Adapting Your Blowout for Different Hair Types

Anyone who says there’s one blowout trick for all hair types is lying. Volume mousse does nothing for frizz, and frizz serum just flattens my fine hair. And don’t even get me started on brushes—mine betrays me every other day.

Fine Hair: Volume Without the Weight

My roots droop before I even finish styling. Every time. Don’t pile on conditioner—learned that the hard way. Dermatologists say go lighter, or just a pea-sized blob of volumizing mousse (the kind with proteins, maybe biotin). Brushing fine hair? Round brush or bust.

Stylists keep telling me to rough dry upside down. It’s not about blasting with heat, it’s about aiming the air at the roots. I don’t get why anyone uses shine serum on fine hair unless they want to look greasy. Don’t do it.

Featherweight heat protectant sprays supposedly keep volume, but creams? Disaster. One time I used a “hydrating primer” from a magazine and looked like I’d lost a fight with a deep fryer. Byrdie has a whole breakdown on volumizing shampoos and conditioners that won’t weigh you down, if you care.

Managing Frizz and Flyaways for Thick Hair

Thick hair and static—absolute nightmare. Especially after a blowout, it’s like static electricity central. I watch stylists use a tiny blob of leave-in cream, and somehow the hair doesn’t deflate. I switched out every shampoo with salt, and still, the flyaways stuck around.

Gloss serums with argan or coconut oil actually help. At salons, they section everything, use a boar bristle brush, and keep the dryer moving. Apparently, that seals the cuticle and keeps humidity out. I’ve seen the “cold air blast” trick so many times I just do it now, even if I’m not sure why.

Weirdly, humidity-resistant sprays on towel-damp hair actually work for thick hair. There’s this random study that claims it cuts puffiness in half, but I didn’t believe it until I tried. And anyone who says it’s “all about the brush” clearly hasn’t dealt with three-day buildup and tangled layers.

Beachy Waves on Medium and Wavy Hair

My cousin’s wavy hair always looks like she lives at the beach. I’m convinced it’s mousse, not magic. Heatless twists? Never beat a good blowout, sorry. You still need moisture, just not heavy oils—shea butter or aloe sprays labeled “curl-defining” are solid bets.

Pros use diffuser attachments, scrunch the ends, zigzag the part. They ignore the roots until the last minute, then add mousse just at the tips. I tried copying this flat iron trick after blow-drying, but only on not-totally-dry hair. Otherwise, it fries.

Hairspray? Just a mist, not a shell. Keeps things flexible. If your waves are uneven, don’t stress about perfect sections—medium hair does whatever it wants with the weather anyway.

Key Habits for Achieving Lasting Volume

Why does my hair only look good when nobody’s around or right before bed? Volume isn’t magic. Every stylist I’ve watched is obsessed with roots and how products layer. Humidity, pillowcases, bad technique—it’s rarely random, even if it feels like it is.

Maintaining the Lift at the Roots

I look ridiculous, blow-drying upside down, elbow in the air. But roots are everything. Stylists attack the root zone with a round brush and heat, yanking up each section and blasting it dry. Duckbill clips? Changed my life. Nobody tells you about them until you steal the idea. They hold the crown up while everything cools, so you get a bend that survives even a sprint to the train. Forget them and my hair’s flat by noon.

I use a little dry shampoo at the roots, even on clean hair. Pros say it boosts lift and soaks up oil. I never understood the “direct airflow downward” thing until I realized sideways air just tangles everything.

One stylist gave me the weirdest tip: section, tight brush, three-second heat, cool shot—repeat. Sometimes I overdo it and fry a patch, but it’s still less flat than if I skipped the step. Go figure.

Layering Products for Touchable Hold

Why does mousse get such a bad rap? Seriously, people act like it’s some ancient relic from a mall photo shoot, but if I skip it, my hair’s flat by noon and I’m just annoyed at myself. I slap on a lightweight volumizer, maybe a root spray if I remember, but mousse? Non-negotiable. I mean, I’ve tried skipping steps, but then everything’s limp and sad. Supposedly, salon folks keep harping on about the “right order”—damp hair, mousse, blow-dry, and just a hint of flexible hairspray. I don’t know, maybe they’re onto something because when I mess with the order, I get sticky, crunchy, or just slippery hair that won’t hold anything. Layering isn’t some science, but it’s not a random free-for-all either. Too much mousse at the roots? Disaster. I’ve ruined a blowout that way and then just stared at my hair in the mirror like, “Why?”

A stylist once told me, don’t end with heavy oil if you want volume. Still feels weird, but it’s true—silicone serums drag everything down, and dry texturizer powder can save a style if things get sad by lunch. My friend does this thing where she sprays hairspray on her round brush and brushes it through her ends. Sounds odd, works better than you’d think. I tried it, and my hair actually stayed put after I jammed a beanie on. No universal trick, though—what works for her doesn’t always work for me. Hair’s weird.