So, you are ready to channel your inner Diana Ross? Or are you looking to feel like a new woman with a new sleek style? Or are you ready to see just how much of a lie that shrinkage is? If any of these are true, you may be contemplating blowing out your natural hair. For some, the prospect of blowing out their curls leaves them a bit anxious. Will I fry my curls? How long is will this take? Where do I even start? We’ve got you covered.

The major key to blowing out natural hair is all in the prep work. As one of my friends always says, “The best blowouts and silk presses start at inception.” Using the right products and tools is essential.

Top Tips for the Perfect Blowout:

1. Because your hair is at its weakest when it is wet, you will want to blow dry your hair when it is damp instead of soaking wet to avoid as much damage as possible.

2. You want to start with clean hair using products that will help make your strands as sleek as possible. My favorite products for this are the Biosilk Silk Therapy collection.

3. Detangle thoroughly while in the shower. Using your wide tooth comb or Denman brush to get all of the major knots out of your hair prior to starting the drying process is vital. You don't want to be using your brush dryer and snagging your hair with direct heat blowing on it.

4. You want to make sure you hydrate and protect your hair using a lightweight leave-in conditioner and heat protectant. Again for me, my favorite heat protectant is Biosilk Silk Therapy Serum. However, there are many other wonderful heat protectants out there like: OGX Thermal Protectant Silk Blowout Spray, Mielle Organics, Mongongo Oil Heat Protectant Spray, and Chi 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray.

5. You need to section your hair. Sectioning will make your life so much easier. Using alligator clips or duckbill clips will help keep the sections tucked away until you are ready to use them and help speed your process up tremendously.

6. Take it slow. Now you're finally ready to blow out natural hair! Take your time and do it right. Just remember to be as gentle as possible while you're blowing out your hair to prevent any unnecessary damage or breakage.

How to preserve your Blowout

In order for your hard work to last, you will need to make sure you are protecting the style at night by wrapping your hair and using a silk scarf, putting your hair in a ponytail, and then wrapping in a silk scarf or doing pin curls and wrapping with a silk scarf. Notice a pattern? You will need to do this every night to preserve your Blowout. You will want to avoid water, especially in the shower. Don a shower cap to keep the humidity away from your silky strands. Another tip for stretching a blowout a little longer is to style it in wavy or loose curls when you notice some reversion.