6 Tricks To Better Your Blowout
Sure, perfecting your cut and color are always on the top of your to-do list, but creating the perfect style thanks to a blow-dry done right? Nothing compares to that feeling. You know, the one you get when your client looks in the mirror after you’ve worked all your behind-the-chair magic and falls in love with her freshly-dried hair that’s full of volume and life? Yeah, that one.
Getting to that place where you’re completely comfortable with your blow-dryer and brush might be another story, though. That’s why BTC called up blow-drying expert and Denman’s Senior International Educator Paul Stafford to get all the details on how he creates the perfect blow-dry.
Paul has represented Denman for more than 20 years,
and is the brand’s main platform artist.
For Paul, it all starts with Denman. “I don’t believe in other brushes because I quite simply don’t believe they have the heritage, traditions or the relationship with hairstylists that Denman has,” says Paul. And as he’s a three-time Winner of the Northern Ireland Hairdresser of the Year award, we know we can trust him! Here are a few tips for perfecting your blow-dry!
The Blow-Dry Consultation
Paul says the consultation is key whenever you’re working with clients, and that consulting about the blow-dry should never be overlooked. “As hairdressers, we do know what’s best—but you need to know how the client wants to look. It’s too presumptuous to think we know how they want their hair styled during the blow-dry,” said Paul.
Learn Your Brushes, Perfect Your Skills
According to Paul and the rest of the Denman team, there are six brushes every stylist should have to start their careers with. They include: the D3 Classic Styling Brush the Denman Volumizing Brush, the D83 Paddle Brush, the Denman Boar Bristle Grooming Brush and the large and small Denman Head Hugger Brush. Paul said stylists sometimes get themselves into a situation where they use the wrong brushes, making them think they are not good at blow-drying—don’t let that be you! Learn your brushes and know what you can do with each one.
When You Get Nervous…Just Do It
Ask your client how they do their own hair. Once you see how the client does their hair on a day-to-day basis, you’ll get an idea of what their expectations are. “A lot of times your client’s styling is not on the level of what you can do—that means it should be game on. At the very least you’re going to do a better job than what they see almost every day,” Paul said. Don’t let your nerves get the best of you, you’re the educated expert in this situation!
Practice The Unfamiliar
“Master what’s unfamiliar. To beat the demons you might have to be unfamiliar with the products. For example, if you’re someone who always uses a D3, try to do the same job with a Head Hugger, the results might not be exactly the same, but it will give you more confidence and more knowledge about how your tools work and what you can do with them,” said Paul.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Paul said a lot of times, stylists with long hair prefer clients with long hair, but when you’re working behind the chair you are only hindering yourself if you choose to work on specific hair types. Force yourself to practice and understand how to work with all types and lengths of hair. It will greatly help you in the long run.
Market Yourself
According to Paul, marketing yourself is simple—you have to be online and showing your work. When it comes to marketing yourself as a blow-drying specialist, make it known that you’re not just using the tools, but that you’re a total expert. Have a fellow stylist record you while you work, then put that on Instagram. In order for your clients or followers to understand your skills, you must show them the before, the after and everything in between.
Watch Paul work his magic behind the chair using Denman Brushes!
