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Everything you need to know about using a diffuser for curly hair
If you have curly or wavy hair and want to blow-dry your hair with as little frizz as possible, a diffuser could be a great tool for you. The conical pronged device attaches to the end of your hair dryer or multistyler to help diffuse or disperse the airflow. This helps to minimize frizz and keep your beautiful natural curl or wave pattern intact.
Though the large, odd-shaped hair dryer attachment can look intimidating, it’s fairly simple to use. Keep reading to find out how to use a diffuser on various types of hair, along with styling tips, from Chloe Homan, CEO and founder of the Curlfriend Collective, which sells products just for curly hair. We’ll also share some of our favorite hair dryers and multistylers that work well with diffuser attachments.
How to use a hair diffuser to dry curly hair
To achieve the best results with a diffuser, it’s important to know how to properly use one. “If you’re just starting out on your curly journey, a diffuser is one of the best tools you can purchase for your styling process that will give you the biggest difference in your results,” Homan said. “It can help add volume, define your curls, reduce total dry time and reduce frizz. It’s also less damaging than air drying, because our hair is the most susceptible to damage in its wet state.”
Not only that, she added, but “it’ll also help with root volume, overall shape and longevity throughout the week or until your next wash.” Read on to learn how to best use a diffuser on curly and coily hair types.
Step 1: Start with clean, wet hair
“Across the board for all curl types, you’ll want to start with clean, wet hair,” Homan said. This is best done right out of the shower or bath. As part of your hair-washing routine, you might want to avoid using shampoos made with sulfates, which tend to be harsher on hair and can dry it out, causing it to look dull and frizzy.
Step 2: Apply heat protectant and styling products as necessary
In order to protect your strands, enhance your curl pattern and/or add softness and shine, you might want to use a targeted hair product on your wet hair, such as a heat-protection spray, leave-in conditioner or curl-enhancing cream, mousse or gel.
Step 3: Use the diffuser to dry your roots
“Cup your hair into the diffuser, starting first at the root, as that’s the area that will take the longest to dry,” Homan said. She recommends repeating this process all over your head for approximately five minutes, finding a new spot on your scalp about every 30 seconds.
If you have coily hair, “I’d recommend the ‘hover method’ of diffusing to help maintain the length and avoid too much shrinkage,” said Homan. “This method means that the diffuser will never touch your coils directly and simply hover around your head until dry, similar to if you were at a salon sitting under a dryer.”
Step 4: Use the diffuser to scrunch your hair from tip to root
After you’ve finished using the diffuser to dry the roots of your hair, “start moving your diffuser to the ends and bringing it up toward the scalp,” Homan said. “I also recommend flipping from side to side and sometimes even upside down to help with root volume along with making sure your curls don’t get glued to your head during the drying process. We love free-flowing curls! Intentional movement of the diffuser in a circular motion around your head will make sure all areas get attention and not too much in one location.”
How to use a hair diffuser on wavy hair
“The diffusing process for wavy hair is almost identical to the curly hair one,” Homan noted. “Wavy hair is even more important to diffuse to help encourage the curl pattern, as [wavy hair] tends to get weighed down and lose the wave/curl more easily when wet.”
Step 1: Start with clean, wet hair
After shampooing and conditioning your hair in the shower or bath, squeeze out the excess water and start the diffusing process with clean, wet hair.
Step 2: Apply heat protectant and styling products as necessary
Heat protectant sprays can help shield your strands from heat damage. Leave-in conditioner can add softness and shine, while curl-enhancing creams, mousses or gels can help define your wave pattern. Use the products that give you the desired effect before you begin diffusing.
Step 3: Use the diffuser to dry your roots
Like with curly hair, you want to start at the roots. To do so, diffuse small sections of your roots for approximately 30 seconds each until you’ve dried them all. The entire process should take about five minutes depending on hair density.
Step 4: Use the diffuser to scrunch your hair from tip to root
After drying your roots with the diffuser, it’s time to move on to the ends of your hair. You can do this by positioning the diffuser under the ends, then moving it up toward your scalp in a scrunching motion. Homan also suggests flipping your hair from side to side as well as upside down to help with root volume.
How to use a hair diffuser to style your hair
When styling your hair with a diffuser, there are a number of tips and tricks you can use to achieve better results. Below are Homan’s suggestions for how to best style your hair with a diffuser.
To dry hair faster, use a high speed setting with low heat
If you’re in a rush and looking to speed up your drying time, Homan suggests raising the fan speed but keeping the heat low. This helps prevent damage as well as quicken the drying time.
Keep your hands out of your curls
“A huge key to using a diffuser to maximize definition and ward away frizz is ensuring you don’t touch your curls too much with your hands or try to break up curl clumps while your curls are still wet,” Homan said. “The movements you make with your diffuser should be gentle to not agitate or disrupt the curl clumps.”
Consider a large, deep bowl-shaped diffuser
Though the best diffuser for each person will depend on their own preference, Homan takes a shine to larger diffusers with a deeper bowl shape. “This helps make sure you can get more hair in the diffuser each time and will also keep you from drying your curls in a wonky way that doesn’t feel natural,” she said.
How to use a hair diffuser on straight hair
“I personally would not recommend a diffuser for someone with straight hair, as it will take them longer to dry their hair and there wouldn’t be any additional benefit,” Homan said.
Instead, if you want a similar effect for straight hair, consider trying the Dyson Supersonic’s Gentle Air attachment. Though it doesn’t look like your typical diffuser, this small hair dryer attachment creates a similar effect by dispersing the air to make a gentler, cooler airflow. This, like a diffuser, helps prevent frizz.
Hair diffuser tips
- Store the diffuser properly: “Some diffusers come in a bag, which is very nice for storage and travel,” said Homan.
- Clean your diffuser: “I’d also recommend cleaning your diffuser attachment every so often, as the products from your hair will start to build up on the teeth of the diffuser,” noted Homan.
Best hair dryers with diffuser attachments
With five attachments, including a traditional diffuser and the Gentle Air attachment, Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer bundle comes with everything you need to properly dry and style any hair type. The attachments are magnetic, which makes them super simple to connect and remove. It has four speed settings, three heat settings and a Cold Shot setting.
Dyson Airwrap Complete Long Diffuse
This multi-styler includes everything you need to dry, straighten or curl your hair. If you’re looking to embrace your natural curl or wave pattern, use the diffuser attachment, which helps to disperse air evenly around your curls. It also includes a Wide-tooth comb attachment, which is beneficial for detangling and lengthening curly or coily hair.
Shark SpeedStyle RapidGloss Finisher and High-Velocity Hair Dryer for Curly and Coily Hair
The attachments included with this hair dryer are selected specifically with coily and curly hair in mind. The wavy-shaped DeFrizzFast Diffuser offers swift and easy drying, resulting in bouncy and defined curls. It has three airflow options, four heat settings and a Cool Shot setting.
Final thoughts
If you have curly or wavy hair, a diffuser is a great tool to help you dry your hair with more volume and minimal frizz while keeping your curls bouncy and defined.
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Talia Ergas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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