A hair dryer is something curlies just sometimes have to use.
Even though I prefer to air dry my naturally curly waves, since my high porosity, 2C/3A hair takes hours to do so, there are times air drying fully just is not an option.
Enter: Diffusing.
I’ve had my eye on the Dyson Supersonic Dryer ever since it debuted, but $400 for a blow dryer is steep, I get it. Well, I finally managed to get my hands on this coveted hair dryer (using credit card points”>. I’ve been using the dryer with the magnetic diffuser attachment, and I’m here to share my thoughts, and a demo, plus offer some diffusing tips and will talk about a few other less expensive options as well.
The biggest benefit for me when diffusing my curls with a hair dryer is that it is quicker to do so than air drying. Definitely a time saver, especially in the winter when it really is not a good idea to outside with wet hair in temperatures below 50 degrees farenheight, as this can actually cause hair damage. Additionally, when I do diffuse, my curls sometimes look bouncier. Of course, since my curls are fragile and I want to protect them from heat, I will never diffuse without a heat protector. My Holy Grail that I ALWAYS reach for is the Briogeo Blow Dry Perfection and Heat Protectant Creme. Aside from being silicone and paraben free, it smells amazing, protects the hair while strengthening and adds shine!
So back to the Dyson Dryer. According to the brand, these are the key benefits and features of the Dyson SuperSonic dryer:
- Dries hair faster
- Intelligent heat control prevents damage
- Promotes smooth, shiny hair
- Ergonomically balanced
- Prevents extreme heat damage: air temperature is measured 20 times every second, keeping the temperature under control.
- Cool to touch: tired of grabbing a hot blow dryer accidentally? With heat shield technology, the surfaces of the attachments don’t get too hot, even during close-up styling.
- Acoustically tuned: the powerful motor is tuned to be quieter than you’d think.
- Precise speed and heat settings: delivers fast drying and styling, regular drying, and gentle drying with a constant cool flow.
- Easy to clean: simply twist and release to clean the filter.
- Negative ions: eliminate static.
The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer has three different airflow settings as well as four heat settings, including a constant cold mode.
I usually leave it on the highest airflow and lowest heat setting; I don’t want the air flow to be too hot and torch my hair. Something good to remember is that if the air is too hot for your skin, it is also too hot for your hair. I also always finish up using the cold air flow. This helps seal the cuticle and manage frizz.
My favorite thing about the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is how it truly did cut my drying time down significantly.
My hair takes hours upon hours to air dry, and normal diffusing takes a good 45 minutes. With this dryer, I can be done anywhere from 14 to 23 minutes, which for me is unheard of! Saving time in my hair routine is worth every penny. I also got the dryer for a lot less than the retail price by purchasing it from Ulta Beauty and using Ulta Rewards points I saved up for quite some time.
My top diffusing tips for wavy and curly hair
I’m a regular curly-haired girl, not a licensed or professional stylist, so by no stretch of the imagination do I consider myself an expert in diffusing. I’m still learning and practicing, plus as previously mentioned, air drying is my go-to. Usually, my hair comes out a lot frizzier and poufier when I diffuse, but I’ve managed to fix that a bit with practice and persistence.
- Hold the diffuser still over each section you are drying rather than moving it quickly back and forth.
- Move the dryer every few seconds so no area of hair gets too hot.
- Never ever use the hottest heat setting, even if it could dry hair even faster. It is not worth the damage.
- Always finish on the cold setting to help with frizz and add shine.
- If you want volume, diffuse with your head upside down. (Note: the author does not like too much volume in her hair, which is why she doesn’t do this”>
Here is my full review and demo using the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
Cheaper alternatives
If you are looking for a hair dryer or diffuser and do not want to try the Dyson Supersonic — hey, I get it — here are some other dryers and diffusers that are very popular in the curly community:
- Devacurl DevaDryer and DevaFuser is actually my second favorite dryer and diffuser combo. They also do an excellent job at drying my curls and giving bounce but this dryer does take longer for me than the Dyson does. I do love the DevaFuser, though. The unique hand shape helps to get in my roots and cause absolute minimal frizz. I wish there was a way to get this diffuser to stay on the Dyson Dryer. That would be amazing.
- Xtava Black Orchid Diffuser has longer prongs than most bowl diffusers I have seen. My friend Nico (@_nicurly on Instagram — he has amazing curls”> says that this bowl shaped diffuser is good for longer hair because it gets a lot of hair dry at once and also helps with volume.
- A strainer is something most of us have in the kitchen, and curlies have found that it performs the job of a diffuser really well. It’s free, accessible, and some even find that it dries their hair faster than a traditional diffuser.
- The Curly Co. Collaspsible Diffuser is excellent at adding more bounce to curls according to Nico, but it can also take away some volume. The prongs on this diffuser are significantly sorter than the ones on the Dyson Diffuser and Black Orchid. The fact that it is made of soft, collapsible rubber makes this a space-saver and a good option for traveling with.
Overall, I do find the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer to be worth the investment for the time it saves me when I need to blow dry my hair, but I understand not everyone can spend that amount on a blow dryer.
Editor’s Note: of this list, the only other one the author has tried is the DevaFuser
Have you tried this dryer?
Do you have a less expensive dryer that works well for you? What are your best diffusing tips? Comment below — but please be nice and respectful!
Disclaimer: this article was not sponsored by Dyson.
Follow Diane Mary on Instagram @dianemary126 for more wavy and curly hair tips and product recommendations
