Newsflash! The blow dry is back and it's bigger than ever - and all you need to do to achieve it is invest in the best hairdryer. Tune into TikTok once in a while and you'll likely spot a few big and bouncy blow dries in and amongst your feed. Yep, Gen Z have locked on to the hair trend that kicked off in the 90s and gathered momentum when the likes of Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington all took to shoot after shoot, red carpet after red carpet and runway after runway with full, freshly blow dried lengths. Since then blow dry bars have gradually sprung up in the UK and the love of a good blow dry has remained constant. The look surged in popularity when a glossy-haired Kate Middleton stepped into the spotlight with a brand new engagement ring and brunette blow dry in 2010 and most recently Michelle Obama sent the internet into meltdown when she stepped out in front of the cameras at President Biden's inauguration flaunting a mass of gleaming, beautifully curled hair. TikTok influencers too have caused sales of heated rollers and hot brushes to surge with demos of achieving their own full and fluffy blow dries. The blow dry legacy, it seems, is going from strength to strength, so we couldn't wait to take a deep dive into its roots (no pun intended) as well as round up our top-tips for achieving that freshly blow dried look at home as we wait, ever patiently, for our beloved salons to reopen their doors on 12th April.
Browse: The Best Blow Dries To Date
Best Blow Dry Looks - Grazia 2021
1 of 10Cindy Crawford, 1991
Cindy Crawford rocked a number of big, bouncy blow dries back in the 90s and we can't get enough of them.
2 of 10Cindy Crawford, 1992
Another iconic blow dry courtesy of Cindy Crawford.
3 of 10Naomi Campbell, 1991
Naomi Campbell serves up a beautifully sleek blow dry look whilst walking for Laura Biagiotti in 1991.
4 of 10Christy Turlington, 1994
Christy Turlington's full brunette blow-dry ticks 90s hair trend boxes and then some.
5 of 10Tyra Banks, 1997
Is this the perfect blow-dry? We think so. Tyra Banks shows us how it's done.
6 of 10Naomi Campbell, 1992
A long and luscious freshly-blow-dried hair look from Naomi Campbell.
7 of 10Kate Middleton, 2010
Flash forward to 2010 and the then Kate Middleton, soon to be the Duchess of Cambridge's hair sends the nation into another blow-dry-obsessed spin.
8 of 10Duchess of Cambridge, 2012
And Kate continues to flaunt her love of a good blow-dry to this day.
9 of 10Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is renowned for her beautiful blow-dry looks and even sent the internet into meltdown over her glossy curls during her appearance at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
10 of 10Kamala Harris, 2020
Speaking of the inauguration let's not forget Vice President Kamala Harris and her beautiful blow dries too.
Watch: The TikTok Blow Dry
Full and fluffy blow dried hair looks are the order of the day on TikTok but intricate round brush and hairdryer routines need not apply. Instead influencers are showing how that legendary blow dried look can be achieved at home the easier way - all you need is the right hair tool. Whether you're using a hot brush or heated rollers it seems that longed for freshly blow dried look is easier to achieve at home than ever. Here Cynthia Dhimdhis shows us how it's done with a set of heated rollers.
Shop: The Best Heated Rollers To Buy Now For That Blow-Dried Look At Home
Best Heated Rollers - Grazia 2022
1 of 6T3 Volumising Hot Rollers Luxe, £124.95
Summary: For beautiful waves and glamorous volume with eye-popping shine.Product Specifications: The set is made up of four large rollers and four XL rollers. They have two heat settings for maximum control.Pros/Cons: The flocked surface makes for tangle-free removal, never underestimate an asset like that when it comes to heated rollers!
2 of 6BaByliss Pro 30 Piece, £70 Heated Ceramic Roller Set, £75
Summary: A set of 30 ceramic heated rollers in varying sizes (6 x small, 8 x medium, 8 x large, 8 x XL).Product Specifications: Two temperature settings and the set includes 15 super clips and 30 colour coded metal pins.Pros/Cons: This is the ultimate set if you're a fan of heated rollers, and if you have a lot of hair the 30 strong set is a must-buy.
