Embracing your natural hair is a look that never goes out of style.
However, styling and caring for naturally curly hair is no straightforward task. It comes with a multitude of questions: what type of curls do I have? How do I style it? Which products do I need? How should I sleep on my curly hair? Etc, etc.
Thankfully, there are a multitude of sources you can turn to in order to determine just what kind of curly hair you have. For instance, Naturally Curly has a useful texture typing quiz that’ll help guide you out of the curly-haired abyss.
We, on the other hand, are here to help you learn how to properly style and blow-dry your – (hopefully) now classified and typed – curly hair with a fancy little hairdryer attachment called a diffuser. You might have heard of it; you might not have a clue what we're talking about. E either way, we’re going to explain how it works so hang tight if you’re embarking on your curly hair journey.
What is diffusing?
To diffuse means to spread over a large area. Tov recall GCSE Physics, you might remember that, scientifically, it’s the movement of particles across from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration. Think the spritz from a perfume bottle as it travels across a room.
When applying this to blow-drying your curly hair, adding a diffuser attachment evenly spreads – or diffuses – the hot air over a larger area, which in turn gently dries your curls without creating frizz. Normal hairdryer attachments, conversely, will give you a singular concentrated flow of hot air. This is useful if you’re trying to hold a sleek and soft style, but not for defining your natural curls.
How is it done?
We spoke to renowned Marylebone-based hairdresser Michael Van Clarke for some extra top tips.
First “getting a diffuser that actually diffuses is an essential,” he says. More often than not, even upmarket hairdryer manufacturers produce diffusers with no real effect – so make sure it’s providing a dynamic airflow before starting, or you’ll end up with a bird’s nest.
After washing your hair, you’ll want to apply whatever products your normally use before using heat to towel-dried hair. If you don’t own a curl-defining cream or mousse, you might want to pick up one of those before you embark on using a diffuser. Michael Van Clark’s Lifesaver UV is a cult favourite on this front for silky smooth and defined curls. Bouclème also recommends using a jersey Curl Towel to speed up your dry time without any extra damage.
Tip your head upside down, grab a sizable section of your hair, and place it into the diffuser. Bring the diffuser up towards your scalp, hair still nicely secure in the diffuser bowl, and hold it there for 15-30 seconds. You can turn your hair dryer to a lower speed and heat during this part to reduce heat damage.
Keep going with the other sections of your hair until you feel that it’s dry. Fluff it out, scrunch in any extra finishing products et voilà! Perfectly defined natural curls.
Does it matter what type of curls I have?
Not really, but curly and wavy hair will benefit most from this styling tool – so it’s still useful to know your curl type; especially to determine what products should accompany with your new routine.
Van Clarke recommends using a diffuser on low heat no matter what hair type you have in order to minimise heat damage overall. He adds, “you can sculpt, compress and style the hair easily while keeping the hair’s natural body and movement – without flyways.”
Nevertheless, a good general rule to stick to is: the shorter the prong, the better it is for shorter hair. Vice versa, the longer the prong, the better it is for longer hair. Longer hair will dry unevenly if there aren’t long prongs evenly dispersed in the diffuser bowl to catch any stray falling locks within a section. Remember, you’ll be sticking your head upside down, so it can be hard to tell.
What types of diffusers are there?
Here is a rundown of the most common:Shop now
- Cup diffuser: A classic design, and the one you’ll find is the most common. It’s ideal for those with medium-to-long hair.
- Hand shaped diffusers: Zendaya seems to swear by this kind of diffuser. Popularised by DevaCurl, the brand says that this funky-looking diffuser gets right to the roots for a speedier drying time. The ergonomic hand shape also allows you to scrunch your curls during the drying process, rather than in between.
- 3D prong cup diffusers: This kind of diffuser will help you get that extra bit of volume. The prongs are extra long and thick, so you can rest them on your head whilst the diffuser works its magic, rather than trying to work out the optimal distance between the heat source and scalp.
- Collapsible diffusers: For all your travel needs, these diffusers do the same as your classic cup type, but can collapse for easy storage.
- Compact diffusers: This is just a hairdryer that comes with a non-detachable diffuser. It’s super useful for guys and girls who have zero interest in anything other than embracing their natural curls.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, keep scrolling for our round-up of the best diffusers on the market.
