Blo | Blow Dry Bar

It was 11a.m. on a sunny Saturday morning. Feelish sluggish, a little hungover and awfully sleepy, I crawled out of bed, threw on my biggest pair of face-covering shades, and strolled down the street into Blo, Toronto's latest hair haven. I needed a serious pick-me-up. It's a trendy, all-Canadian walk-in 'hair bar', done up in hot pink, white leather and chrome - in the hip, 'yummy-mummy' neighbourhood of Yonge & Eglinton in midtown Toronto.
Blo Salon (Amberly McTeer)

Scissors and hair dye are forbidden: they're not hairdressers, they're hair stylists. With just irons, blo-dryers and brushes, the army of Blo staff promise to boost your ego in just 30 minutes. Taglines on the the complimentary pink water bottles remind you, just in case: "you're not cheating on your hairdresser."

My hair was doing the only two things it knows: flat and straight (see photo). I tell this to Stephanie, my stylist for my 30-minute 'blo out.' She passes me Blo's trademark 'hair menu' - a tiny pink book, with quirky style names and descriptions, and assures me I'll leave with all the volume I could ever ask for.
Before Blo (Amberly McAteer)

I opt for the 'Holly Would', on the premise that the style is close to boys, "they experience less co-ordination and muscle strength in the knees." After a wash with incredible, Canadian-made shampoo - she goes to work, lifting and drying and curling. I'm in awe: she transforms my lame 'do, in about 20 minutes in the chair, to an incredible bouncy, sexy mane. It's curly, and fabulous, without being overdone. I'm not kidding: my confidence soared the minute she was done. I couldn't stop checking myself out on in the shop windows on my walk home. I had swagger. I was blown away (pun intended) at my transformation.
After Blo

And that's the whole point, says Tara Clark, the co-owner of the Toronto store. "Once your hair is perfect," she tells me, "it really doesn't matter if you're in sweat pants. You're guaranteed to feel great." Her partner, longtime friend and model Melanie Groom, says the best part their new joint venture - which will see a new location sprout in poshy Yorkville in September, and another on King West next year - is watching that change happen.

"Women from all ages - six to 60 - come in, average looking, and leave feeling and looking amazing. That's why we do this, that's why we love it."

'Blo' outs are about 30 minutes, for just over $30. Walk-ins are welcome. They also do birthday parties, stagettes, weddings - even blo outs for men, called Bro Jobs (for dudes who like dryers.)

- Amberly McAteer, Yahoo editor

Where: 2594 Yonge street, Toronto

Check it out: www.blomedry.com

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