3 of 6BaByliss Curl Pods, £60
Summary: These all-in-one pods eliminate the need for clips. You simply wrap your hair around the barrel and snap it shut to keep in place.Product Specifications: Contains 18 large curl pods.Pros/Cons: An easy-to-use product that offers great results.
4 of 6BaByliss Boutique Hair Rollers, £50
Summary: 12 large thermo ceramic heated rollers that add body, shine and curl to hair.Product Specifications: Includes 12 clips to secure hair in place without leaving kinks.Pros/Cons: The soft touch coating ensures easy application and removal.This product is coming soon. Add to your wishlist to receive an in stock email notification from Look Fantastic
5 of 6Remington PROluxe Heated Hair Rollers, £48
Summary: 8 medium and 12 large flocked heated rollers with clips.Product Specification: These heat up in a matter of 90 seconds and set hair in 5 minutes, talk about speedy!Pros/Cons: A good looking set that comes in at a great price too, what's not to love?!
6 of 6Cloud Nine The O Heated Roller Set, £169
Summary: 4 small (30mm) rollers, 4 medium (40mm rollers), and 4 large (50mm rollers). The set also includes The O Pod, clips, an accessorises case, and an eco-friendly water bottle. Product Specification: The rollers will become heated in 4 seconds, for a blow dry look in minutes. They heat up once in the hair, rather than in your hands, to concentrate precise temperatures onto the hair for the most effective styling.Pros/Cons: The ideal rollers for quick and stylish hair, perfect for those with short to medium length hair.
How To Blow-Dry Your Hair At Home The Pro Way
We caught up with blow-dry maestro Andrew John at the Charles Worthington salon to find out just how to work your way through an at-home blow dry in five steps if you've got mid-length to long hair.
Step 1: Apply a 10p-sized amount of Charles Worthington Salon Shine Results Hair Healer Leave in Conditioner (£5.49) to your hair BEFORE combing it through with a wide-toothed comb. Brushes = breakages, so it's worth investing in that comb...
Step 2: Choose a wide-barrelled brush (the longer your hair, the wider the barrel needs to be). To begin blow-drying, imagine your hair is split into eight sections (four on each side of your parting) that start at the nape of the neck and finish around your face.
Step 3: Comb a small section through at the nape of the neck and pin the rest of your hair back. Place the brush underneath the section, pushing it right into the root. Blow-dry with the nozzle of the dryer pointing down the hair shaft, moving it from root to tip, to keep get that sleek and glossy finish. Roll under at the tips and hold the dryer on the final part for a few sections to achieve a slight under curl.
Step 4: Repeat step 3 for all eight sections of the hair. For fine baby hairs around the face, take the fly-away section between your first and second fingers, pull it back tightly and swoop the dryer along from root to tip.
Step 5: Find your perfect root-lift point by rubbing your hand over the crown of your head - where it feels flattest is where you need to boost volume the most. Section this piece of hair off, place the brush at the root again and brush it FORWARDS up and over the head as you blow-dry from root to tip. To achieve maximum root-lift, leave another barrel brush or a velcro roller curled under at the root of this section for a few minutes. Blast the hair with the cold button on your dryer to 'set' the hair in place. Voila!
Shop: The Best Hot Brushes To Buy Now For That Freshly Blow Dried Look At Home
Best Hot Air Brushes UK - Grazia
1 of 8BaByliss Big Hair Care Hot Air Styler, £70
Summary: For a polished finish, give this hot tool a whirl. The rotating brush easily glides through the hair with soft bristles to detangle and smooth. Plus, sensor protect technology ensures the heat it evenly spread over the barrel so strands don't dry out.Details: There are three hot and cold settings, ionic frizz control and a swivel cord to easily reach your hair at the back. Use once your hair is 80% dry. Pros/Cons: It can be difficult to perfect the technique when using this tool - the barrel spinning quickly can take getting used to - but once you have practiced you will have a sleek finish.
