How to Get a ’90s Bouncy Blowout at Home

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The ’90s blowout is back: big, bouncy, glossy hair with soft volume at the roots and ends that curve under. It looks like you just left the salon, but you can do it at home with a round brush or a blow-dry brush and a set of velcro rollers.

The short answer: rough-dry with your head upside down, blow-dry big sections over a round brush, and set each warm section in a velcro roller until it cools. L’Oréal’s Hair.com, Redken and American Salon all use this same dry, roll and cool method. Here are 6 easy steps, plus 13 bouncy blowout ideas starting with silver and gray hair.

The Quick Answer

PREP

Volume Products

Apply a volumizing foam at the roots and a heat protectant spray on the lengths while hair is damp.

DRY

Round Brush or Blow-Dry Brush

Use a large a round blowout brush or a a hot air brush to smooth each section and lift the roots.

SET

Velcro Rollers

Roll each warm section into self-grip rollers and let them cool completely.

FINISH

Brush Out

Brush out gently with a boar bristle brush and add a volume and texture spray for hold.

What You’ll Need

A hot air brush the easiest one-tool option
A round blowout brush a large barrel for the classic bounce
An ionic hair dryer with a concentrator nozzle
Self-grip rollers to set the volume
Jumbo hot rollers if you are short on time
A volumizing foam for root lift
A heat protectant spray before any heat
Sectioning clips to keep sections tidy
A volume and texture spray to finish
A boar bristle brush for a soft brush-out

Step 1: Rough-Dry, Then Use a Round Brush

Stylist blow-drying a section of hair over a round brush — 📷: @kapsalonhaarideemeerkerk

Start with clean, damp hair. Work a volumizing foam into the roots and mist a heat protectant spray through the lengths. Then rough-dry with your fingers, lifting at the roots, until hair is about 70 to 80 percent dry. L’Oréal’s Hair.com recommends getting most of the water out before you pick up the brush.

Why it matters: Brushing soaking wet hair takes much longer and adds more heat.

Fine hair tip: Dry upside down for extra lift at the roots.

Tools you need: a volumizing foam, a heat protectant spray, an ionic hair dryer

Step 2: Work in Big Sections With Tension

Section of silver blonde hair wrapped around a round brush — 📷: @heathermarques

Clip your hair into big sections with sectioning clips. Take one section at a time, about as wide as your brush, and wrap it around a large a round blowout brush. Pull with gentle tension so the hair gets smooth and shiny.

Silver hair tip: Silver and gray hair can look dull when dry; tension and heat make it glossy.

Easy option: A a hot air brush dries and smooths in one step.

Tools you need: sectioning clips, a round blowout brush, a hot air brush

Step 3: Dry Each Section Up and Away

Stylist blow-drying long brunette hair into a blowout — 📷: @sacredstylzz

Lift each section straight up from the scalp and point the dryer nozzle down the brush, from roots to ends. Roll the ends under. Redken points the airflow along the brush and rolls the ends under for that classic ’90s curve.

Direction: Dry the front sections back and away from your face.

Shine tip: Finish each section on the cool setting.

Tools you need: an ionic hair dryer, a round blowout brush, a heat protectant spray

Step 4: Set With Velcro Rollers

Woman with a bouncy blonde blowout after rollers — 📷: @braggnbeauty

While each section is still warm from the dryer, roll it into a large velcro roller. Roll from the ends to the roots and place the roller on top of the section for the most lift. American Salon also uses rollers to build ’90s-style volume.

Roller size: Use the biggest rollers on top and medium ones on the sides.

Short on time: Use jumbo hot rollers on dry hair instead.

Tools you need: self-grip rollers, jumbo hot rollers, sectioning clips

Step 5: Let the Rollers Cool

Woman with velcro rollers set in her hair — 📷: @diegofiorellii

Leave the rollers in until your hair is completely cool, about 15 to 20 minutes. This is the step that makes the bounce last. L’Oréal’s Hair.com also lets each section cool before releasing it.

While you wait: Do your makeup or have your coffee.

Hold tip: A light mist of a volume and texture spray over the rollers adds grip.

Tools you need: self-grip rollers, a volume and texture spray, an ionic hair dryer

Step 6: Brush Out and Finish

Woman with a finished bouncy brunette blowout — 📷: @glosshairartist

Take the rollers out gently, then brush through with a boar bristle brush or your fingers. Flip your head over and shake out the roots for more volume, then add a volume and texture spray or a texturizing volume powder.

Day two: Refresh with dry shampoo and reset the front with a few rollers.

Night tip: Sleep on a mulberry silk pillowcase to keep the bounce.

