Before Eric Vaughn’s blowout magic. And after! Zoom- and photo-ready.
At Rev Salon in Houston, owner Eric Vaughn, Master Artistic Educator for Wet Brush and Bio Ionic is a bit of a blowout savant, turning out five to eight gorgeous, full, sexy finishes a day for his glam-loving clients. So it’s no wonder he’s in favor of reprising proper blowout strategies. “I see a lot of hairdressers doing the power dry and then going in with a curling iron,” says Eric. “But giving a proper round brush blowout and smoothing the cuticle helps the shape last longer than with a curling iron. Plus you can smooth, style and add body and finesse with a round brush.”
See Eric demonstrate his signature round brush blowout/set.
To get the very best out of your blowout, advises Eric, be sure hair is 75% dry before you ever pick up a brush. Then round brush and dry small sections and don’t stop until every single hair is completely dry. Eric uses a diffuser to heat up his rolled sections thoroughly, then switches to the cool shot to lock the shapes into place. Once you’ve finished, go back and use your brush to polish the ends. “We tend to concentrate on the base and forget the ends,” Eric explains. “But finishing the ends beautifully makes your blowout look so much more polished and last so much longer.”
Here are more tips for beautifully executed blowouts!
The shapes of things to come: the new Wet Brush Pro BreakFree™ collection.
One Size and Shape Does Not Fit All Sections, So Mix Up Your Brushes.
Using just one round brush for all your blowouts is so last year. For example, for the blowout he demos above, Eric uses a “wardrobe” of brushes from the new Wet Brush Pro BreakFree™ collection. He chooses the smaller Volume and Body Round Brush for the shorter face frame sections because the concave shape snugs up super close to the root for maximum boost. For the remaining top sections, he opts for the larger Smooth and Shine Round Brush, which produces loads of lift on the longer top sections. He dries subsequent lengths with the Smooth and Shape Round Brush, which speeds up blowout time due to its open and vented technology, followed by the Straighten and Style Round Brush to polish up the look.
Round brushes don’t necessarily have to be round to get the job done. Wet Brush BreakFree™ square and concave shapes are evolved to provide faster drying and better performance on specific hair types.
A Square Round Brush? Yes, It’s a Thing
Modern brushes have busted the mold with new shapes that actually achieve a variety of results. “When I first saw the square shaped Smooth and Shape Round Brush from the Wet Brush BreakFree™ collection, it took awhile to wrap my head around it,” says Eric. “I didn’t get it! But as I used it, I realized the square shape gives me more of a paddle brush feel, by smoothing more surface at one time. Because it’s an open shape, it provides a faster blowout. And I discovered that the concave shape of the Volume and Body Round Brush lets me get closer to the roots for more lift.”
Faster Blowouts = Less Fatigue
When choosing brushes, suggests Eric, think of your own comfort as well as performance. That’s why he likes the comfortable, rubberized grips of the Wet Brush BreakFree™ round brushes, along with the fact that they enable him to get through blowouts more quickly, which is better for his body overall.
The Right Brush Technology Can Actually Be Healthier for Hair
One doesn’t normally think of round brushes as being good for hair but think again! New technology like the IntelliFlex® bristles coated w/heat flex technology in the Wet Brush BreakFree™ collection offer up to 57 percent less pain, breakage and effort*. Plus a proprietary keratin and biotin complex called VitaBoost™ is infused into the barrel and activated with heat so hair gets conditioned with every pass. And of course, the famous Wet Brush detangling action is a genius addition to these round stylers. Bottom line? Loads less breakage, more conditioning and healthier hair.
Hygiene Matters More Than Ever. Is it Time to Replace Your Brushes?
“We used to replace our brushes every six months,” says Eric, “but we’ve upped that to every three months. Plus, having a set of five brushes allows us to sanitize frequently throughout the day. And then we sanitize all brushes overnight. These are things we as hairdressers should have been doing all along, and now it’s more important than ever!”
Is it time to refresh your round brushes? Explore the new Wet Brush BreakFree™ collection.
*Independent consumer study shows the BreakFree™ collection brushes speed up drying time, minimize breakage and provide longer lasting styles compared to the #1 selling round brush.
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