Back in the day, ladies used to head to the salon to get their do’s done weekly. Man I would have liked that! Being hairstyle challenged myself, I can use as much help as I can get! Thankfully, there’s finally a solution for the modern-day woman, thanks to Alli Webb!
Webb, founder of Drybar tapped into a lost market and resurrected it to be better than ever: a non-salon where there are no cuts, no color, just blowouts. Only four years and 38 locations later, it’s safe to say that with Drybar, Webb is slowly taking over the country!
Drybar has become my go-to stop before any event, party or work week on the road. It’s the first place I stop when I do business trips to New York, have a wedding to go to or really just want to look dang good.
So when we got word that Alli Webb, herself, wanted to invite us into Drybar to share some of her tips with us first-hand, we {first danced around the office!} and then jumped at the opportunity to visit her at her newest San Francisco location {situated perfectly in the hustle and bustle of Union Square!}.
Much more than a hair guru, Webb is a business genius {she was recently named one of Fortune’s “40 under 40”}. We were honored to chat about the usual – hair and hottest guys in Hollywood- while in the chair, but what really got us excited was the chance to pick her brain on her secrets to mega-success. We’re so excited to share them with you here on this edition of Girl Crush!
Alli is the definition of what this series is about. As a seriously-savvy business woman, she started Drybar with her brother four scant years ago and now has a multi-million dollar business under her belt. Here’s what she had to say for herself:
On Starting a Company
My parents are entrepreneurs, so my brother {and business partner!} Michael and I have been exposed to that way of life since we were little kids. But I think I have always been a risk taker and I wholeheartedly believe everything has a way of working out. I know it sounds cliche, but I think everyone should always pursue their passion and be ok with failing- it’s how you learn. The Drybar road has been nothing short of amazing- a TON of hard work, lots of late nights and ups and downs, but absolutely a dream come true.
The Moment
All the great press and accolades have been pretty unbelievable, but I think that “pinch me” moment comes every time we open a new shop. I still worry no one will show up, so when they do it’s such a gratifying feeling. Above all, I think it’s the women whom I’ve never met who come up to me and tell me how much they love Drybar, what an important part of their life we’ve become, and how proud they are of me. Their sincerity always chokes me up.
Proudest Biz Ideas
The iPhone chargers at every station was Michael’s idea, pretty genius indeed. Once we knew we were doing an all out bar theme, the fun ideas kinda poured out of all of us. I personally love the “Big Reveal” mirrors behind the stations. Everyone thought the clients would hate that, but I learned from my mobile blow-dry business that sitting directly in front of a mirror {with wet hair!} was not ideal – we ladies have a tendency to pick ourselves apart. I loved the idea of letting women relax, watch a fun chic flick and then be turned around to pure delight over their transformation! Luckily it worked.
The Brand
I wanted the shops to feel super clean and feminine, a place woman loved to go and hang out in. We all fell in love with the bar theme, but I have to give credit to my ridiculously talented husband, Cameron, who is really the creator of the brand DNA. He’s so meticulous about every little thing and is so great about keeping us on brand – he won’t even let me have red roses in the shops for Valentine’s Day. Everything always has to be yellow. Cameron and Michael work closely together on the marketing side and it’s a beautiful thing to watch them – they sincerely compliment each other. And me 🙂
On Balance
Ah man, I really haven’t totally figure that one out yet. Balancing the kids and career is the single toughest part of this whole thing, without a doubt. I am lucky to have my mom close by who is like a second mother to my boys. Mostly it’s about being there for the important stuff and sometimes that’s just making sure I’m home to read them a story and tickle their backs before bedtime. I think it’s good that my kids see how hard mommy and daddy work. My parents worked really hard to provide us with a nice lifestyle and I have a great deal of respect for them, so I hope my kids will have the same respect for us too.
Her Advice
Hang in there, it all works out. I think I only recently started to really trust my gut and I have a new sense of confidence that I wish I had when I was younger, but it has all worked out. I think everything happens for a reason… and Drybar so feels like what I was absolutely meant to do!
Deserted Island Must-Haves
Hot Toddy, 100 Proof and Lemon Drop {our game-changing brush that detangles hair like nothing you’ve ever seen}. I would say Buttercup but I’m guessing since it’s a deserted island there’s probably not any power! I know it sounds self-serving to name three products from my own line, but I seriously spent two years toiling over the development of these products and the result is exactly what I always wanted out of a line of styling products and tools.
After we talked, we were thrilled to have Alli show us, first hand, her top 5 styling tips for the perfect in-home blowout. Ready for it?!
For effect, here is my BEFORE {please don’t Pin this!}. I still don’t understand, to this day, why it is so hard to blowdry my own hair. I mean, it looks flat, scraggly and well, a mess every time I try. Thank gawd, Alli was there to help me tame this head ‘o hair!
Tip 1: Start with really clean hair: A good blowout can {and should, if done properly!} last for days. Detox, our dry shampoo, can certainly help, as well as starting with really clean hair for ultimate bounce and body.
Tip 2: Blow dry your hair as soon as you get out of the shower. Like, we’re talking 5-10 minutes max once you get out. Once your hair begins air drying it’s much more difficult to work out those cowlicks! {I’ve always let it dry 50% before I blowdry- WRONG!}
Tip 3: Take the time to section out your hair. You’ve probably heard this before and if you’re like me, you get lazy about doing it. Alli couldn’t stress enough how big of a difference this makes. Lesson learned: don’t be lazy!
Tip 4: Hold your round brush vertically, not horizontally, while drying. This is true for every part of your head except the crown, where you’ll want to switch to holding the brush horizontally in order to get a smooth finish on that tricky spot! {This might be her ultimate secret- all stylists go through a vigorous training on this as most have actually learned the opposite in beauty school!}
Tip 4: Always curl away from the face. Always.
Tip 5: Curl and pull. To avoid bouncy Shirley Temple curls, hold the hair in your brush or curling iron for no more than 5 seconds, release and then pull on the end of the piece of hair to “stretch” it out. After seeing this technique in action, we realized we’ve been curling wrong all of these years. It’s difficult to show in images so we have a video on Alli getting the perfect curl on our Instagram!
And per usual, we asked Alli to answer in rapid-fire speed our Girl Crush fill-in-the-blanks. She’s so much fun!
If you have yet to try Drybar out for yourself, you’re missing out on such an amazing little piece of heaven on earth. $40 + 40 minutes and boom, you’re out the door with some amazing hair that’ll last you days! Plus, it’s so easy to book an appointment- you can do it straight through their App {obsessed!}. No lie, I booked two future appointments while in the chair!
Huge thanks to Alli who continues to inspire women with her biz savvy prowess! Three words: serious girl crush.
original photography for apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick
