You can still give your client the luxurious blow-dry she deserves while also saving yourself a little time - and that equates to booking more clients (and making more cash, too!)

Here, 30-year salon industry veteran Mario Russo, owner and lead stylist of Mario Russo Salon, shares this insights on how to speed up your blow-dry time to help you create a more efficient beauty routine.

1. Choose Your Towel Wisely

Regular hair towels are not only ineffective but can be damaging to your client’s hair. Swap out the regular towel you’re using now for a microfiber cloth version. This material is designed to sop up extra water, eliminate frizz and even provide extra definition to your customers with curls! You could even try the glove version of these towels which allows you to squeeze out the excess water by hand.

2. Evaluate Your Brush

When it comes to choosing a brush, it’s certainly not one-size-fits-all. The longer the hair, the larger the barrel of your brush should be. Thicker hair works well with a boar bristle brush, whereas, a ceramic brush or comb can be softer on finer hair. To decide on the best brush -- feel your client’s hair, lift it up, run your fingers through it, etc. to get a good idea of its texture and level of thickness.

3. Make Heat Protection a Priority

You should set an example for your clientele by always incorporating a heat protectant on hair before blowdrying. This quick step protects hair from being dried out by the heat of the blow dryer and also helps smooth frizzes. It can knock some minutes off your dry-time too! These products are formulated to break the bond between water particles and the surface of hair.

4. Invest in a Better Dryer

If you skimp out on a blow dryer, a blowout will take significantly longer to dry. Go for a dryer with at least 1800 watts of power and that operates with ion technology and ceramic heat. These features will eliminate frizz and static, while lessening the potential for heat damage. Also pay attention to weight—the heavier the dryer, the more sore your arms will be!

5. Have Some Pre-Dry Patience

You want to allow wet hair to air dry first, but this break might not be an option at the salon. Take a little time to allow the hair to sit in the towel and use these minutes to discuss the desired cut and styling with your client. By the time you have a plan, your hair will have a good start to the natural-drying process.  You can also cheat and rough dry hair using your hands. This pre-dry session will make hair much easier to manipulate and style later.

6. Build Tension As You Go

Does your client’s hair fall flat after they leave the salon? Create shape quickly as you dry by grabbing from the roots with your brush so the hair is pulled taut. This will smooth hair as you run the dryer down the section and lock in the style you’re trying to create. Leave the heated strands twirled around the brush so the hair cools in the curls, locking in a bouncy blow-out.   

7. Use Your Heat Levels

Even if you’re trying to speed up the process, high heat is not the answer! You’ll want to take advantage of the strengths of the different heat settings on your blow dryer. Use the medium setting to pre-dry, the highest heat setting to build shape, and the cool air button to set strands in place and create shine all over.

 8. Focus on the Roots to the Ends

Aiming the air of your dryer in the right direction will cut back on dry time. Using a diffuser on the end of your blow dryer, focus the heat on the roots and then move to the ends of hair. This will help the air from the dryer move in the same direction that hair naturally falls and ultimately, help hair dry faster and be less frizzy.