Five Tips for a Bang-Up Blow-Dry

(Istockphoto)

The problem with our hair is, well, it has to be done -- or perhaps we should say something needs to be done with it. Though some of our grandmothers and mothers had their hair coiffed every week, we are a self-reliant bunch, winging it and sometimes falling flat (and frizzy) in the process.

Steve Tran, co-owner of the new Studio Ten83 in Potomac, and stylist Mary Bakley are masters of the blow-dry. They occasionally host blow-dry classes at the salon and offer these tips to help you style your hair like the pros.

Use the right equipment."Don't use a hair dryer from a drugstore," Tran says. "It blows hair differently than professional hair dryers, which blow a more consistent heat." Pick up a professional hair dryer from a beauty supply store or salon, and while you're shopping, grab some of those clips stylists use and a brush -- round to straighten hair and a paddle brush for long tresses.

Slather on the hair products. Tran says to simply read the labels and buy the right product for your hair type. "But definitely use products" to accent your style and protect your hair, he says. He recommends the Kerastase brand and, for summer especially, Kerastase Soliel -- a line that claims to protect against too much sun exposure.

Tame your bangs. Bangs can ruin an otherwise good hair day, says Tran, whose own bangs fall perfectly. "Bangs have cowlicks, so you want to get to the bangs before they dry and the cowlicks take over." Bakley's method: Do the reverse of what you think you should do. "Blow-dry bangs in the opposite direction that you wear them" for straight, soft-swept bangs, she says.

Give yourself a power dry. Blow-dry for three to five minutes to get the moisture out of your hair before picking up that new brush. Tran suggests combing your fingers through your locks while blowing your hair in different directions. (Those with curly locks should attach a diffuser.)

Separate into sections. Once the dampness is out, you're ready to make your hair smooth and silky. That's where the clips come in: Divvy up your hair into eight sections -- two on top, two on each side, and two in the back. Then remember one word: down. With the hair dryer in one hand and a brush in the other, "blow downward from the root to the end," Tran says. This creates smoothness and shine and rids you of the frizzies. If you've power-dried, you need to do this only two to three times per section, Tran says.

-- Cari Shane Parven