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If you’re a member of the curly hair club (types 3a to 4c or beyond), then you know that your ringlets, coils and waves require special treatment when it comes to styling. One of the best tools to have in your arsenal is a hair dryer diffuser. This handy attachment, which goes on the end of your hair dryer and looks like a bowl with prongs or fingers extending from it, is designed to disperse the airflow from your blow dryer over a larger area, which can help reduce frizz and speed up drying time.
The type of hair diffuser you choose depends on your curl texture and length. For example, if you have long hair with tight, dense curls that are difficult to dry, Leigh Hardges, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, recommends getting a diffuser with elongated prongs. “They can help keep your hair clumped while it’s sitting in the diffuser and make it easier to dry the scalp,” she says. Conversely, if you have short hair and/or thin curls that are easy to dry, consider a diffuser with shorter, nubby prongs to avoid over-drying your hair.
Generally, you should start diffusing your hair from the tips and work your way up to the roots. Once your hair is about 80% dry, turn off the hair dryer and let it air-dry for a bouncy finish that’s free of frizz and flyaways. hair dryer diffuser