, or you never lifted at the root. Hold each section until it's cool, and lift up at the root before you pull down.
What size round brush should I use?
Barrel size changes the finish more than it changes whether the technique works. Smaller barrels give more bend, larger ones give a straighter result. A medium barrel handles the widest range of lengths, which is why The Lilia is a medium.
Can I use a round brush on curly hair?
Yes. Stretch the curl on the first pass instead of trying to smooth and shape in one go. Small sections, and detangle completely before any heat.
How do I avoid heat damage?
Detangle before you dry, keep the dryer moving, and stay off the highest setting. Boar bristles will scorch under sustained direct heat, and so will your hair. Finish with cool air instead of more heat.
Closing
The brush gets you the shape. The rest of your routine is what keeps your hair strong enough to take the heat week after week.
The Lilia is available now. Have a look at the full brush and tool collection to pair it with the right everyday brush.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.