Get the right tools. Invest in a few good basics: a high-wattage blow dryer with a concentrator nozzle, a few round brushes for volume (Jon Charles recommends boar bristle brushes, $40 to $55), salon-quality shampoo, conditioner and a styling product.
Start with hair that is 85 to 90 percent dry. Roughly blow dry your hair until it's dry most of the way before styling with a brush.
Divide and conquer. Section hair into at least three sections -- the top, middle and nape -- so that you only have to work with a small amount of hair at any one time. Start drying your hair in 4-inch sections around the brush until it's completely dry.
Pull hair taut and direct airflow in a downward direction. It takes a little practice to coordinate a brush in one hand and a dryer in the other, but it's important to hold the nozzle of your blow dryer above your head and to follow your other hand (the one with the brush) in a downward motion.
Set hair with cold air. A shot of cold air using your dryer's cold blast function closes the cuticle and helps to set the style.
AIMÉE BLANCHETTE
