The 10 Best Hair Diffusers for Shiny, Defined Curls

best hair diffuser

Diffuser attachments are round, claw-like pieces that fit onto the nozzle of a hair dryer and, spread out any air emitted from the blow dryer. This allows for a gentler and more even airflow than what you might get from the nozzle alone. Often times you find yourself with one universal diffuser, but Ouidad is taking a step further. This attachment is interchangeable with three removable pieces for all hair types and textures. Whether you have long, short, think or fine curls, you can design your diffuser to create the right amount of volume, defintion or shape you're searching for. One thing I've discovered when styling with a diffuser is that air-drying to about 50% (so damp to the touch) and then using a diffuser has given me the best results for twist-out and braid-out styles.

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Please allow for a moment of silence for all the times you’ve skipped diffusing your curls because you thought it was just too complicated to even attempt. Yes, I am absolutely projecting onto everyone the hair faux pas that I have been making my entire curly hair-having life. But don't worry—I tapped curl expert and Matrix Global artistic director Michelle O’Connor to get all her tips and tricks for diffusing your hair (and find out her all-time favorite diffusers for curly hair, sans frizz). Throw away whatever preconceived notions you may have about diffusing and get prepared for your best curls ever.

Best Overall Diffuser For Curly Hair

We already trust Rizos Curls to take care of our hair thanks to their hair-defining products, and they just keep giving us more with this conveniently collapsible diffuser attachment. Perfect for travel and the minimalist, this is a straightforward choice that’ll fit any hair dryer. The flexible neck is perfect for the long-haired beauties who worry about awkward hair flips. This diffuser features contoured prongs that lift hair at the root and separate coils, creating tons of volume while still keeping your curl pattern intact. The heavy-duty quality is built tough for the thickest, curliest hair out there and even works so well it can even bring out a wave in finer, straighter hair types. So, it's important to use tools that offer your ideal style without using suuuper high heat.

Best Hair Diffuser for Wavy Hair

Diffusers help curls keep their patterns intact when blowdrying them. The pronged attachments work to disperse the airflow from your dryer to surround the curl. This takes the ferocity of the air stream from the dryer down a few notches to prevent frizz and help spirals hold their shape. That said, not all diffusers are created equally, and with so many different kinds of curls, you'll want to be sure you're choosing the best option for your texture. The brand created a sleek-looking blowdryer brush with a diffuser attachment that can be used on all hair types.

A Diffusing Tool That Dries Fast And Eliminates All Traces Of Frizz

This diffuser can be used with the GHD Helios dryer, or their Air Professional dryer. This styling cream from Virtue touts six benefits including heat protection, softness, shine, light hydration and strengthened and polished hair. “I like to use something that has a little bit of style memory, just to encourage the overall styling goal to hold throughout the day,” she shared. Harvey recommends using a microfiber towel to remove excess water from your hair, which will help with frizz and cut down overall drying time.

best hair diffuser

While it can feel intimidating to diffuse your hair for the first time, both Rubenstein and Reslan provided a step-by-step guide on how to diffuse your curly hair the right way. The larger the diffuser, the more evenly it can disperse air — and the faster your hair dries. However,  “compact or collapsible diffusers may have a smaller diffusing area,” says Almanzar. “This could slightly compromise the overall styling effect compared to standard-sized diffusers.” It’s ultimately the tradeoff for being able to easily transport a diffuser. Not only does this help dry hard-to-reach areas like the nape of your neck, but it provides more volume. (To avoid getting cramps, move your head from side to side as you dry.) You'll want to start by hovering the diffuser a couple inches away from your curls, spending 30 seconds or so in every area (i.e the crown, hairline, etc).

For best results, only dry 80 to 90 percent of the way, then let it air dry to finish. The last thing you want to do is over-dry your strands and reduce the effectiveness of the moisturizing products you just applied (aka leave-in, styling cream and heat protectant). Kamara Brown is a hairstylist with more than nine years of protective hairstyling under her belt. Brown is famed for her signature Crochet Braids Afro style and founded Raww Intuition, a textured wig line for women who love big hair and curls. Although the 1,875-watt Revlon Compact Styler is a wallet saver at around $10, the savings do not make up for the dryer’s added heft, its lack of attachments, and its reduced wind speeds compared with those of our picks.

