The Best Diffusers for Curly Hair, Tested and Reviewed

Table Of Content

• Our top picks for the best diffusers for curly hair
• Best Budget Travel Diffuser: KingKam Collapsible Silicone Hair Dryer Diffuser
• InfinitiProBy Conair Worldwide Travel Folding Dryer
• Bed Head 1875W Tourmaline + Ionic Diffuser
• best bath mats of 2024, tested and approved by editors
• How to choose the best hair diffuser

Likewise, consider whether you simply want to purchase an attachment or a complete blow dryer system. The purpose of a diffuser is to dry your hair in a way that protects your curls while limiting the damage to your hair that styling can cause. A diffuser is not designed for use on dry hair when you are wanting to enhance your curls.

Our top picks for the best diffusers for curly hair

However, diffusers’ round, thick shape can make them bulky, so they may be particularly troublesome to travel with. Some are even designed to fit only on dedicated hair dryers, which is why finding a portable option can be helpful. With that in mind, we asked hairstylists to share their picks for travel diffusers that’ll give you healthy, shiny curls wherever, whenever.

Best Budget Travel Diffuser: KingKam Collapsible Silicone Hair Dryer Diffuser

Some diffusers are capable of accommodating more hair than others or are designed to get closer to your root if you have shorter hair. The fuller your hair, the deeper the diffuser you buy should be, says Hardges. "A deep cup will hold more hair and long appendages can reach into thick, full hair."

InfinitiProBy Conair Worldwide Travel Folding Dryer

A basic hair dryer is just not going to cut it—and let’s be honest you are not going to stand for anything but the best for your curls. "I love this diffuser because it fits on any dryer, converting it to a great diffuser without the bulky attachments of other brands," says Schaefering. Ten of the best diffusers, according to pros and reviews, are just ahead. Cloud Nine is another hairdresser-founded brand that makes great, quality tools, including some of the best hair straighteners on the market. So if you like the look of The Airshot dryer (or you already own one) then you’ll be pleased to hear that the brand also offers a matching diffuser.

It’s especially great for fine hair, too—the vented finger extensions distribute heat more gently and evenly to lift and separate, ultimately enhancing both volume and body. Kamara Brown is a hairstylist with more than nine years of protective hairstyling under her belt. Brown is famed for her signature Crochet Braids Afro style and founded Raww Intuition, a textured wig line for women who love big hair and curls. Thick hair obviously needs a bit of assistance to dry quickly, so those with thick hair should choose a diffuser with longer prongs that can penetrate your curls and coils to dry your hair at the root. This diffuser sets itself apart from the pack for its unique design that has a large surface area—making for quick drying and faster results.

The standout feature for this model is the way it handles attaching to your dryer. The silicone construction can stretch and shrink, fitting hair dryers of most sizes. The ‘fingers’ on the diffuser are thinner but it does have a good-sized opening to cover a good area of hair. The ceramic technology boasts improved frizz management and better shine. A collapsible diffuser makes a huge difference in terms of storage, but this one really delivers on performance, too.

Compatible with most hair dryers, the Diva Pro XXL has a soft plastic flexi-grip at the base of the attachment which helps it lock on to your dryer head without slipping. Despite its size, the diffuser is lightweight and easy to move around the head – and with its large capacity, slashes drying time for longer hair as it can easily dry larger sections. If you’re a curly girl you’ll already know that preserving the hair’s natural moisture is key to healthy, shiny and frizz-free curls. A diffuser can help keep moisture in the hair by drying gently, dispersing the airflow to create a softer and less concentrated stream that won’t disturb your curl pattern or rough up the cuticles. Your hair dryer works by blowing air from a fan over a heating element to create a stream of hot air that dries hair quickly. Modern hair dryers can create fast, powerful streams of air that are very efficient but can strip delicate curly hair of natural moisture and push the natural spirals of the hair out of shape.