2 of 8Revlon Salon One-Step Hair dryer and Volumiser, £69.99
Summary: This innovative oval brush has been designed to create volume at the roots and curl at the ends. Ideal for short and mid-length hair, simply section your hair before lifting it and wrapping it around the barrel. Details: Two heat settings (select high for thick or coarse hair and low for fine and thin hair), ceramic coating to reduce heat damage and a mix of nylon and boar bristles to detangle, smooth and add shine. Pros/Cons: This is a reduced sized tool which makes it easy to use and manoeuvre. However, if you have longer hair this is not the one for you.
3 of 8ghd Glide Hot Brush, £139
Summary: A speedy, easy to use hot brush that tames and smooths dry hair effortlessly. Great for second day hair, the ions control frizz while the heat straightens hair for a full, soft finish (rather than poker straight). Details: Ceramic technology controls frizz. A mix of short and long bristles smooth strands. After 60-minutes of non-use, the brush automatically goes into sleep mode for peace of mind. Pros/Cons: The ghd Hot Brush reaches optimum styling temperature of 185C, meaning less damage to your hair. Tick!
4 of 8Remington Flexibrush Steam CB4N, £15.65
Summary: Another hot brush designed to be used on dry hair, this skinny barrel creates a loose curl when you wrap your hair around it. Use with steam for added hold. Details: Reservoir tank, can be used with or without water. Two comb lengths to suit your styling needs and heats up to 140 degrees in just 60 seconds. Pros/Cons: There is a clever curl release button on this tool which releases your hair to prevent tugging and breakage.
5 of 8AEVO Hot Air Brush, £35.99
Summary: A do-it-all wonder brush that can dry, straighten and curl your hair. Go for the hot mode for fast drying, the low mode for styling and the cool mode for adding shining. Triple tick!Details: Ionic technology reduces frizz and the 360 degree swivel cord makes it super easy to use. Pros/Cons: It has a combination of nylon teeth and tufted bristles to detangle your hair while giving your scalp a massage - dreamy!
6 of 8EGO Vitality Smoothing Hot Air Brush, £34.99
Summary: An affordable hot air brush that comes complete with three brush attachments – one to enhance shine, one to add volume and one to smooth strands. Begin by blow drying your hair until it's 80% dry before picking your attachment for your desired finish. Details: 300W-500W for a choice of cooler, more gentle or hotter, faster drying. The brush also features Tourmaline Ceramic with ionic conditioning for super smoothing results.Pros/Cons: Each attachment works differently on each hair length, so find what works best for you. The larger barrel creates volume for longer hair; the smaller barrel works best for shorter hair; and the vent brush detangles to create a smooth finish.
7 of 8Revamp Progloss Perfect Blow Dry - Volumiser Hot Air Styler, £59.99
Summary: With several 5-star reviews, this powerful tool dries, detangles and styles your hair in one fell sweep. The oval ceramic barrel gets right to the root to add volume for a salon-worthy finish. Details: Customise your blow-dry with three heat and three speed settings, include a cool option to set your hair in place. Oh and it's infused with Progloss oils for added shine. Pros/Cons: This is super lightweight which makes styling more flexible and comfortable to do.
8 of 8ghd Rise Hot Brush, £169
Summary: The ghd rise is slimmer than your regular hot brush and its MO is to give maximum volume at the root and allow you to curl in that blow-dry-esque flick at the ends of your hair too.Product Specifications: The barrel is 32mm wide and the temp sticks at 185 degrees, which is the optimum temperature for styling without damaging your hair.Pros/Cons: After maximum volume and a blow-dry finish at home? This one's hard to beat. Use on dry hair only.
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