How-To: Create Big, Bouncy Blowout

Clients who book a blowout with Faith Amato at the Blandi Salon at the famed Plaza Hotel in New York City trust her to deliver full, sexy and bouncy hair that’s guaranteed to turn heads.

“It’s one of my specialties,” says the stylist, who relies on Keratin Complex to deliver the results she’s known for each and every time. “One of my favorite products is Keratin Complex Texturizing Spray, especially when I’m doing someone’s hair for a wedding or any special occasion because it creates a lot of volume.”

For Amato, cutting and styling go hand-in-hand.

“You need to be good at both,” she says. “After all, what good is a great haircut if you don’t know how to blow it out and style it?”   

Below, Amato shares her step-by-step process for executing her signature blowouts:

1. Comb out freshly shampooed hair, and put a couple of pumps of Keratin Complex Volumizing Foam into your hand for weightless lift and moveable hold. It’s perfect for prepping damp hair for a voluminous blowout. Rub your palms together, and apply a good amount of product at the roots, running the rest of it through the hair to the ends. Unlike other products I’ve tried, this one doesn’t get sticky or hard, which makes it a lot easier to get a brush through the hair.
2. Use your blow-dryer to pre-dry the hair to remove most of the moisture.
3. Now you’re ready to do my version of the pin curl set. It’s a technique I use to get a lot of volume. Depending on how much hair the client has, you’ll be creating about 8 to 10-pin curls, working your way around the head and using your blow-dryer and a medium-sized round brush to curl one section at a time. When each section is dry, wrap the curl around your fingers, as if there was a make-believe roller there. Use a clip to pin it at the base. 
4. If the client has the time, sit her under a hood dryer for 5 to 10 minutes so hair is completely dry.
5. Remove the clips and run your hands through the hair, shaking each curl out as you go. Start at the top of the head, giving the hair a good shake all the way from top to bottom. Touch up with a brush if necessary.
6. Part the hair and make sure it’s falling nicely. Next, pick up a few sections of hair with your pinkie and apply Keratin Complex Texturizing Spray at the roots to add texture and create separation. I like to stand behind the client and work my hands underneath the hair, giving her a good scalp massage. Working my hands in a circular motion gives me that instant volume I want.
7. Place the hair where it needs to be. When you’re satisfied with how it looks, grab a can of Keratin Complex Firm Hold Hairspray. Hold the can about 3 to 4 inches away from the head and apply liberally for maximum hold and all-day style retention.
8. To address any lack of shine go in with the Keratin Complex Shine Spray. This finishing spray not only locks in instant luminous shine but also acts as a strengthener and conditioner, leaving hair with a flawless finish. 

Keratin Complex products can be found at fine salons nationwide or online at www.keratincomplex.com.