You know the feeling - you walk out of the salon with hair that's smooth, shiny and somehow twice as full, and it lasts for days. Then you try to recreate it at home and end up with something closer to frizzy and flat. It's not your technique. It's almost always the product.
Here's what's actually happening, and the one product our Ashburton team reaches for more than anything else to close that gap.
Why a home blow dry never quite matches the salon
Salon stylists aren't just better at pointing a hairdryer – they're using a heat styling cream before they even start. That layer does two jobs at once: it protects your hair from the heat, and it coats each strand so the dryer glides through smoothly instead of roughing up the cuticle.
Skip that step, and you're blow drying dry strands against dry strands, which is exactly what causes frizz, flyaways and that straw-like feeling by the end of the week. It's not that your hair is unmanageable – it's under-prepared.
The product that makes the biggest difference
For dry or thirsty hair specifically, we reach for the Kérastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique Blow Dry Cream. It's a lightweight, nourishing cream built to be applied before you blow dry – not a heavy styling product, more like a primer for your hair.
It works on two levels: nutritive oils to feed dry hair from the first brush stroke, and a heat-activated layer that protects against thermal damage while you dry. The result is hair that dries smoother, faster and with noticeably less frizz – without feeling coated or weighed down.
It's genuinely one of those products that's hard to go back from once you've used it a few times.
How to use it
- Towel-dry hair until it's damp, not dripping.
- Work a small, coin-sized amount through mid-lengths to ends, avoiding the roots.
- Rough-dry with your fingers until hair is about 70% dry.
- Finish with a brush and your dryer on a medium heat, working in sections.
- For extra smoothness, finish each section with a blast of cool air to seal the cuticle.
Pair it with the right tools
The product does most of the work, but the right tools make it easier. A good ionic dryer and a smoothing brush go a long way – and if you're due an upgrade, our GHD range is built to work well alongside a heat cream like this rather than fighting against it.
FAQs
What does a blow dry cream actually do that a normal styling product doesn't?
It's applied before you dry, not after. Think of it as preparation rather than finishing – it protects hair from the heat and smooths the cuticle before you even pick up the dryer, which is the opposite of a serum or oil you'd use once hair is already dry.
Can I use this if my hair isn't especially dry?
Yes – it's formulated for dry or dehydrated hair specifically, but the heat protection and smoothing benefits work for most hair types. If your hair runs oily at the roots, just keep application to mid-lengths and ends.
How much should I use?
Start small – about a coin-sized amount for shoulder-length hair. You can always add a touch more to the ends if they're particularly dry, but it's easy to overdo it and end up with limp-feeling hair.
Will this work on second-day hair?
It's designed to be used on damp, freshly washed hair before drying, so it's best applied on wash day. For second-day touch-ups, a light dry oil or texturising spray is a better fit.
Ready to try it?
If your blow dry never quite matches the salon, this is genuinely the easiest fix we recommend. Shop the Kérastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique Blow Dry Cream online, or message us if you want to know whether it's the right pick for your hair specifically.
