You’ve got the perfect ensemble for every holiday party on your calendar. But what about your hair? The plethora of area blowout salons makes it easy to get a perfectly coiffed ’do that will last several days and soirées. So which gives the best results? We sent our roving reporter* to find out.
*Our tester has very thick, naturally curly hair that she can go several days without washing. (Lucky girl!)
Drybar
![Image](https://assets.dmagstatic.com/wp-content/uploads/media/3059174/blow_Dry_Bar.jpg)
Price: $40
Services Offered:
The menu serves up seven cocktail-inspired styles; some (The Straight Up) make more sense than others (The Cosmo-Tai). Scalp massages, braids, and treatments can be added for a fee. Private parties available.
The Experience:
I made an appointment one day prior and had my pick of time slots. The salon—bright, sunny, and impeccably clean—was packed on Monday at lunchtime. I was offered a drink but never received it. With so many dryers going at once, talking was tough, so I watched a muted Nancy Meyers movie on a TV. My stylist finished with a curling iron to give the ends bounce. I was done in an hour.
The Results:
I requested a Straight Up with curled ends. Flyaways and frizzy pieces around my face required my finessing, but the overall result was pretty—smooth with the right amount of body and nicely curled ends. With minimal daily refreshing, I was able to go four days sans shampoo.
La Bichette
![Image](https://assets.dmagstatic.com/wp-content/uploads/media/3059190/blow_La_Bichette.jpg)
Price: $40 (additional $10-$20 for extra long, thick, or curly hair)
Services Offered:
Five styles range from the Bichette (“big, brushed, and bangin’ body”) to the Violette (“tight, polished, and voluptuous curls”). Other offerings: updos, makeup services, hair treatments, house calls, and private parties.
The Experience:
Booking a Friday mid-day appointment was easy, but parking in the SMU-adjacent shopping center during lunch rush was tricky. Once inside the adorably girly salon (think pink walls and vintage French furniture), I was given a friendly greeting and a beverage. My stylist spent lots of time on my stubborn face-framing hair and made flat-iron touch-ups at the end. I was done in an hour.
The Results:
This blowout had me feeling the best when I left the salon (though the long walk to my car on a hot, humid day did the look no favors). My “Bichette” was the only one that looked great from the front. With daily refreshing, it remained noticeably voluminous and curled until my next shampoo four days later.
Blo
![Image](https://assets.dmagstatic.com/wp-content/uploads/media/3059166/blow_Blo.jpg)
Price: $40
Services Offered:
Choose from one of four styles (with cutesy names like Red Carpet and Executive Sweet) or three ’dos. Add-ons are available for additional fees, as are private parties.
The Experience:
I booked a Tuesday-morning appointment the afternoon prior. My stylist brought me a drink, and as the only client in the glam, fuschia-and-white salon—streaming runway shows on the TV—we were free to chat at length. He recommended products without pressuring me to purchase and gave me tips on how to extend the life of my blowout. I was done in 45 minutes.
The Results:
Per my Red Carpet request, my stylist gave me enough volume to feel a little silly on a Tuesday morning, and there was some prominent crimping in the hair framing my face. But once I’d touched up the front and the volume relaxed, it withstood well for four days.
Pouf
Price: $30 Tues.-Wed.; $40 Thurs.-Sun.
Services Offered:
Five styles named for famous beauties, including the Marilyn (old-Hollywood curls, à la Ms. Monroe) and the Brigitte (Bardot-esque volume). Add-ons, updos, makeup services, and private parties are available.
The Experience:
I made an appointment for a Friday morning one day prior and was the first customer in the retro-inspired, Tiffany-blue salon. The greeter brought me a beverage. My super friendly stylist made easy conversation but left me wanting on the included scalp massage. I was done in an hour, 15 minutes faster than what I was quoted. (Extra time is built in for long/thick hair at no charge.)
The Results:
I was hoping for curl and bounce when I asked for the Brigitte but ended up with nearly stick-straight hair, an excess of oily product, and almost no volume. Try as I might to correct it the next morning, the ends refused to hold a curl. Between the oil and the ends, I only went two days before my next wash.
The Hair Bar
![Image](https://assets.dmagstatic.com/wp-content/uploads/media/3059182/blow_Hair_Bar.jpg)
Price: $40
Services Offered:
Choose from five options with direct names: Tousled, Straight, Classic, Classic with Volume, or Curled. Also available: Makeup, updos, hair treatments, house calls, and private parties.
The Experience:
I had my pick of timeslots when I booked a same-day, Monday-morning appointment and was the only client in the traditionally outfitted salon. After receiving a drink, my stylist gave my scalp a thorough shampoo scrubbing then made quick work of my strands. I was done in 35 minutes, a minor miracle for someone with hair as thick as mine.
The Results:
I asked for the Classic with Volume, which was advertised as “round brushed to perfection with the ends slightly turned under.” It turned out bone straight with a bit of body and a lot of frizz. With significant work, I made it last several days.