Whether you’re in the mood for an exquisite updo or a low-effort, high-impact hair look, there are natural blowout styles for every mood & occasion. Just as our outfits & attitudes can change on a whim, so can freshly blow-dried curls—but to nail that transition, you’ll want to keep some blow-dry essentials in your haircare arsenal.
From the romantically textured french braids to the millennium-inspired space buns, consider this blow-dried hair guide as your ground zero for building endless hair styling possibilities. Keep reading for the most gorgeous & easy-to-create blowout hairstyles for natural hair, plus tips on caring for your pattern along the way.
Styling Essentials For Blow-Dried Natural Hair
Those of us who’ve weathered the different signs of heat damaged hair may be wary of exploring blow-dried looks, no matter how ravishing they look in person or on camera.
The good news is that you can expand into the world of heat without causing undue damage to natural hair. When styling & blow drying natural hair, you’ll need these protective hair care essentials (plus a little knowledge of how to wield them):
- Wide tooth comb – When you’re using heat, every strand needs to be handled with tenderness. Keep a tool such as PATTERN’s Wide Tooth Comb at-the-ready for gentle, easy detangling while you’re prepping your hair.
- Detangler – You’ll get the best results on your look of choice when your hair is detangled to perfection. Plus, minimizing tangles using a product like PATTERN’s Detangling Nectar can help seal in your style, which can help you lengthen the time between washes. 1
- Microfiber towel – The golden rule of natural hair heat styling is to keep heat far away from curls that are still soaked from the shower. Ideally, you’ll let your wet hair air dry for 15-20 minutes before styling—PATTERN’s soft Microfiber Towel can help absorb excess moisture & speed up the process. 2
- Hair clips – Achieving the look of any blow dry hairstyle typically works best when you work section by section. Thus, hair clips are your key to creating your masterpiece with efficiency & precision.
- Heat protectant – Now you may be wondering, does heat protectant work? Truth is, heat protectant is your hair’s guardian angel when it comes to averting heat damage & achieving a fire hair look. These work as a buffer between your strands & your blow dryer, keeping moisture from escaping as you style.1
- Hair dryer – Whether you’re going for an updo, a down-do, or a show-stopping pompadour, your hair dryer is the tool that’ll take you there. Look for a hair dryer designed with an AC motor—these dry your locks with an alternating current, which helps dry hair without bringing too much heat.
- Shine spray - Once you’ve protected & primed with the proper heat styling products, it’s time to style & add some extra gloss to those luscious locks. Our go-to for achieving glossy strands? Well, the PATTERN Shine Spray of course!
In addition to the must-haves mentioned above, the following tools & curly hair accessories will help you master that blow-dry style your heart is set on:
- Hair pick
- Paddle brush
- Bristle brush
- Elastic hair ties
- Hair pins
- Silk or satin scarf
- Strong hold gel
- Styling cream
- Shine spray
5 Blow-Dried Natural Hair Styles To Level Up Your Look
You’ve washed, moisturized, conditioned & blow-dried your luscious locks, & now you need a hairstyle to match your mood. Here are our favorite gorgeous hairstyles on blow-dried natural hair.
#1 The Silk Press
If you’ve got a flat iron on hand, smooth, straight hair is easy to achieve once you’ve lovingly stretched your strands with a blowout.
Here’s how to achieve this look:
- Separate your hair into ½ inch to ¼ sections using hair clips. Go for small sections for an ultra-sleek look, but work in larger chunks for a beachier, more relaxed style.
- Break out the heat protectant spray again & spritz the first section you’ll be pressing. Heat protectant minimizes hair damage to keep your curly hair safe for future restyling.
- Using your flat iron, smooth your hair section by section.
- Finish with a high-gloss shine spray to add sheen & reduce flyaways.
#2 The Sky-High Ponytail
Super sleek & dramatic, a high pony is a statement style appropriate for both casual & elegant occasions.
Elevate this simple style to supermodel heights with this simple styling trick:
- Use a bristle brush to separate your hair into two sections: one at the crown of your head & the other at the nape of your neck.
- Gather the crown section of your hair into a ponytail at the “equator” of your head—the same height as the tops of your ears. Smooth & set with PATTERN Hair Ties.
- Split the remaining hair into two sections. Draw the right section & the left section up & gather them together to sit on top of the ponytail.
- Use a second hair tie to secure all of your hair together. The result should be an ultra-voluminous high ponytail using all of your smooth strands.
For the finishing touch, smooth & shine any bumps with a strong hold gel or styling cream.
