# What the hell is a "Blow Dry Bar"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188 "2017-03-14T19:59:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/1 "2017-03-14T19:59:02Z")
There is one of these across the street from my bus stop. Presumably, it has something to do with hair, but do people show up with sopping wet hair to have it dried at this place? ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/2 "2017-03-14T20:06:09Z")
Can you see through the windows? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/3 "2017-03-14T20:11:34Z")
It’s a hair salon that doesn’t do cuts or color. They wash, straighten, and style, and that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/4 "2017-03-14T20:29:56Z")
I didn’t know what a “blow out” was until I started going out with my current girlfriend. She loves them. They wash her hair, wrap a bunch of round brushes in her hair like they’re curlers, and blow her hair dry. Something like that, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/5 "2017-03-14T21:12:00Z")
Do they serve booze? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/6 "2017-03-14T21:32:09Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Do they serve booze? The place next to it is a “wine bar”, so it’s a pretty foofy area. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/7 "2017-03-14T21:33:09Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > I didn’t know what a “blow out” was until I started going out with my current girlfriend. She loves them. They wash her hair, wrap a bunch of round brushes in her hair like they’re curlers, and blow her hair dry. Something like that, anyway. OK, so it’s like a hair salon you can go to when you don’t actually need your hair cut? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/8 "2017-03-14T21:47:38Z")
^ It seems like that’s what goes on at the place you’re talking about, but they cut at my girlfriend’s place too. But she just goes there for the blow outs. ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/9 "2017-03-14T21:50:20Z")
Yes. You go to get your hair washed, dried, and styled. [Drybar](https://www.thedrybar.com/) is one of the biggest chains, but there are plenty of other more local salons. Some offer aesthetic services as well (waxing, manicures and pedicures, makeup application, massage), lots offer champagne or tea or fancy water to drink while they work on you. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/10 "2017-03-14T23:32:35Z")
I walked by one of those places at the Scottsdale Quarter the other day, and when I looked in as I passed, I swear [this](http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/25693e24-783b-491d-a9b4-fd8753b1d100/fa4d1fba-117f-423b-88d8-e2dea7876bea.jpg) is what I saw. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/11 "2017-03-14T23:52:50Z")
I go to these places from time to time if I have a special event. You go in and they wash, blow dry, and style your hair. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/12 "2017-03-15T00:07:11Z")
On an episode of **Supergirl** , Supergirl was going to meet the President and wondered if she should get a blowout. I said, “No, because you’re going to fly there and it will get messed up anyway.” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/13 "2017-03-15T00:13:22Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > On an episode of **Supergirl** , Supergirl was going to meet the President and wondered if she should get a blowout. I said, “No, because you’re going to fly there and it will get messed up anyway.” That being about the biggest problem Sup’grrl ever faces. What a saccharine show. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/14 "2017-03-15T01:39:00Z")
Before there were blow dry bars. It was fairly common for women to go to the salon to get there hair done for things like weddings, proms and formal parties. I know at my sisters wedding the master schedule included when the bride’s maids were getting their hair done. I think that a stylist came to the venue to do my sister and Mom’s hair. Now there are businesses that cater to just the styling part instead of styling and hair cutting. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/15 "2017-03-15T02:28:26Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] I walked by one of those places at the Scottsdale Quarter the other day, and when I looked in as I passed, I swear [this](http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/25693e24-783b-491d-a9b4-fd8753b1d100/fa4d1fba-117f-423b-88d8-e2dea7876bea.jpg) is what I saw. [/QUOTE] The boyfriend’s been a “cosmo” (cosmetologist) for close to 32 years. The depiction is accurate. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/16 "2017-03-15T05:38:25Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > . Now there are businesses that cater to just the styling part instead of styling and hair cutting. I’ve never heard of this before. But now I’m curious: But what’s the business advantage for only doing the styling and not offering regular hair cuts, too? Everybody needs haircuts at pretty regular intervals, and most people have a place they go to out of habit and convenience. I’m guessing that blow/styling or whatever is less common…but wouldn’t the shop draw in more clients if you offer both services at the same place? \*(yes, I’m a guy…so I have zero understanding of this stuff. And my wife has very short hair that somehow gets taken care of by… I dunno, black magic?) ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/17 "2017-03-15T07:11:33Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > I’ve never heard of this before. But now I’m curious: > But what’s the business advantage for only doing the styling and not offering regular hair cuts, too? > > Everybody needs haircuts at pretty regular intervals, and most people have a place they go to out of habit and convenience… [A local article](http://houston.citymomsblog.com/houston-blow-dry-bars/): > [@](#): > > With the option to go to a “blow dry bar” rather than a full-service salon, it could not be more simple to get scheduled, styled, and pampered. Some of these blow dry bars offer makeup and other beauty services and most are open 7 days a week, unlike traditional salons who often close Sunday and Monday. The stylists are pros at making your chosen do last through Houston humidity and will show you how to extend your look for much longer than a day. Check out each salon’s menu of services for the various styles and add-ons available, like a braid or repairing hair mask. Cutting & coloring hair are specific skill sets. (Plus, the coloring process can smell weird.) Ladies get their hair cut less often than they may want just a shampoo & blowout. I remember my grandma going to the beauty salon for the same purpose–sleeping in a hair net & applying massive amounts of hairspray made the look “last”–I wonder if the technology has improved. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/18 "2017-03-15T07:37:08Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > I’ve never heard of this before. But now I’m curious: > But what’s the business advantage for only doing the styling and not offering regular hair cuts, too? > > Everybody needs haircuts at pretty regular intervals, and most people have a place they go to out of habit and convenience. > I’m guessing that blow/styling or whatever is less common…but wouldn’t the shop draw in more clients if you offer both services at the same place? > > \*(yes, I’m a guy…so I have zero understanding of this stuff. And my wife has very short hair that somehow gets taken care of by… I dunno, black magic?) A few reasons that I can think of: 1. The atmosphere in these places is sort of bar-like. Everyone sits around a u-shaped bar like area with the stylist behind them working on their hair. They even serve wine & champagne so the smell of hair color or brazillian blowout solution would kill the vibe. 2. Color, cut & other services take a lot of training & a higher trained person is more expensive, but training someone to blow dry and flat iron is simple, so they can charge a much lower fee than a regular salon. 3.Because of the business model, I, as the consumer, can call up last minute and get a same day appointment-I can never do that with a regular salon. ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2017, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-a-blow-dry-bar/782188/19 "2017-03-15T11:08:38Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Before there were blow dry bars. It was fairly common for women to go to the salon to get there hair done for things like weddings, proms and formal parties. I know at my sisters wedding the master schedule included when the bride’s maids were getting their hair done. I think that a stylist came to the venue to do my sister and Mom’s hair. Now there are businesses that cater to just the styling part instead of styling and hair cutting. This is still extremely common, because they’re catering to different things. Blow-dry bars are focused mostly on doing blowouts, which are more casual but polished styles where the hair is generally kept long and loose, and either flatironed, curled, or some combination. Some, but not all, will do a full complement of updos, which are more common for weddings/proms/etc., and usually take much longer. I would say that most blow-dry bars are focused on clientele who are maybe going to a party or an interview or a date night out or just want to look nice for everyday. Most women who are going to get an updo for a formal event will still go to a full-service salon.