How to use your hairdryer properly

Although hairdryers are quick and effective, they can damage the hair fibre. Take a look at the following four rules on how best to use your hair dryer.

Keep your distance

After having applied a thermo-active protective treatment to your locks to prevent them from drying out, move on to blow-drying your hair. Hold the hairdryer around 20cm away from your head so that the hot air does not burn the hair fibre. If you are blow-dry styling, hold the hairdryer 5cm away from your brush.

Before blow-dry styling

Blow-dry your hair upside-down on a low heat. This allows you to pre-dry the strands at the nape of the neck and lift your hair at the roots. This will give volume to your hair and will reduce the time it takes for you to dry your hair on a high temperature.

Adjust the settings to suit your hair type

To make your hairdryer as effective as possible, select the heat and power settings according to your hair type. A medium temperature is enough for thick hair. However, use a cooler setting if your hair is fine or damaged. Consider adjusting the heat and power of the air flow as well: start on a low temperature and on maximum power (suited to your hair), then move on to a higher temperature while decreasing the speed. This is a great tip for creating movement.

To speed up blow-drying, turn up the power rather than the heat. However, be wary of doing this if your hair is fine or weakened, as you may find yourself getting your hair tangled.

Pinpoint the right accessories

Want poker straight locks? Add a concentrator nozzle. It will direct the air onto a small section of hair at a time. Style your hair on a high temperature to make your locks supple and malleable. Complete your blow-dried style strand by strand, starting at the nape of the neck and brushing downwards from the roots down to the tips. Following the brush with the hairdryer as you go.

To dry curly hair or to protect your locks to the max, opt for a diffuser. This cunning attachment gently spreads out the heat, adds volume and helps curls to keep their shape.

Finally, finish it all off with a blast of cold air to hold the style in place and add shine to your locks.