Love Straight Hair? Tips to Make a Salon Blowout Last for Up to a Week

— -- There’s something about the salon blowout that you want to preserve for as long as possible. But alas, the magic seems to fade the next day when you get out of bed and see the once-glam salon hair tousled and matted.

But experts at W magazine all over the Internet are offering tips and products to make a blowout last for days, and maybe, some even boast, for a week.

These are the tips I tested and found to work for me. Add your own tips in the comments and, for context, what type of hair you have (short, thick, etc.).

Tip 1: On the day of the blow-out ask the stylist to wash it twice. Removing oil at the roots is key.

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Tip 2: Brenda, my stylist at Bounce Blowdry Bar in Oakland, California, put in some root lifter in while blowing out my hair -- but otherwise no product on day one: no hairspray, no oils, no serums, nothing.

Tip 3: Satin pillowcases reduce friction on the hair when you sleep. No friction means no frizzies.

Tip 4: Use a fabric scrunchie and put your hair in a loose bun when you sleep. The fabric spreads the tension and prevents the hair from wrinkling like it does directly under a traditional rubber band. Leave the front sections of your hair out when you sleep so they don’t get scrunched at all. This tip was the most effective of all that I tested. When I slept with my hair down I ended up with bed head in the back sections near the roots that could only be fixed with water; blowout blown.

Tip 5: Don’t touch your hair with your fingers. Oil is the enemy of the blowout and your fingers have natural oils that weigh hair down. If you have to brush it, use a comb or a hard-bristled brush, not a soft brush. You want to keep the curls as intact as possible.

Tip 6: When you shower, use a really good shower cap. If it’s not tight, use a hair band or string to tightly seal the edges.

Tip 7: No hats.

Tip 8: Dry shampoo is your best friend. Lift sections of the hair and spray it on the roots. Leave it for a few minutes and then tousle or lightly comb. It sprays powder on your roots which lifts out oils. There are many types of dry shampoos out on the market. I tested six brands and, while I liked the Kerastase Powder Buff best, I didn’t notice it worked any differently than the others. I just liked the smell better.

Tip 9: Baby powder does almost the exact same thing as a dry shampoo. It’s just harder to aim. I applied it to my roots, let it sit for a few minutes and then used a blow dryer on cold to blow the excess powder out.

The big enemies to blow out longevity are oil and water, so while you can keep oil at a minimum, water is harder. I found that going for a run or big workouts that made me sweat melted the roots and added lots of oil. Obviously, swimming is out, so my workouts during this assignment were seriously curtailed. Humidity and getting caught in the rain are also problems for good hair.

But if you love a good salon blowout, you can make it last with a little diligence, a few products and some long walks on dry days.