Drybar founder Alli Webb and her signature “Buttercup” Blow Dryer
NO CUTS, NO COLOR, JUST BLOW-OUTS!
If you haven’t made a trip over to Uptown Park yet, get ready to be “blown away” as Drybar has opened its first salon in Houston in Uptown Park on September 13. Founded by longtime stylist Alli Webb, her brother Michael Landau, a former Yahoo marketing executive and her husband, Cameron Webb, a creative director, get ready for a very non-typical salon experience. This blow-dry bar has taken its inspiration, through Alli’s eyes, from a true “bar” concept following in every aspect from naming their six signature styling selections after popular drinks to each of their products and packaging and even coaster-styled gift cards…..all named and designed as you may have ordered it in a bar. The level of detail they have taken in every aspect is awesome! Drybar does over 75,000 blow outs per month and employs over 3,000 people in its 30 locations. All of this within a three year time…a true definition of success!
Q & A with founder, Alli Webb: I had the good fortune, through my friend, Janet Gurwitch,* of having some one-on-one time with Alli on a couple of occasions. I found her to be very engaging and enthusiastic as she shared with me their journey from concept to successful reality, of developing such a unique concept as Drybar. I’m thrilled to share some of my conversation with you right here…..
RP: Alli, tell me how the Drybar concept came about?
AW: After being a stay-at-home Mom for a few years, I was antsy to get back out in to the workplace but would still give me flexible time for my family. I was a trained stylist, who myself had had to deal with my curly hair that I wanted blown dry as often as possible, and knew that going into a full salon all the time was both expensive and time restrictive. So I began a mobile service in 2008, called Straight-at Home, and offered an inexpensive concept ($35 for a blow-out, no matter hair length, that they still honor today. (exception: $40 NYC,DC, & SF). The request for this service, just through word of mouth became so demanding that I knew that I had to take it into a shop to meet the demands of this fast growing business. So with the help of my brother, Michael and husband, Cameron, we invested the money and opened our first location in Brentwood in 2010. Houston is our 30th location to open to date. We are in CA, AL, TX, NYC, DC, MD, GA, with stores to open this Fall in Chicago and Boston.
RP: And the Bar Concept…how did that come to be?
AW: I always had that idea in my head from the beginning and as we collaborated on the salon idea, the Dry-BAR was conceived! My hubby came up with the drink names for styles as an example, but it was a total collaboration. To see the names of all six styling options visit The Drybar.com.
RP: So, Alli, tell me what is the most popular of your six blow-dry choices? Does it vary much by city/market?
AW: First, it doesn’t really vary much by market. Maybe in Texas Southern Comfort is more popular but then that wavy, big hair look is popular now as a trend everywhere also. The most popular are the Cosmo and the Mai Tai (messy softness and one I wear often).
RP: What about Houston and its humidity? How can you help us girls with natural curly hair deal with it at your Drybar? Also, since you have been open here in Houston for one whole week, are you finding anything unique about what our customers are wanting?
AW: The answer to the humidity problem is the use of our HOT TODDY, a heat protector that will help with frizz and dryness, our CREAM SODA, styling cream and lastly, our MONEY MAKER hair spray, along with using our BUTTERCUP dryer, which actually conditions your hair while it dries it with minerals that we have built into the dryer itself. Haven’t been open long enough to see any significantly unique requests from our Houston patrons, but I would guess that SOUTHERN COMFORT will be a big hit here?!
Interior view of a typical Drybar, with all its amenities
A few more questions for Alli…..
RP: The Emmys were just on and of course, I had to watch the Red Carpet for its Designer dresses but also love to make note of the hair and accessories. Were there any notable styling directions that you noticed that we should take away from the Emmys’ Red Carpet?
AW: Well, there was the “faux bob” as seen on Claire Danes, for one, where you pin your hair under to give the appearance of shorter hair. Most of the hair reflected a longer, wavy look more like Southern Comfort but really there was some of everything.
RP: Any particular looks in hair for Fall that we should take note of?
AW: I’d say Southern Comfort….the more big hair, feminine loose curl look will be pretty dominant
Newest luscious, high quality, products that were launched by Drybar can be found in many Sephora locations, Sephora online, Drybar and Drybar online
Samples of the TOOLS OF THE TRADE, in Drybar’s signature Yellow color, including BUTTERCUP, their amazing blow dryer. All available, as the products above, at Sephora online and Drybar online
Need a gift? Give the gift of a blowout (gift card coaster) and they will be hooked on Drybar and give you a big hug…a treat they will use and love you even more for!
*Janet Gurwitch is a Drybar investor and Drybar’s Houston opening hostess to our city.
**all photos c/o www.thedrybar.com
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Hi,
How are you I hope you doing well. I would like to ask you about the hair blue dryer set and with the hair bar product, how I can reach it with all details and the price with shipment .the yellow color.
Thank you ,
The best regards,
Khawla