Don’t you love the word “voloisturized?” I just made it up. It means volumized + moisturized. Always the goal, right? Let’s discuss the truly PHENOM voloisturizing blow-out I got today by Matthew James at Sam Brocato‘s salon in SoHo, NY. Best. Blow-out (including a stress-relieving massage!). I’ve had in YEARS. Years. I just told Matthew, my stylist, that I like volume and curl on the ends (which is pretty much my standard wording, although I’ve received a variety of results after dropping that description, running the gamut from FLAT/stick straight to exactly what I wanted. More often than not, my ‘do embodies the former, not the latter.

Matthew, dolls, DELIVERS the goods. Before working at Sam Brocato, he worked under the famed Sally Hershberger, so rest assured that he knows his stuff. I walked out with hair worthy of a Gossip Girl extra role and a bunch of new Brocato products to try out. I can report on two products I’m in lurve with already because Matthew used them on me during the blow-out. Swell Volume Leave-In Volumizing Conditioner ($16, pictured above) is, GENIUSLY, a leave-in VOLUMIZING conditioner. Have you ever heard of such a hybrid? During the tenure of my hair obsession (going on 16 years), I have never seen this combo. It works like a dream. It moisturizes, but not at the expense of excellent voluminous texture. Brocato’s commitment to volume is also evident in his Swell Volume Full Body Styling Clay ($16, left). It works to produce pieceyness with mild hold while encouraging the hair shaft to swell/expand.

Moi, chez moi, post-‘do.
The salon itself is chic and doesn’t belie its hip downtown vibe whilst still maintaining an air of utter UNPRETENTIOUSNESS. How is that achieved? I met the fab Sam and his Sharon Stone doppelganger of a wife Holly, and I had the answer. They’re a DARLING, but charismatic couple.

Matthew shared some blow-out tips you can try out at home:

1. Pull a small section of hair with a small round brush taut (only around the top of the brush). He says to do this in the same manner you curl gift ribbon with scissors.

2. Move the dryer nozzle slowly downward. The slower you go, the glossier your hair will be.

3. After a section is dry, wrap the ends of the section around the brush’s HANDLE while it’s cooling. This imparts a kicky curl at the end of your hair.

Try that shiz out and let me know what you think!

Kisses,
Amber

Want to experience a Matthew James blow-out yourself? Head to the Sam Brocato Salon!

Sam Brocato Salon
42 Wooster Street
New York, NY
212-334-3777