Having natural hair can feel like a full-time job. Every week, we are dedicated to a wash routine that can take hours. No matter how much we love our curls, it’s okay to feel the work is too much—with protective styling costing hundreds if not thousands these days, we seek solutions that won’t break the bank.
One of those solutions is becoming a blowout natural. This means you can take a break from your curls without the heightened risk of heat damage that can come with straightening your hair.
Because there’s been a lot of confusion around the difference between being a blowout natural and straightening our hair, we tapped hair stylist Destney Black, owner of Hair By Star Jae, to break things down. She’s been a licensed cosmetologist for over six years and is widely respected for her natural hair knowledge. Black fully understands how being a blowout natural can help natural hair enthusiasts feel empowered within their journey.
“To my knowledge and understanding, the meaning of a natural blowout would be blowing your hair out as straight as possible using a dryer on high heat. All while being able to revert to the natural state of the hair texture,” says Black. This would exclude using straighteners as it would be considered a “silk press.” The idea of being a blowout natural is to apply heat to the hair, but not too much to minimize the possibility of heat damage. This method allows naturals to bounce between blowouts and healthy natural hair freely.
Although the possibility of heat damage is enough to scare any natural away, we assure you there are also some benefits to the style. One of those benefits is being able to pick up and go without worrying about doing your hair daily. This allows the hair to be relaxed instead of constantly pulling. Black also advocates for the style due to the benefit of retaining length. She describes this as “having better manageability” by opting for the blowout style and even considering twists. Length retention can also be achieved when implementing oils to lock in hydration.
Unlike the weekly wash-and-go, Black recommends the blowout routine to be once a month. This will limit heat damage and make returning to your hair’s natural state easier. “Assuring you use a heat protector and a leave-in conditioner to coat the hair strands would minimize heat damage,” says Black. The Olaplex Heat Protector and leave-in conditioner are perfect to shield your hair from heat damage. Using their bonding oil can also prevent split ends from occurring during styling.
Once you’re ready for styling, it’s important to remember that technique is everything. Knowing how to blow out your hair correctly can limit the heat used and help your blowout last longer. “Using a concentrated nozzle with a paddle brush will provide the best blowout results!” Black’s social media provides tons of videos that showcase the power of proper technique.
One way to develop this is by watching tutorials on how to blow dry your hair correctly. A content creator and cosmetologist, Lynnae Marriee, provides a thorough tutorial on how natural beauties can achieve a blowout at home by showcasing different techniques. But the most important technique is to practice.