Alli Webb Takes Us inside Vegas' New Drybar

Bigger is definitely better at Drybar, which debuted its first Vegas outpost this July. Here, the salon’s founder, Alli Webb, takes us inside the brand’s Strip digs.

“I cannot tell you how many emails and Tweets we got from women asking why we weren’t in Vegas yet—we definitely heard the cry,” says Alli Webb, the stay-at-home mother-turned-beauty innovator behind Drybar, a wildly successful national chain of blow-out salons that grew into an industry behemoth worth $58 million in its first five years in business alone. “We had been trying to get into Vegas for a long time, and it was a little bit about timing and the right situation working out.”

At long last, Drybar hit the Strip in July with a 2,800-square-foot flagship store inside the Miracle Mile Shops. The chain’s largest location yet, the space comes complete with 20 styling chairs and Drybar’s signature menu of affordably priced blow-outs like the Cosmo (lots of loose curls) and Webb’s personal favorite, the Mai Tai (messy, beach-ready waves). “Our styles really cover just about everything,” she adds. “Whatever the trend is, our hairstyles can adapt and transform to match them.”

But don’t just go for the blow-outs; along with styling services, clients can expect a variety of only-in-Vegas accents like an in-store photo booth, full wet bar, and built-in DJ booth. “My sister-in-law Sarah, who actually helped start the company with us, is a newer DJ,” Webb says, “but she’s been going around to a lot of our stores to DJ our openings. Having that music in the shop really gives it another energy, but it’s not something we really had the space to do before. Maybe we’ll start building DJ booths in all the stores.”

The ultra-feminine hangout is a welcome addition to an area of Vegas that’s uncharacteristically lacking in salons, especially ones that don’t exist inside hotels. “It’s crazy how difficult it can be to get a good blow-out on the Strip,” Webb agrees. “Typically hotels charge so much for them, and with Drybar, we want it to be just as much about the experience as it is about the actual blow-out. We really wanted to do Vegas big, as you can imagine. Likewise, I suspect we’ll see a lot bigger hair in Vegas, too—everything in Vegas is bigger and better.”

Which brings us to the million-dollar question: How does Webb recommend maintaining a blow-out’s volume in Vegas’s triple-digit temperatures? “When you’re in a situation where you might be hot or sweaty, go with a style that can withstand the heat,” she advises. “With messier styles like the Mai Tai or the Cosmo, you can easily make waves or frizz work to your advantage, even if your blow-out does get slightly affected.” Miracle Mile Shops, 702-560-5243