The six different types of blow dries to ask for next time you go to the hairdressers.

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve gone to the hairdressers and been ashamed to admit I’m doing precisely nothing afterwards.

“Doing something fun tonight?” the stylist always asks in a smug(ish) tone, knowing full well you’re going home to cook dinner and watch TV because when have any of us had the foresight to book a hair appointment to line up with a special event?

Never. That never happens.

Regardless of whether you’re off  to netball training afterwards or going somewhere fancy, many salons only offer appointments inclusive of a blow dry. Yes, even if the only person who’ll see your hair that night is your cat, who you just know won’t even notice.

When you’re effectively paying for one, you might as well make the most of a professional blow dry. But the thing about blow dries you might not know is, there’s more than one stock standard style.

If you’ve never really understood the hype around blow dries and thought getting one meant ending up with Texas baby pageant hair that can conduct enough electricity to power your whole neighbourhood, you’ll be glad to learn there are so many styles a wizard can whip up with a round paddle brush and a hairdryer.

To make things really bloody easy, The BLOW Australia’s founder Phoebe Simmonds gave us the six different styles of blow dries they are asked for at their Melbourne salon AND the exact sentences, word for word, to use when telling your stylist what you want.

The classic blow dry.

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This is your bread and butter, but still delicious blow dry. It's sleek but bouncy with curls that gather nicely at the ends of your hair.

A classic blow dry is what you want when you'd like to look put together and polished, but not like you're trying too hard.

What to ask for:

"A classic, bouncy blow wave with a hit of volume at the crown and a sweeping flick at the ends."

The beach waves blow dry.

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A beach waves blow dry is the classic blow dry's younger colleague who always goes for a surf and smoothie bowl in the morning before work. Ugh.

This style is more 'undone', and a great option if your haircut includes a blow dry on the end, but you're not sure what to get.

What to ask for:

"Big, bold waves, loose bends and tousled texture from root to tip, with less height up top."

The straight blow dry.

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Some people aren't a fan of curls, and that's OK.

You can 100 per cent ask for a dead straight blow dry, which comes with the added benefit of being workable and easy to restyle for days after your salon visit.

What to ask for:

"High shine and straight with a clean part down the middle and minimal height."

The 'rich girl hair' blow dry.

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This style gets its name because it'll make you look expensive, Darling. Basically, it's the style you see all over Instagram but can never quite recreate yourself.

The rich girl blow dry is a bit perkier than your average blow dry and ultra, ultra glossy.

What to ask for:

"Smooth, glossy 'S' bends and straight ends."

The up do blow dry.

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Ponytails are one of 2018's biggest hair trends, with many of your favourite celebrities (Kendall Jenner, Blake Lively etc.) wearing their up for red carpet events.

If you happen to be going somewhere after your appointment (or back to work), why not try a styled ponytail?

What to ask for:

"A sleek, red carpet polish ponytail OR one with wavy ends and texture up top."

The Hollywood blow dry.

A post shared by The BLOW (@theblowaustralia) on Oct 29, 2018 at 2:04pm PDT

If, on the rare occasion, you actually have somewhere to go after your hair appointment, ask for a Hollywood glam blow dry.

This style involves curls and lots of hairspray, so you wouldn't get it if you're going home to lounge on the couch. It also won't restyle all that well for days to come, hence it's a great option for when you want to feel a bit spesh.

What to ask for:

"A side swept, full volume Grace Kelly-esque style with weighty curls and height up top."

For more information on The BLOW Australia, check out The BLOW Australia website or follow The BLOW Australia on Instagram. You should also know, $1 from every one of their blow dries goes to Share the Dignity, legends.

What kind of blow dry is your favourite? Tell us in the comments.

P.S. Love all things hair, makeup and beauty? Get the latest episode of Mamamia's beauty podcast You beauty in your ears below. It's brill.