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Keep repeating this motion until your entire head of hair is dry, and you'll notice stunning waves beginning to take shape. I received this blow dryer from the brand to try and was immediately impressed when I used the diffuser. It easily gets to my roots and I've also found that it's wide enough to dry a decent chunk of hair at once which helps save time. Plus, the dryer itself isn't deafeningly loud so you can safely dry your hair at night without disturbing anyone. The Revlon 1875-Watt Infrared Hair Dryer produced a wind speed of 45 mph (measured directly in front of the nozzle), slower than the speed we got from our picks.

Conair InfinitiPRO by Conair Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryer

That's why it's essential to use a diffuser that will tactfully enhance definition and form voluminous waves. While people with curly and wavy hair are likely most familiar with diffusers, Harvey, Spino and Burnside agreed that one of the main benefits of using a diffuser is a reduced amount of frizz for all hair types. We also tried the Hot Tools One-Step Detachable Straight Dry Paddle Dryer and the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler, both of which were clunkier, heavier, and slower to dry hair than the Conair.

These can help create volume and lift while still setting curls and creating longevity in your style, says Johnson. Also, if your hair is lacking volume (or has trouble maintaining it), diffusers can help create more of a boosting effect. "By lifting the base of your roots while drying, [diffusers] help set your style and give it longer-lasting volume," says Johnson. Finally, because the airflow of a diffuser is much more controlled, it can help improve the efficacy of your styling products, says Johnson. "This diffuser helps to cut down frizz while also providing texture and curl defining results without excessive heat," says Taylor. "It can also be used as a hair dryer by removing the diffuser, and it offers three different heat levels."

The whole dry time will vary depending on your hair length, hair type or hair porosity. The vortex-like shape of this tool allows for controlled airflow that works well for those who are looking for ultimate volume. Then, using this diffuser, focus on wrapping the hair around the vented prongs for individualized shaping. Besides being fun to look at, the finger-like prongs on this alien-like design help to evenly distribute airflow and really get to your hair's roots.

Despite the Supersonic’s flaws, compared with other dryers we’ve tested, this one truly feels like a luxury to use every day. Although the Dyson dryer’s feel and attachments are improvements over those of our other picks, we also found features we didn’t like and a few that we were neutral on. All of the dryers took more or less the same amount of time to dry hair. We took basic stats on our dryers, using a weather meter to test the speed and heat and a postage scale to weigh them. Often our own readings disagreed with the manufacturer-stated specs. If you can’t or don’t want to leave the house with wet hair, you need a hair dryer.

There’s a reason why Conair is celebrated for making quality hair tools—they just get it right, and this classic hairdryer is no exception. The ceramic technology makes for safer drying, and you can also use the cold shot when you want to avoid heat. The diffuser also has prongs with multiple lengths so it can evenly distribute air through thick hair. This collapsible blowdryer attachment is ideal for travel and easy storage, funneling and softening the airflow of your hairdryer while also collapsing to a convenient size. Hair diffusers can also be used to dry and set short hairstyles and updos without disturbing the look, says hairstylist Leigh Hardges.

Curly hair is not one-dimensional, there are so many types, patterns, and textures that exist. This means that not every product or tool will work universally across curly hair, and as someone with tight curls, finding the right products for my coils can be difficult. The Curlsmith De-Frizzion Dryer's deep-reaching prongs gently support wavy hair strands while drying from tip to root, encouraging the formation of bouncy ringlets. For undeniably defined waves, we would suggest filling each section of hair into the diffuser bowl and bringing the bowl close to your scalp for a few seconds.

The Best Diffusers for Curly Hair, Tested and Reviewed - Business Insider

The Best Diffusers for Curly Hair, Tested and Reviewed.

Posted: Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Check out our guides to the best curly hair tips and tricks and how to plop curly hair. She brings nearly a decade of writing and editing expertise, and her work has appeared in Allure, Health, Fitness, Marie Claire, StyleCaster, and Parents. She also has an unhealthy adoration for Tom Hanks and would like to please meet him one day, if you could arrange that. Dyson is considered one of the leaders in hair tools, and their Supersonic Dryer is worth the hefty price tag.

This article was originally written by Marielle Marlys, a freelance writer and former beauty intern at Good Housekeeping. She has covered a range of topics, including the best hair products, and interviews top experts in the industry. Additionally, she vets products to ensure accurate, trustworthy recommendations.

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