How to Do a Blow-Dry Wrap

By: Mimi Abney

Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images

The next time you are in a hair rut, resist the impulse to pull your hair back into an elastic tie. For a hot date, a night out on the town or an important business meeting with your boss and colleagues, a great blow-dry wrap hairstyle can give your medium-length bob or long-layered strands an instant makeover. To keep your hair super sleek between salon appointments, skip the round brush and use a flat paddle instead to flatten, smooth and dry your strands.

Step 1

Start with clean hair. Shampoo and condition hair with products that are formulated for your hair type. Towel-dry hair with an absorbent towel.

Step 2

Rake a dollop of volumizing mousse through fine hair and a pea-size amount of heat protectant or a glossing straightener through curly hair with your fingertips.

Step 3

Set blow dryer on a medium setting. Hold the hair dryer 6 to 8 inches away from your hair. With a paddle brush, blow-dry the hair straight down the hair shaft -- until it is 70 percent dry -- using the nozzle attachment.

Step 4

Divide hair into three sections. Part hair from ear to ear to isolate the nape of the neck and the back of the hair. Divide the hair down the middle from the crown to the forehead. Secure these two left and right front sections with large butterfly clamps.

Step 5

Begin flat-wrapping hair at the nape of the neck. Using the paddle brush, wrap the hair toward the scalp. Point the nozzle of the blow dryer at the roots to smooth and flatten your hair. Once the section of hair near the nape is dry, wrap this section around the paddle brush away from the scalp. Using the nozzle and the paddle brush, dry the roots in the opposite direction.

Step 6

Dry the remaining right and left sections. Start drying a 3- to 4-inch section of hair. With the paddle brush underneath the hair, stretch the hair from mid-length to the ends as you blow it dry. Seal the cuticles and avoid frizz by pointing the nozzle downward when blow-drying hair.

Step 7

Pull the brush straight through the ends instead of curling them under to flatten hair. Repeat until the two front sections are completely dry. Spritz a light shine spray on your fingertips. Rake the fingers through your hair to add shine.