Remington Pro Professional Titanium Ceramic Hair Dryer

Like any hair routine, the products that you use can directly impact the effectiveness of the style. In the same way you should use a hair oil or heat protectant when straightening your hair, you should use certain creams and detanglers for your best curl diffusing. Not all curl types work the same, and that's even more true of the product you use. It's equipped with clever technology that gently smooths your hair, making it shinier and more moisturized.

Best Hair Dryers and Diffusers (2024): Blow-Dryers, Brushers, and Diffusers - WIRED

Best Hair Dryers and Diffusers ( : Blow-Dryers, Brushers, and Diffusers.

Posted: Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

When selecting the right one, you can’t just think about the length of your hair; you’ll need to consider its density and volume, too. People with very thick hair should opt for a diffuser with elongated fingers that can effectively reach the scalp since the roots tend to dry slower than the rest of the hair. In particular, your hair type, volume, and even length of hair can filter your results.

A hair diffuser is an attachment that snaps or slides onto your blow dryer to manage the airflow. Instead of having heat pour out directly onto your hair, the diffuser disperses the air around the curls to improve definition, reduce frizz and create volume. Without a diffuser, curly hair is prone to more tangles, breakage and an overall loss of shape. Below, we compiled the travel diffusers that experts use to style their clients’ hair on the road. We also include travel hair dryers that come with diffuser attachments, since these often have more bells and whistles, like cool-shot buttons and multiple heat settings, than your average hotel dryer. (Plus, there’s no guarantee that a dryer will necessarily be available wherever you’re traveling.) For that reason, we included recommendations for both.

And thanks to the silicone grip, it won’t fall off the nozzle as you’re drying. While some blow dryers come with a diffuser attachment, there are also universal options that can be purchased separately. However, Chicago-based celebrity hairstylist Alex Brown recommends a bit of research and fitting before settling on an outside model. “If it doesn’t fit properly, it won’t work properly, so make sure it attaches seamlessly and stays put without moving,” she says. If you’re looking to buy your diffuser as part of a set, Brown says her favorite is the Dyson Supersonic and its diffuser attachment. This Supersonic hair dryer is quite the splurge, but the brand’s cult following says it’s worth every penny.

It applies dispersed heat directly to the hair without crazy airflow, so it sets your curls in place without adding unnecessary volume. “Diffusers are the ideal hair tool accessory for those with wavy, curly or coily hair types, as it aids in keeping the natural curl pattern while drying,” says stylist Jamie Wiley. “Without a diffuser, the curl becomes blown out of its natural shape, which increases frizz and friction on the strand of hair,” she says. When you use a diffuser on curly hair, the tool creates a more defined curl, while the heat sets the style and makes it last longer. A diffuser usually looks like a bowl-shaped attachment with long fingers that are used to separate the curls as you dry.

She was previously an assistant beauty editor at Group Nine Media and returned to Hearst in 2022 after having held editorial internships at Harper’s Bazaar and CR Fashion Book. In journalism from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

That way, you can rest assured that your curls will remain smooth and put together (to an extent, of course). The Hairizone Universal Hair Diffuser Attachment is a great one to consider. It’s got all the basics covered and functions just like a diffuser should.

This diffuser can be used with the GHD Helios dryer, or their Air Professional dryer. Dyson is considered one of the leaders in hair tools, and their Supersonic Dryer is worth the hefty price tag. For long and/or dense curls, look for a diffuser with longer prongs, which will help you better dry your scalp and also keep your curls clumped while sitting in the diffuser bowl. For shorter or thinner hair, you can get away with a diffuser that has short or nubby prongs. The holes or vents in the bowl of a hair diffuser control how much air will flow through the device.

The hand-like tool gently cups hair, instead of disturbing it, so you can get the best of both worlds. Since it's collapsible, you can basically take it anywhere with you, making travel days so much easier. It can also easily attach to your hair dryer, thanks to its ribbed-grip end, and it can withstand temperatures of up to 400-degrees. Since it has short prongs and a smaller bowl, this diffuser would be ideal for medium- to short-length hair. This story was most recently updated by GH Beauty Assistant Catharine Malzahn.