“It’s hard to give yourself that blowout that you get in a salon,” Drybar founder Alli Webb told DuJour at the blowout specialist’s Tribeca location (one of 5 spots in Manhattan). But, if Webb can figure out how to build an empire of hair salons that don’t do cuts or color across the country, she can teach women how to perfect the at-home blowout.
“You’ve got to allow yourself a lot of time so that oyu can really do it,” she explained. “People try to do their own blowout in 20 minutes, but it takes us like 45! If you take the time and follow the steps, then you can do it.” Her support for DIY blowouts is echoed in Drybar’s new product line, which includes a shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, mousse and everything else you might need.
“The 100 proof is one of my favorites,” Webb said of the line’s treatment oil ($35), which comes in spray-form, “and the Hot Toddy,” a heat protector and frizz fighter ($33). But it’s also about the basics: “I’m really excited about the shampoo and conditioner,” she explained, “that’s such an important place to start. So many people underestimate how important it is to start with clean hair. If you don’t have clean hair then it’s just an uphill battle at that point. If your hair has any leftover residue or oil then it just doesn’t blow out well.”
With Webb’s support, we took the blowout challenge. Step one: shampoo. Step two: condition. Then things got tricky. With a combination of the Hot Toddy and the Cream Soda (smoothing cream, $27) applied to damp, clean hair, it was time to blow-dry. While moving slowly was a challenge, Webb’s words echoed in our ears. (“If you don’t give yourself a great blowout, then your hair will look frizzier – just because you didn’t finish it and left it 95% dry.”) A little bit of the Chaser (shine pomade, $28), and spritzes of both the Money Maker (hairspray, $25) and 100 proof were the perfect finishing touches. While it wasn’t quite like the professionals, it was certainly a noticable hair improvement. Day 2 (and 3, if we’re being honest) just required a little of Detox (dry shampoo).
