The Real Simple Way to Blow Dry Your Hair

A lot of what I know about life comes from Real Simple magazine. Their editors have a way of dolling out advice that makes me lap it up like a hungry kitten. The only problem is, sometimes their ideas are...too simple?

2010's March edition invited me to try 3 easy steps to a perfect home blow-dry. The claim: I would cut my time in half. I'll do ANYTHING to reduce the amount of time I'm under that oppressive heat so I read on.

Step 1:

• After toweling off wet hair, set your dryer on medium heat and high air speed. Blow hair until it’s 80 percent dry.
• Gather the hair on top of your crown and secure it with a clip. Begin drying the lower layers with a brush, using more heat. Point the dryer’s nozzle downward to help smooth hair and create shine. Look at her. Her hair is already very smooth and she's completely in control. She's poised and stately. And that bicep. Drawings never looked so good.

Step 2:

• Blow-dry the top section. Aim at the roots to add volume, then work toward the ends, using the brush to pull hair forward and out. She has the whole top of her hair flipped forward and, not only is she still in control, she's meditating to the sound of her dryer.

Step 3:

• Remove the clip. Flip all hair back. Part and dry hair around the forehead.
• To curl ends, roll them under with a round brush, blast with heat, and set with cold air. For a straight finish, pull the brush through while drying ends with warm air; set with cold air. Apply styling cream to tamp down flyaways, or mist with hair spray. Not a drop of sweat on her forehead. NOT ONE. She has almost half of her hair casually wrapped around the round brush.

And that's it. Simple, right? Right...if you have perfectly cooperative hair. 

See the entire visual and verbal definition here.