If you love the sleek look of the ponytail but prefer a softer hairline, break out our Edge Control Duo to add whimsical spirals for a face-framing touch.
#3 The French Braid
A french braid is a quick & easy way to secure your locks & frame your face shape. Whether you prefer a side part with braids that wrap around your head or doubling up with two braids for a symmetrical look, french braids never fail to be a chic styling choice.
Whichever french braid style you’re after, here’s how to pull it off:
- Start by applying a styling cream to lock in moisture before you start braiding.
- Choose where you want your braid to start, & separate three sections of hair using your fingers or a comb.
- Begin braiding your hair, gradually adding more strands each time you twist your hair.
- Continue until you’ve reached the end of your braid, & tie off your hair with an elastic.
Hair texture enthusiasts take note: French braids work as a protective hairstyle, but they also give your hair a gorgeous wave when the braids are removed. The more braids, the tighter the wave (the same goes for a two-strand twist!).
#4 The Space Bun
You don’t need to hail from another solar system to sport this sassy style—space buns are fun, irreverent & easy to achieve for all curly hair types.
- Making two sleek side ponytails at an even height. Braid each side ponytail to add even more visual interest, or let each hang loose for a sleek space bun look.
- Apply gel as you use a paddle brush to smooth hair down against your scalp.
- Twist & wrap each ponytail around the axis of your ponytail in a spiral motion, using bobby pins to seamlessly tuck your ends underneath.
- Finally, finesse your edges & frame your forehead with some otherworldly curly cues.
- Finish with a shine spray to keep your buns supple & hydrated for all-day or night wear.
#5 The Faux Hawk
Be a rebel with a cause by sporting an effortlessly edgy look: the temporary fauxhawk.
Here’s the shortcut version for tapping into your inner punk rocker:
- Smooth up the sides of your hair towards the midline of your scalp using a strong holding gel & bristle brush.
- As you go, use a hair comb to secure lifted hair on either side of your fauxhawk. These will help you both achieve height & that slick, seamless line from your crown to the nape of your neck.
- Touch up any bumps with your styling gel to secure & smooth the sides of your hair. Style the center hair puffed, straight, or textured—whatever you’re in the mood for!
Want to give your fauxhawk some extra attitude? Adding a Janelle Monae-style pompadour to the front section of your hair. This exaggerated shape adds an elegant twist to the edgy faux hawk style.
Blow-Dried Natural Hair Style Tips & Tricks
Whichever look you have your eyes on, keep these tips in mind as you blow-dry the style of your dreams:
- Start with freshly shampooed hair & be generous with your conditioner
- Choose a blow dryer, such as the PATTERN Blow Dryer, specifically designed with your curls & coils in mind
- Be gentle as you work to keep your unique pattern safe
- Use a shine spray on your finished hairstyle to lock in moisture & luster
- Wear a satin or silk hair wrap for smooth styling & to protect your hair at bedtime
Lastly, give your hair a break between heat stylings so it can restore & recover. When you take a little extra care to keep it moisturized & protected, you’ll be able to enjoy both hot & heat-free styles to your heart’s (& hair’s) content.
Whether you’re going for a simple, slick aesthetic or a mesmerizing braid-and-twist combination, the sky (or as high as you can get your hair) is the limit when it comes to styling options.
PATTERN’s Heat Collection is aimed at the protection & nourishment of natural hair. From our Heat Protectant & Shine Spray to hair dryers & brushes, our styling products are designed to make heat styling as gentle as possible on your natural hair, keeping your texture & bounce intact so you can transform your hair from straight to curly to updo as often or as little as you like.
At PATTERN, we care about your hair & how to keep it looking its curly, coily, textured finest. Our curly hair products are designed to bring out the best in your natural hair so that you & your curls can be whatever they want to be.
Sources:
- Jackson, Kristin Coleene. "Your Ultimate Guide To Heat Styling Natural Hair." Bustle. 7 October, 2014. https://www.bustle.com/articles/42445-heat-styling-for-natural-hair-the-7-dos-and-donts-of-caring-for-your-curls
- Walton, Nikki. "Reader Q&A: CurlyNikki Reveals How to Safely Blowdry Natural Hair." Essence. Updated 28 October, 2020. https://www.essence.com/news/reader-q-and-a-curlynikki-on-blowdrying-natural-hair/
- Sandeen, Del et al. "Your Guide to Blowouts for Natural Hair." Byrdie. Updated 28 February, 2022. https://www.byrdie.com/what-is-a-blowout-for-black-hair-400252
