How to Get the '90s Blowout You're Seeing Everywhere at Home (2024)

There are two hairstyle trends that are reigning supreme right now and they're polar opposites. In one corner, you have the sleek, low supermodel bun (à la Hailey Bieber and Normani), and in the other, you have the larger-than-life '90s supermodel blowout (a la Cindy Crawford). Though the two styles couldn't be any more different, they're existing in harmony with Gen Z beauty lovers on TikTok moving interchangeably between the two looks.

While the sleek low bun is fairly easy to pull off, you may be looking at the bouncy blowout and thinking to yourself, There's no way I can do that. But we're here to prove that it's easier than you think with some assistance from the professionals.

"The '90s supermodel blowout is a classic," celebrity hairstylist Graham Nation previously told POPSUGAR. "Blowouts are fun, bouncy, and they can be messy but still look very put together." Tom Smith, celebrity hairstylist and international color creative director for Evo Hair, predicts "fluffy" blowouts to be one of 2022's biggest hair trends.

"Gen Zs are calling Adele's blond style the 'fluffy blow dry,' and it'll be even bigger in 2022," Smith tells POPSUGAR. "The '90s layers are all about bounce and volume, and are great for longer and thicker hair, providing fluffy, effortless glamour."

For a step-by-step tutorial on giving yourself a '90s-inspired "fluffy" blowout, keep reading.

Step 1: Prep Hair

To start, prep damp hair with a product that will protect against damage and enhance volume without weighing your ends down. We like the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment ($29) because it does it all: protects, volumizes, and smooths. "Fluffy hair is all about cushioned and airy volume with a soft blended contrast," says Smith. "The fluffier the better. Use your product to smooth and lift, not to weigh down."

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment

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$29

Step 2: Dry Hair to About 80 Percent

Now it's time to dry your hair. If you have straight or slightly wavy hair, you can use a blowdry brush, like the T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush ($190) or Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus 2.0 Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush ($70). If you have curly or wavy textured hair, you can also try rough drying with a regular blowdryer or air-drying.

T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush

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$190

Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus 2.0 Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush

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Step 3: Put in Your Velcro Hair Rollers

For those with straight or slightly wavy hair types, the key to getting the style to stay is velcro rollers (you can skip this step if you'd prefer if your hair is curly). Once your hair is almost completely dry — and preferably while it's still hot if you used heat — apply velcro rollers, like the Conair Assorted Sized Self Grip Roller Set ($9), to set your voluminous blowout and keep it from falling flat. Begin at the bottom on your head and work your way up in sections, using slightly smaller rollers for the sections of hair underneath and larger options for the top sections of your hair. Then, let them cool for as long as time allows.

Conair Assorted Sized Self Grip Roller Set

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$9

Step 4: Apply Volumizing Spray

Once you take out all of your velcro rollers, it's time to apply some volumizing spray. "I spray through the roots and the mid-lengths of the hair," he says. "Evo's Root Canal Volumizing Spray ($29) is fantastic because you can layer it up to give cushioned, airy volume, without the hair feeling stiff or rough – perfect for the airy finish on fluffy hair."

Evo's Root Canal Volumizing Spray

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$29

Step 5: Finish With a Lifting Powder

Though you'll certainly get a great boost from your volumizing spray, Smith encourages you to take it a step further. "To give a long-lasting result, I lift sections of the hair and spray Evo Haze Styling Powder Underneath ($30), allowing the powder to settle inside the body of the hair," he says. Another option is the Kristen Ess Working Texture Loose Styling Powder ($11).

Kristen Ess Working Texture Loose Styling Powder

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$11

"Once the powder has settled, I use my fingertips in the scalp area, massaging gently upwards to lift the roots and encourage a high-fashion, fluffy finish through the layers of the hair," says Smith.