Tools you need: a boar bristle brush, a volume and texture spray, a texturizing volume powder

Bouncy Blowout Ideas to Save

Here are bouncy blowouts on real women, starting with silver and gray hair. Save the one closest to your hair type and length.

Long Silver Blowout

Side view of a mature woman with a long, smooth silver blowout — 📷: @bobandmireya

A long silver blowout is smooth, glossy and elegant. Silver hair shines when it is blow-dried with tension.

Silver tip: Use a purple shampoo weekly.

Shop it: a purple shampoo, a round blowout brush, an anti-humidity smoothing spray

Salt-and-Pepper Bouncy Blowout

Smiling woman with glasses and a bouncy salt-and-pepper blowout — 📷: @anths.creative

A bouncy salt-and-pepper blowout looks great with glasses. The volume makes the cut look fuller.

Styling: Use a hot air brush and set the crown with self-grip rollers.

Shop it: a hot air brush, self-grip rollers, a volumizing foam

Gray Streak Blowout

Woman with long gray-streaked hair and a voluminous blowout — 📷: @kathycferreira

Long hair with gray streaks looks rich and dimensional with a big blowout.

Styling: Set the top with jumbo hot rollers.

Shop it: jumbo hot rollers, a heat protectant spray, a volume and texture spray

Layered Brunette Blowout

A long layered brunette blowout is classic and flattering. The layers make the bounce easy.

Styling: Roll each layer away from your face with a round blowout brush.

Shop it: a round blowout brush, a volumizing foam, a heat protectant spray

Lived-In Blonde Blowout

A lived-in blonde blowout is soft and relaxed. It looks great on day two.

Refresh: Use dry shampoo at the roots.

Shop it: dry shampoo, a hot air brush, a volume and texture spray

Silver Streak Volume

Woman with dark hair, silver streaks and big volume — 📷: @classycasita

Dark hair with silver streaks and big volume is glamorous and modern.

Styling: Lift the roots with a texturizing volume powder.

Shop it: a texturizing volume powder, self-grip rollers, a round blowout brush

Golden Blonde Bombshell Blowout

Woman with a golden blonde voluminous blowout — 📷: @itstommy.bb

A golden blonde bombshell blowout is the classic ’90s look. Big volume, big curve.

Styling: Use jumbo hot rollers and brush out with a boar bristle brush.

Shop it: jumbo hot rollers, a boar bristle brush, a volume and texture spray

Face-Framing Bouncy Blowout

Side view of a bouncy blonde blowout with face-framing layers — 📷: @bloheartsyou

Face-framing layers make a bouncy blowout look fresh. Roll the front away from your face.

Styling: Use a round blowout brush on the front pieces.

Shop it: a round blowout brush, self-grip rollers, a heat protectant spray

Shoulder-Length Bouncy Blowout

Woman with a shoulder-length bouncy blonde blowout — 📷: @martinson_onfashion

A shoulder-length bouncy blowout is easy and chic. Shorter hair holds the bounce longer.

Styling: Use a hot air brush for speed.

Shop it: a hot air brush, a volumizing foam, a volume and texture spray

Butterfly Cut Blowout

A butterfly cut with curtain bangs is made for a bouncy blowout. The short layers add volume on top.

Styling: Set the layers with self-grip rollers.

Shop it: self-grip rollers, a round blowout brush, a texturizing volume powder

Blowout With Bangs

Woman with a soft blonde blowout and bangs — 📷: @dominika.wysocka

A soft blonde blowout with bangs looks sweet and easy. Dry the bangs first so they sit smooth.

Styling: Smooth the bangs with a round blowout brush.

Shop it: a round blowout brush, dry shampoo, a heat protectant spray

Rollers All Over

Back view of blonde hair set in velcro rollers — 📷: @aubreypaigehair

This back view shows how many self-grip rollers it takes for full volume. Place them all over, with the biggest on top.

Placement: Roll the crown sections back and the sides down and away.

Shop it: self-grip rollers, sectioning clips, a volume and texture spray

Rollers In, Coffee in Hand

Woman with big rollers in her brunette hair — 📷: @moda_beautybar

Big rollers in brunette hair, coffee in hand. Rollers are the easiest way to add bounce while you get ready.

Styling: Let them cool completely before you take them out.

Shop it: self-grip rollers, jumbo hot rollers, a boar bristle brush

Mistakes to Avoid

Brushing soaking wet hair; rough-dry first.
Taking the rollers out while hair is still warm.
Using small sections; big sections give big bounce.
Skipping a heat protectant spray before heat styling.

A ’90s bouncy blowout takes a little practice, but the routine is simple: prep, dry, roll and cool. After a few tries you will have salon-style bounce at home.

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