You've probably heard of manicures and martinis before. How about blowout lessons and bellinis? That's just what the Oscar Blandi Salon in Manhattan is offering to its clients.
For $250, attendees of the class have one-on-one instruction time with a stylist. "Everyone’s nervous," Blandi told the New York Times. "This is why we have Bellinis," he added. Find some of his tips from the class when you read more
Readers, I have fallen off the wagon. I have a strange desire (during this particularly humid week) to blow-dry my hair straight. I know it's not the best thing for my hair, but this time I got a reinforcement: I bought Conair’s Infiniti Tourmaline Brush ($12.99) after realizing I no longer even owned a round-barrel brush.
I've had blowouts in swank salons where they hold a round brush upright at the end and pull it straight down to create a perfect wave at the bottom of your hair. The spiral openings in this Tourmaline-infused brush some how make it possible to do that yourself, without getting one strand of hair caught on the bristles (OK, or handle. I have a lot of hair). Do you guys have a Holy Grail hair brush?
Infomercials are always trying to sell us on gadgets we really don't need, and the latest to catch my eye is the Blo & Go ($29.99). Former model Laurie Coleman, who is married to Republican senator Norm Coleman, created the hair dryer holster to help her blow-drying go more quickly. The device, which attaches to flat surfaces, is meant to make blow-drying go faster while sparing your arms from the crippling tiredness that results from hairstyling. (In all fairness, this could be a legitimate concern for some older people with weak arms, but for most of us, is blow-drying that physically taxing?)
The Washington Post got a kick out of the name in an article about the Blo & Go, pointing out the sexual undertones of the name:
"I didn't think of that," she says. And then she goes further to point out that the name wasn't even her idea. It came out of a committee. It was all in the brainstorming, during which "Freedom Styler" was rejected. And so it went: You get your hair blown out. You need a blowout. You get blown . . . out. And then you go. Bingo: "Blo & Go!"
I think the Post is stretching a little bit with its innuendo findings — I'm more amused by the six-armed model in the infomercial — but maybe I'm a Pollyanna. This product isn't for me, and some consumers may be turned off (or turned on) by Colemans' conservative social values. But overall, I'm left wondering: Who would buy this? Would you?
To find out what you use to get a great blowout in the comfort of your own home, I asked you what your favorite products are. For beautylaw, that perfect find is Kerastase Serum Oleo-Relax Leave-In Treatment. She says it gets her dry, coarse hair looking like she just left the salon, and while pricey, it lasts about two years. It looks like wren prefers the Matrix Biolage Fortifying Leave-In Treatment, saying that it makes her naturally curly hair so smooth and straight that she feels like she's in a hair commercial.
Most of you favored leave-in treatments, so I'm going to have to check one or two of these out... A big thanks to all of you who participated. Browse the rest of your picks below.
I am all about embracing natural beauty, but sometimes it's fun to change up our everyday look, especially for a special occasion. If you happen to have wavy or curly hair, getting a sleek blowout is a surefire way to feel fancy. To help you get this look at home, I've put together a list of must-have products that will help eliminate the damage to your hair while achieving the look.
Frederic Fekkai Technician Mask ($35) is the most moisturizing mask I've ever put on my hair. It protects against damage by closing and sealing the hair shaft. I won't let a blow-dryer near my hair without using this first.
Dove Advanced Care Heat Shield Styling Spray ($5) is a heat-protecting leave-in, and products like this are essential for a silky blow-dry. This thermal protecting spray will coat your strands and absorb the heat from your styling tools so that your hair follicles don't.
For two more hair helpers, read more
