How to Use a Diffuser for Natural Curls

Table Of Content

• The Airshot Hair Dryer
• HOW TO USE A DIFFUSER TO DRY YOUR HAIR: STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL
• steps to a DIY blow dry
• Using the CLOUD NINE Hot Brush to Style 4C Hair
• Step 4: Using your diffuser, dry your hair in small sections.
• Get the Look: Big Effortless Waves
• Best hair diffusers, according to stylists and shoppers
• Bellissima Italia Diffon Supreme Curly Dryer

You don’t want the hair to touch the diffuser at all,” Harvey said. Last month, Pattern released their first hot tool with the goal of reshaping the relationship between curly hair and heat. Aside from the beautiful neutral tone that's consistent throughout the tool down to the literal wire, it comes with four different attachments designed with curly girls in mind.

The Airshot Hair Dryer

Additionally, she vets products to ensure accurate, trustworthy recommendations. Here is everything you should look for when buying a hair diffuser. Most importantly, take your needs and hair type into consideration when picking the best diffuser for you. The soft, mesh fabric of this YS Park diffuser contains silver and titanium particles, which heat up and retain heat, according to the brand (though this has not been confirmed by the GH Beauty Lab). By retaining the heat, it creates a softer, more manageable blow dry.

HOW TO USE A DIFFUSER TO DRY YOUR HAIR: STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL

However, some blow dryer brands have their own unique attachments, so if you have a well-known branded hair dryer, make sure to check if there are dedicated attachments for it before buying a universal one. Some curlies diffuse their hair with the heat setting on to speed up the drying process, but when possible, we recommend avoiding using heat on curls for their overall health. “A hair diffuser attaches to the end of your dryer and makes the airflow more gentle,” explains celebrity hairstylist David Lopez. But if you don’t know how to use one, the tool can be a bit intimidating. Read on to find out why a hair diffuser is essential for every head of curly hair, plus get an easy tutorial to follow. Blowouts are great, but they don’t provide a lot of variety for anyone who doesn’t have straight hair.

steps to a DIY blow dry

Also, remember, once you start diffusing your hair, avoid touching your hair with your fingers. Trust me, it makes a huge difference in the smoothness of the curl. If you have curly or wavy hair, the best thing you can do is to use both! All you need to do is replace the concentrator with the diffuser for fast drying and softer, bouncier curls. The effectiveness of this hair styler depends on its overall design.

Using the CLOUD NINE Hot Brush to Style 4C Hair

This can cause your roots to dry in an upward, unnatural position. While it’s a pretty common hair product, many people might not know how to use it or aren’t even aware of what it does. Once you twist the strand, insert its ends into the diffuser cup and bring the device upward toward your scalp but not to the point where it comes into contact.

With a diffuser, you’re focusing direct heat, so you will need your hair to be basically dry in order to style and tame your strands safely. Dryness and frizz are really annoying to deal with day in and day out. While there are tons of products out there to tame your tresses, there are also ways you can use heat to smooth out your hair gently. The diffuser is a nozzle that attaches to your hair dryer, which protects your locks and seals your hair from the damaging effects of direct heat.

Since hair only has the ability to absorb a certain amount of product, Reslan says it's important to remove any excess moisture (especially after a shower) before applying any product. A diffuser is a clawed attachment one can add to the end of their blow-dryer to better distribute the heat onto their curls, rather than having the air blow in a single direction. With this tool, the distribution of air will help cover a larger area, reduce frizz, and define curls. This will encourage curls to clump as it dries, creating defined ringlets.

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Best hair diffusers, according to stylists and shoppers

“This is key because too much airflow can make curls look frizzy,” says Marjan. To create a more even curl pattern, make sure the ends are inside the diffuser, and slowly move up toward the head as you dry. “To prevent your strands from puffing up the second you step outside, make sure your hair is completely dry before you finish,” says Marjan. Nika recommends diffusing for all hair types, as it can be less damaging than regular blow-drying and can bring out waves and curls in the hair. "Contrary to the popular belief that diffusing is just for very curly hair, a diffuser can be used on any hair type or texture," adds Collins.

The hot air softly flows throughout hair to help curls retain their natural form without breaking or frizzing the curl pattern. The experts all note that diffusers are great for any hair texture, but particularly great on curly hair. “It’s especially helpful for lower curl types (loose curl to wavy) whose curls may generally dry with less bounce. A diffuser will help to pump up limp curls and assist with making them come more alive,” says Lee. "I see some clients roughly drying their hair with a towel and being abrasive with it, which will stretch your curls and create more frizz," he says. FHI Heat's GH Beauty Award-winning hair dryer comes complete with three attachments, including a diffuser (not pictured).

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To make life easier for you, I’m here with the full rundown as to what exactly a diffuser is and why you absolutely need it in your curly girl routine. According to Trygstad, you need both a curl cream and something for hold to get the best results. He swears by the lineup from R+Co, specifically the Turntable Curl Defining Cream ($34) and the Chiffon Styling Mousse ($36).

And while you’re at it, check out this best-selling Cantu curling cream, too. Properly taking care of your hair prior to diffusing is crucial to getting a gorgeous curly set, says Nika. Diffusing hair with no product will result in a much different, frizzier look than curls prepped with adequate moisturizing and styling products.

Another top performer in GH Beauty Lab testing, this budget-friendly Hot Tools dryer loved by testers comes with a diffuser included. The compact model makes it easy to store, testers noted, with multiple adding that it also left their hair less frizzy. In testing, it also earned near-perfect scores for drying speed and ranked high for strong airflow. Featuring a digital LED display for heat and power settings and an indicator light when it's time to change the filter, this tech-savvy Paul Mitchell dryer performed well in GH Beauty Lab testing. Plus, it comes with a diffuser included (not pictured), key for drying curly and natural hair textures.

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That being said, the technique may also be the culprit for frizz. It is all a bit of trial and error with curly hair and trying out new techniques to style your hair. Diffusing your hair is a much healthier alternative to using a standard hair dryer, and it saves you from having to prepare your wash days and setting hours for your hair to dry. It comes in a bowl-like shape with prongs that are designed to cradle hair.

Those with longer hair might benefit from a hair styling tool with a deeper bowl for an even heat distribution across the hair. Once your hair is washed, apply a conditioning product like a leave-in conditioner or something that “has a hold factor,” Burnside said, followed by a moisturizing cream or hydrating mousse. Both she and Spino recommend scrunching the product into your hair instead of raking it through to avoid too much friction. Another benefit Burnside pointed out is the reduced amount of damage to the hair when you use a diffuser. “I think because you’re not actually running through the hair with a brush, there’s less tension on the strands so it’s actually not as damaging because there’s less friction,” she said. A hair diffuser is also one of the best tools for a hair detox because the warm air is dispersed across a wider hair surface, and is therefore kinder to hair.