First off, I totally meant to post this last week and then moving happened and that went totally out the window (it doesn’t help that we won’t have our internet set up until tomorrow). Remember how a couple weeks ago there was a big snow storm and then last weekend it was all of a sudden spring? Well, on the Friday of the “big snow” I braved the roads of horrible winter weather drivers to check out the grand opening of Louisville’s first Drybar (which officially opened on January 22). Now this isn’t the first blow out bar to make it to the 502 but it’s the first of the chain that started the trend. And thankfully, the weather did not dampen the experience.

Drybar Louisville is located on Shelbyville Road, tucked in to the same center as Whole Foods and Toys R Us. The salon is bright, airy and welcoming plus it’s big –  I think there are about six or eight chairs on each side so it would be perfect for a bridal party or just a fun girl’s day out. The owners and a bunch of their corporate crew were there for the grand opening and everyone was incredibly friendly, sweet and helpful. I know some people can be intimidated by experiences like this (yours truly included from time to time) and you won’t face any of that here.

If you’re new to the blow-out bar experience, here’s the quick run down. Unlike a regular salon, you’re just there for a wash and style which costs $40. When it comes to picking a style, Drybar presents you with a menu for you to select from; you can go with anything from a traditional blowout (the “Straight Up”) to something with loose beachy waves (the “Mai Tai”) or if you’re heading somewhere fancy – you can go with an up-do (the “Uptini”). Those are just a few of the options (you can see the full menu here) you can get when you stop in for a styling.

For my first visit, and since the weather was limiting any social commitments for the day, I went with the traditional “Straight Up” blow out since I figured this would last me the longest.  Included in the experience is a wash where you can add on upgrades like a hydration or mud-mask treatment to revive dull or treated locks. My stylist Summer asked me what level of volume and curl on the ends I wanted and we were off. I got the full run-down on the products she would be using and then I was set up with a mimosa for a relaxing hour of being pampered (which was MUCH needed after three consecutive snow days at home with the kiddos). Extra bonuses: There are charging stations in case you need to power up your phone and a TV playing movies to keep you entertained.

How cute are these sweet treats?

I left with a fresh blowout that ended up lasting me throughout the weekend and still looked fresh when we went out for dinner with friends on Saturday night. I also snagged a few products to try out and after a week giving them a go, I am pretty impressed. I’ve been using the Hot Toddy heat protector + frizz fighter and love that it works well without leaving your hair with that sticky, gummy feeling. Their Detox dry shampoo is also pretty legit and smells great. I’ll keep you posted on my experiences with the other products I snagged on Snapchat. As you can imagine, I haven’t been doing a lot of hair styling throughout the move (no styling… lots of dry shampoo).

So all in all, I definitely recommend stopping in and checking it out. As much as I wish I could get a weekly blow-out, it’s not in the cards for me but I’m sure I’ll be popping back in for special occasions or for a little extra pampering. A couple other items of note: appointments start at 7 am (so if you’re a member at LA Fitness, you could easily workout in the AM and head there immediately afterwards), you can book appointments online (very clutch) and you can buy packs of visits or get a monthly membership. A monthly membership includes two blowouts a month, a free birthday blowout and 10% off products.

Sorry for the crappy after picture, this was the only option once I made it home 🙂

#reallife – sorry this lame selfie was all I could manage for my after pic! promise to do better next time.

Disclosure: I was not paid for this post but I did receive a free blow-out from Drybar as a gift. All opinions, ramblings and thoughts are my own. As always, I only post about products, brands and businesses that I support and think you all would be interested in hearing about.