Blowing Up

Recently, blow-dry bars—salons specializing exclusively in blowouts
and hair styling—are popping up everywhere in the area. For about 45
minutes and 40 bucks, you can leave the salon with a professional look
that lasts for days. So why is the trend so popular?

“There’s
something really fantastic about stylists [who] specialize in blow
dries,” says Kate Taylor, co-owner of Owings Mills’s Hot Air Dry Bar.

Jenny
McGee, a regular at Haute Blow Dry Bar in Towson, explains why she uses
both a salon and a blow-dry bar. “At my normal [salon], I depend more
on highlights and a cut, but at Haute, they specialize in blowouts. When
you specialize in something, I think you’ll get a better end product,”
she says.

Abi Frederick, the owner of Haute Blow Dry Bar, says the
relaxed atmosphere is a plus. “You can have a glass of wine, watch a
movie, talk to your friends,” she notes.

Of course, you can do all
of that at a regular salon/spa, too. “Most salon prices do not differ
greatly from blow-dry bars. However, the allure is the convenience,”
says Judy Sulisufaj-Kelly, co-owner of Locust Point’s Studio 921 Salon
& Day Spa.

Is the trend here to stay? “I definitely don’t
think it’s a fad,” Taylor says. “It’ll become a routine maintenance
thing to make our lives easier and to make us look great.”