First date, Valentine's Day: which blow-dry to choose

For a first date, the ideal hairstyle is the one that makes them say "she's beautiful", not "she's been to the hairdresser". The soft blow-dry meets that expectation exactly: it has the hold of a blow-dry and the look of natural hair. It lets you be yourself, only more polished.

Natural, but done

A first date is all about spontaneity. An overly elaborate hairstyle can create distance, like an outfit that is too dressed up for a simple drink. Conversely, unkempt hair will have you thinking about it all evening.

Between the two lies natural, but done: hair that moves, that shines, that can be touched without falling apart. That is what we are after, and it is the very definition of soft.

Length changes things a little. On a bob or mid-length and long hair, the soft finish draws a pretty line through the ends and frames the face. On extra-long hair, it avoids the curtain effect of a too-straight sleek finish and brings movement through the whole length.

Either way, you choose your length when you book, with three simple markers: the nape, the shoulders and the bottom of the ribs. No need to measure anything, and the length is checked together before we start in any case.

Why soft

The soft blow-dry gives fluid lengths and gently rounded ends. The round brush works each section with less tension than a sleek finish and only rolls the ends, which cool in place before being released.

For a date, it has several qualities:

• It moves with you. When you turn your head or laugh, your hair follows without falling apart.
• It can be touched. A hand running through your hair won't ruin the style.
• It ages well. By the end of the evening, the movement has relaxed a little, but the style keeps its spirit.
• It suits almost any outfit, from jeans with a pretty blouse to a black dress.

If you are torn between soft and sleek, our comparison sleek or soft blow-dry will help you decide. And if your hair is fine and falls flat against your head, the volume blow-dry will give it more presence.

The right first-date blow-dry goes unnoticed: it gets you noticed.

Depending on the setting

A dinner

Low light, a table, conversation: your hair is seen up close and from the front. The soft finish frames the face and catches the candlelight beautifully. Bring the lengths over one shoulder so they don't end up in your plate.

A drink on the terrace or a walk

Outside, the wind comes into play. The soft finish withstands a gust: a strand out of place blends into the overall movement. Avoid the strict sleek finish, where every disturbed hair shows.

An activity

A concert, an exhibition, an evening on the move: choose soft or volume, and forget very defined curls, which need a little more care.

Valentine's Day: a date you know

The advantage of Valentine's Day is that you know it in advance: 14 February. Nothing stops you booking well ahead, at a time that suits you, rather than hunting for a slot at the last minute.

It is also a winter date, right in the middle of bise season: this cold, dry north to north-east wind has its longest spells between November and March.

A hat is the enemy of a blow-dry: it flattens the roots and creates static. A large silk scarf draped loosely over the head protects without crushing. Our article on blow-drying in winter offers more advice for the season.

For a dressier Valentine's dinner, you can also dare a more pronounced finish, such as brush curls, whose soft curls relax gently over the evening.

The little touches for the big day

A good blow-dry is often ruined in the final hours. A few reflexes:

1. Don't touch your hair before you leave. Every pass of your hand flattens the roots a little.
2. No added oil or serum to "make it shine": they weigh the style down for the whole evening.
3. A flat clip in your bag, to pin your hair up if the restaurant is very warm.

And if the evening stretches into the next day, our guide to reviving your blow-dry on day two will give you the morning moves.

Book before the date

Have your blow-dry done the same day, ideally in the afternoon for an evening date. If your schedule doesn't allow it, the day before works too, with a loose bun for the night and a silk pillowcase.

Booking is done online: your length, with three markers (the nape, the shoulders, the bottom of the ribs), your finish and a free slot.

Come with clean hair, without oil, serum or styling product. The address is Avenue d'Yverdon 4, 1004 Lausanne, and the confirmation email gives you the directions. The only effort of the day: sitting down.

Appointment booked? Book your soft blow-dry and think about everything except your hair.