10 Hair Diffusers for the Best Frizz-Free Curls of Your Life
All of the bounce, none of the flyaways.
People with curly hair are all too familiar with frizziness. Though many of us reach for the leave-in conditioner, hoping it will tame unruly tresses into beautiful, bouncy curls, there's one highly underrated piece of haircare equipment that blasts frizz away from your strands in minutes: a diffuser.
The Best Hair Diffusers
- Best Overall: Bed Head Curls in Check 1875 Watt Diffuser Hair Dryer
- Best for Defining Curls: Segbeauty Professional Hair Dryer Diffuser Attachment
- Best for On the Go: Sindy Curls Magic Collapsible Silicone Hair Diffuser Attachment
- The Shine Booster: Drybar The Bouncer Diffuser
- Best Budget: Conair Volumizing Diffuser
- Best for Volume: T3 Soft Curl Diffuser
- Faster Drying Time: Bio Ionic Universal Diffuser
- Universal Fit: SindycurlsMagic Collapsible Silicone Hair Diffuser
- Best for Bouncier Curls: BaBylissPRO Italy Dryer Diffuser
- The Experts' Favorite: Dyson Supersonic Diffuser
What Is a Hair Diffuser?
Chances are, you already have one of these nifty hair dryer attachments, and it's probably collecting dust in your room. But for those of you with wavy-to-curly hair types, it's time to dust off your diffuser and put it to good use.
We spoke to Annagjid “Kee” Taylor, celebrity hairstylist to notable stars like Keke Palmer, Tika Sumpter, Tiffany Haddish, Nafessa Williams, and many more, about why exactly a diffuser is such an important haircare tool for curls. She tells us, "One of the main benefits of using a hair diffuser is to dry and set your hair, defining curls with minimal frizz."
Since diffusers distribute airflow, it’s able to maximize coverage which, Taylor says, “is better and less damaging for your strands” than using a regular dryer or a concentrator nozzle that only flows in one concentrated direction. “The multi-directional airflow also gives your locks more volume and body,” she says.
How Do You Use a Hair Diffuser?
Before tackling your curls, Taylor recommends following this quick step-by-step guide for styling your hair:
- Detangle wet hair with a leave-in conditioner after washing. Follow up with a heat protectant (you can check out our favorites here) to guard your delicate strands from any heat damage.
- Add the diffuser attachment to the blow dryer and part hair into four sections.
- Add one section at a time to the diffuser by inserting hair, starting from the bottom and scrunching to mid-shaft or roots with low heat and low pressure. Using low heat and pressure is extremely important in order to not increase the risk of heat damage your hair.
- Rotate between sections every 25-30 sections until dry.
- Finish off with any oils or curl-defining creams as you see fit, and voilà!
What to Consider
Understanding Your Natural Curl Pattern
Knowing your natural curl pattern will help you understand how your hair will turn out after using a diffuser. These attachments are meant to elevate your hair's natural body and bends, so don't expect ringlets when your hair naturally falls in subtle waves. Yes, you'll see more volume and definition, but hair diffusers aren't meant to do more than that.
Since there are quite a few hair types, finding yours can be difficult at first, but our friends over at Good Housekeeping have a nifty curl pattern guide for you to check out.
Assess How Long Your Hair Is
... or rather, assess just much hair you have. Curly-haired people know that shrinkage makes your hair look much shorter than it actually is, plus curly hair is naturally more voluminous than finer, straighter hair types. The easiest rule of thumb to follow is that the more hair you have, or the longer your hair is, the bigger the diffuser you're going to need.
Now that you've gotten the 101 on how to use a hair diffuser and why they're so vital for getting those curls tamed to perfection, check out a few of the most impressive, top-rated diffusers that internet reviewers (plus four celebrity hairstylists) can't get enough of.
Believe us: Once you use one of these diffusers on your curls, you're never going to air-dry ever again.
