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The Shortlist
- Best OverallShark HyperAIR Hair Dryer with Curl-Defining DiffuserShop
- Best ValueConair InfinitiPRO Hair Dryer with DiffuserShop
- Best LuxuryDyson Supersonic Hair DryerShop
- Best Made for CurlsCurlsmith Defrizzion Hair Dryer & XXL DiffuserShop
- Best Universal DiffuserXtava Black Orchid Large Hair DiffuserShop
- Best for Root VolumeDevaCurl DevaFuser Universal DiffuserShop
- Best for TravelThe Curly Co. Collapsible Hair DiffuserShop
A hair dryer is the most expensive thing most people buy for their curls, and the purchase where marketing does the most talking. The truth is fairly plain. Technique matters more than the tool, and a modest dryer used well will outperform an expensive one used badly. What the right equipment does is make good technique easier.
What a dryer for curls needs
- Separate heat and speed controls. You want low or medium heat with low airflow, a combination many cheap dryers do not allow.
- A cool shot or cool setting, for finishing.
- A diffuser that fits. Either included, or a barrel of standard size that accepts a universal one.
- Manageable weight. Diffusing takes fifteen to thirty minutes with your arm raised.
Features such as ionic and ceramic technology are common claims. They are of less practical importance than the four points above.
What a diffuser needs
- A wide, deep bowl, so curls can sit inside it without being crushed.
- Prongs, to lift the roots and let air reach the scalp.
- Plenty of small air holes, to spread airflow evenly.
The picks
Diffusers to fit a dryer you already own
If your current dryer has separate heat and speed settings, you may only need the attachment.
How to choose
| If you | Choose |
|---|---|
| Need a first dryer and diffuser | Conair InfinitiPRO |
| Want the best all-rounder | Shark HyperAIR |
| Have long, thick curls or coils | Curlsmith Defrizzion, or the Xtava diffuser |
| Have flat roots | DevaFuser |
| Already own a good dryer | A universal diffuser only |
| Travel often | A collapsible diffuser |
How to diffuse
- Style on soaking wet hair, and scrunch out excess water.
- Apply a heat protectant if your stylers do not include one.
- Set the dryer to low or medium heat and low speed.
- Hover around your head without touching for a few minutes, to set the cast.
- Cup sections into the bowl and lift toward the scalp, holding for twenty to thirty seconds.
- Stop at about eighty to ninety percent dry.
- Scrunch out the cast when fully dry.
Each step is explained in How to Diffuse Curly Hair Without the Frizz.