Easy, do-at-home techniques to make your hair look salon-fresh everyday.

Want to recreate the salon look at home? Get your hair looking great with tips from the hair experts

That moment when you walk out of a salon looking like Blake Lively’s hair twin and knowing that won’t be lasting very long? Yes, we’ve all been there. That perfect blow-dry looks so easy when a professional is blasting a hair tool over your head, but when it comes to recreating the look in the vicinity of your bathroom – uh-oh!
Which is why we asked the professionals to spill the secret beans on how to get salon-worthy hair at home that won’t fall flat or cause an anxiety meltdown.

Lather up real good:

Don’t be lazy when it comes to shampooing your hair. There’s a reason why your hairdresser takes about 10 minutes to wash your locks prior to a colour and cut. You need to get rid of all the product and dirt that’s hugging your strands.

Slow down, sister:

Hollywood classics have spoilt us rotten. Tying your freshly washed hair in a knotted towel on top of your head looked glamorous on Marilyn Monroe, but in real life, it’s a trap. The less time you spend tugging your hair, the less damage you’ll do.“Avoid rubbing your hair with your towel too roughly, as this will just cause it to tangle and frizz,” says hairdresser and owner of Barney Martin Hairdressing, Barney Martin.

Get your tools ready:

The key to acing a blow-dry at home is to have the right tools in your hair kit. Apart from getting a good quality shampoo and conditioner, hair guru and director of his two salons Brad Ngata recommends buying a spray mousse, section clips, a finishing hairspray and a decent blow dryer, of course. And don't forget a good hairbrush.“L’Oréal Professionnel Volume Lift, $25, is great for creating a little grip at the roots and will make your style last longer without stickiness or flakiness,” says Ngata.
The celebrity hairstylist also suggests you blow-dry your hair 70 per cent before setting your hair into a desired style.

Go easy with the product:

Taming your hair with an overdose of hair product seems the way to go, but Ngata says read the directions on the back of the bottle.“A good rule of thumb [for anti-frizz hair products] is to use 1 drop on fine hair, 2 drops on normal hair and 3-4 on thick or unruly hair,” he says. Try John Frieda Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum, $23.99.
If flyaways are your concern then Martin advises to “spray the hairspray onto a tissue and then use it to smooth down the nasties”.
A Quickie: Don’t have time to section your hair and blow-dry each part? Follow Ngata’s cheat sheet and fool-proof method:
“Use about 6-8 Velcro rollers all over the head – start at the front and work your way back through the center of the head. Leave them in for about 15-20 minutes and you’ll get an incredible lift that lasts”.
Told you it was easy!