Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo

I absolutely love going to the salon. Surprisingly, though, I rarely go and the hairdresser never fails to comment on my split ends. But when I do go, I take advantage of its services. I always get my hair washed because no shampoo ever smells as good as the salon shampoo and if they ask me if I want my hair left curly and wet or blown out and dry, I say, you guessed it, “Blown out, please.” And for finishing touches, they usually ask me “Would you like some MOROCCANOIL?” Yes please, Moroccan me up!
 

Once the hairdresser has finished washing, pulling, trimming, and styling, I jump off the seat, pay and tip her, then walk out feeling like a totally different person. My hair feels soft, free of split ends, and full of life. Throughout the rest of the day I walk, turn around, and say, “What smells SO good?” Oh yeah, it’s my hair.
 
When it’s time to shower again, it’s always disappointing when you have to use your own regular cucumber melon daily moisturizing shampoo and wash away any remnants of the salon shampoo. (You can usually get away with a good blowout to last for a few days. Apply a small amount of baby powder to eliminate the greasy look.) When I do have to wash my hair again, it feels healthy but doesn’t look like a professional just styled it. And then I figured out how to give myself the perfect DIY hair treatment. 
 
Although it’s important to get your hair cut every few months, you can easily get the perfect blowout right in your own bedroom!
 
Step #1: Shampoo and condition.
If you really want to invest in a salon shampoo, talk to your hairdresser after the appointment to find out the particular shampoo and conditioner she uses and how much it costs. Sometimes they can get a bit pricey so find out if there are other alternatives that are similar but can be purchased at your local drugstore for a cheaper price.
 
I always condition my ends because they get extra dried out from my heat iron. (Remember, conditioner should be for your hair, not for your scalp!) Be sure to dry your hair but don’t rub at it (you also lose more hair that way). Use your towel to pat dry your hair.
 
Step #2: Choose your favorite product and apply to hair.
After my hairdresser used MOROCCANOIL on my hair, I had to get the product and I think it is amazing to use for the perfect blowout! The oil actually revives hair while strengthening and conditioning. It also reduces
drying time. Apply a small amount (it’s oil…don’t empty out the whole bottle onto your hair). I sometimes also use MOROCCANOIL Hydrating Style Cream. This product hydrates the hair, provides a soft hold, and facilitates movement. It is best to refrain from using any gel products while trying to give yourself the perfect blowout. Gel usually hardens and makes it difficult to style appropriately. However, if you have really thin hair and want some oomph, use a small amount of thickening spray. But since my hair is pretty thick as is, I usually skip this part. If you want to try a cheaper hair product, Garnier Fructis also has a PERFECT blowout product called Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector that transforms hair into frizz-free beauty! The product has a Heat-Activated Perfect-It cream. Apply this to your towel dried hair. 
 
Step #3: Dry your hair and divide in sections.
Freely blow-dry the hair. Make sure you get rid of excess water and moisture. After you do this, divide your hair into small sections. I don’t use ponytail elastics because I always end up pulling out my hair.
 
Step #4: Use your fingers and a boar bristle round brush.
When you start, use your fingers to comb through your hair from the roots. Take the blow dryer and start drying. After you’ve done this to dry your roots, take a round brush and brush through your hair as you blow dry. Put the nozzle of the dryer directly downward on to your hair to eliminate frizz. I usually put my head down and flip my hair over so that I can straighten out the back evenly as well. To maximize bounce and volume, I comb my fingers throughout my whole head of hair while blow-drying and then to finish I blow-dry my ends once more.
 
Step #5:  Apply finishing touches.
Now that I’m close to having the perfect blowout I finish by applying my Revlon hair serum and the MOROCCANOIL Glimmer Shine spray, both which eliminate frizz and add shine.
 

Well there you have it, collegiettes™! Instead of spending fifty bucks at your salon, you can get it all done right in the comfort or your own dorm room. Flaunt it, love it, and do it again next week!
 
Sources:
http://www.moroccanoil.com/en/our-products.html
http://www.garnierusa.com/_en/_us/home.aspx
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/hair-articles/get-the-perfect-blowout-0309
http://beauty.about.com/od/hairbasics/ht/blowout.htm

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Michelle Golden is a senior Writing, Literature and Publishing major at Emerson College working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts. A transfer from Ithaca College in upstate New York, Michelle moved to the center of the Theatre District right outside of the Boston Common at the beginning of her sophomore year. Michelle is the relationships editor for em magazine, Emerson’s only campus lifestyle publication and previously one of the features writers. She has interned at OK! Magazine and Us Weekly in New York in the beauty department. She is currently interning half the week at Her Campus and the other half at Cosmopolitan. Michelle has also been actively involved with Teen Voices magazine located in Boston, Massachusetts working with teen girls all over the world and Music Unites, a non-profit based in New York City that raises awareness and funding for music programs in inner-city schools. Email her at michellegolden@hercampus.com.