Shop now
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Universal diffusers
DryBar The Bouncer Diffuser
This diffuser comes from the fan-favourite destination for speedy blow-outs, DryBar. The bouncer diffuser does what it says on the tin – adding extra volume to your already gorgeous curls. It’s best suited for mid-length to long hair, due to the medium-sized length of the diffuser prongs. Minimise heat damage and maximise your already spectacular curls with the diffuser made by blow-dry experts.
Buy now £29.00, Cult Beauty
The Curly Co. Collapsible Hair Diffuser
Your go-to diffuser on the go, Curly Co’s collapsible model is the solution for your luggage limitations and will fit almost any hair dryer that accommodates attachments. If for any reason you don’t think this diffuser is right for you, return it with no extra charge. Easy as pie.
Buy now £28.03, Amazon
Hairizone Universal Hair Diffuser Adaptable for Blow Dryers with D-1.7- Inch to 2.6-Inch for Curly or Wavy Hair, Lemon
Lemon-yellow and hard to miss, this neon diffuser features a 6-inch diameter bowl for an even wider distribution of heat and airflow. It’s a fantastic pick for those of you with slightly looser curls who are looking to minimise damage without over-doing the curl. Instead, it’ll give you more of a beachy wave. Finish off your look with a texturising salt spray if you want to look like you’ve just stepped out of the ocean.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
T3 Softcurl Diffuser
This diffuser by T3 goes a step further on the even-distribution front. The extra prongs on the inner part of the cup supposedly lift and separate each strand of hair for some additional volume.
Buy now £24.95, Beauty Bay
DevaCurl Devafuser; Universal Hair Diffuser
DevaCurl’s five-pronged Devafuser certainly stands out from the rest. As mentioned above, the hand shape helps you ‘scrunch’ your curls right and the roots, and surrounds them with a 360 degree airflow for a faster dry-time.
And it’s Zendaya-approved. So there’s that.
Buy now £49.99, Amazon
Compact Diffusers
Bed Head Curlipops 1875 Watt Diffuser Dryer by Bed Head
With three heat settings, two speed settings and a cool-shot button to lock in those curls, this compact diffuser from Bed Head is an absolute gem in our eyes. With in-built ceramic technology, this design will keep your curls extra shiny.
Buy now £30.00, UBuy
Bellissima DIFFON DF1 1000 Hot Air Diffuser for Curly Hair
This compact diffuser is a cult-favourite for a reason. Its super easy, hand-held design eliminates the fuss of detachable universal diffusers and allows you to get closer to your scalp for a gentle dry with volume.
Buy now £50.00, Amazon
Hairdryer and Diffuser Sets
Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer Iron/Fuchsia
If you’re non-committal about sticking solely to your natural curls and would rather invest in an all-rounder kind of hairdryer, there’s probably no better investment than a Dyson Supersonic. With five styling attachments (diffuser included, of course) this model will allow you to embrace your hair’s versatility.
The diffuser included with this hairdryer has those ever-useful extra-large 3D prongs so you can style more hair in one go with control. Speedy, speedy, speedy styling. Yes, please.
The brand is offering a free paddle brush and detangling comb with purchase. What’s more, for a limited time, you can trade in your old Dyson Supersonic for a new one with a discount of £65 and get the latest upgraded machine in the process complete with five attachments. It requires posting your old device back with a pre-paid label.
Buy now £329.99, Dyson
BaByliss Curl Dry Hair Dryer, Black/Rose Gold
BaByliss has been in the hairdryer game for as long as we can remember. Renowned for its durability (most of us still have our almost decade-old models) paired with affordability, you can’t really go wrong. The one and one-quarter inch prongs on the diffuser in this set are ideal for medium-long wavy hair.
Buy now £40.00, Boots
Hershesons The Great Hairdryer
Luxury London-based salon Hershesons has finally come out with its very own hairdryer. It’s as light as an iPhone Max, and 30 per cent quicker than your average hairdryer on the market.
Expertly style your curls with minimal heat with the diffuser attachment. Since the hairdryer itself is already extremely light, that 30-second hold won’t feel like such a lifetime.
Buy now £295.00, Hershesons
Verdict
If you’re merely looking for a new diffuser attachment for a hairdryer that you already adore, you can’t do much better than the top-rated DryBar diffuser. Made by blow-out specialists just for you, its versatile cup shape and medium-length prongs make it the perfect everyman’s diffuser.
If, however you’re looking for an all-round replacement - hairdryer and diffuser - you’re best off grabbing a Dyson Supersonic. Honorable mention must go to The Curly Co’s fantastically practical collapsible diffuser.
