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Best Hair Dryer for Curly Hair in 2024 – Updated by Burbro Editors on April 14th, 2021
The best hair dryers for curly hair are designed to fight the frizz in your hair, preserve your curls and prevent hair damage from heat exposure. It’s also designed to speed up the process of drying your hair so that you can get on with your day. When you think about frizzy hair, you’re likely not thinking of blow dryers as the solution to this problem. While many hair dryers can work on drying your hair, they usually leave your hair frizzy from the heat and leave you with lifeless curls for weeks.
However, the new hair dryers for curly hair give you the option to control the heat on your hair, which reduces the frizz after your hair is dry. Some blow dryers also come with a negative ion technology, which reduces the amount of static that your hair will attract, which helps keep your hair smooth and curly. In this product review, we’ll be looking at the best hair dryers for curly hair in 2024. We’ll also provide a comprehensive buying guide to know how to choose the right blow dryer for your curls, and a list of tips that you can use while using a blow dryer on your curly hair.
Best Hair Dryers for Curly Hair in 2024
We have reviewed the best blow dryers for curly hair and compiled our top picks into a list so that you can find the best dryer for your hair.
1. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
The Best Hair Dryer for Curly Hair.
If you’re looking for the best hair dryer for your curly hair, then you’ll want to use the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. This hair dryer is ideal for all hair types, but it’s especially good for anyone with curly hair. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer features a V9 motor and the Dyson Air Multiplier Technology, which provides a high-velocity jet of controlled air so that you can quickly dry and style your hair. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer comes with four heat settings like 212F for fast drying, 176F for regular drying, 140F for drying with low heat, and constant cold blast for setting your style in place. It also comes with three airspeeds such as high for quick-drying, medium for normal drying and low air for diffusing your curly hair. With the Dyson Supersonic, you’ll also get all the attachments you’ll need to style curly hair. This blow dryer comes with a diffuser, which helps disperse air evenly, reduce the frizz in your hair, and define your curls. It also comes with a styling concentrator that forces the air through a narrow blade and helps you focus on styling your hair with high-velocity jet air and a smoothing nozzle to create a smooth finish on your hair. One of the things we like about the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is that the attachments are magnetic, allowing you to quickly change between the attachments as you’re styling your curly hair. It also comes with a round styling brush and a detangling brush to help you brush your curly hair.
2. Bed Head ‘Curls in Check’ Hair Dryer
The Best Cheap Hair Dryer for Curly Hair.
Some of the hair dryers for curly hair can get expensive; however, it doesn’t need to cost a lot for you to care for your curly hair. If you want a budget-friendly hair dryer for your curly hair, then you’ll want to look at the Bed Head ‘Curls in Check’ Hair Dryer. The Bead Head ‘Curls in Check’ Hair Dryer features the Tourmaline IONIC Technology, which is designed to reduce the amount of frizz in your hair and promotes shiny hair after using the blow dryer on your hair. The ‘Curls in Check’ Blow Dryer also comes with three-speed settings such as High, Medium and Low so that you can control the air on your hairdryer. It also comes with three heat settings such as Hot Air, Warm Air, and Cold Air so that you can set your curls with a blast of cold air. With the Bed Head Hair Dryer, you’ll be able to dry your curly hair with the removable diffuser attachment. All you’ll need to do is attach the diffuser and run it through your hair, and it will begin drying your hair while adding texture and definition to your curls.
3. DevaCurl DevaDryer for Curly Hair
One of the Best Ionic Hair Dryers for Curly Hair.
If you have trouble with frizzy hair, you’ll want to use an Ionic hairdryer or a hairdryer with tourmaline minerals, creating negative ions to reduce the frizz. One of the best ionic hair dryers for frizzy hair is the DevaCurl DevaDryer. The DevaCurl DevaDryer Hair Dryer features a hair drying kit that lets you reduce the drying time for your curls, prevent frizz and boost the bounce in your curls. It can also give your hair more waves and adds depth to your existing curls. The DevaDryer comes with a diffuser attachment called the DevaFuser. The DevaFuser is a tool that provides airflow in a 360-degree rotation so that all your curls are thoroughly dried. It also promotes better airflow to your hair’s roots so that you can begin styling your hair faster without damaging your hair by working it while it’s wet. With the DevaDryer, you’ll be able to choose between 2 airflow settings such as High and Low air. You can also choose between 3 heat settings such as Ht Air, Warm Air and Cold Air, which lets you set your curls after styling your hair.
4. GHD Professional Hair Dryer
The Best Professional Hair Dryer for Curly Hair.
One of the most professional hair dryers you can use for your curly hair is the GHD Professional Hair Dryer. This is an award-winning hairdryer and is a breeze to use with the ergonomically designed handle. The GHD Professional Hair Dryer features a professional-strength motor for durability and comes with advanced ionic technology, which is designed to remove the frizz from your curls while you’re drying your hair. With the GHD Professional Hair Dryer, you’ll be able to choose from two airspeed settings, such as High and Low. You can also choose between hot air, warm air or cool air while drying your hair, and then blast your hair with cold air to set your curls in place. The GHD Blow Dryer also comes with an ergonomically balanced handle so that the hairdryer feels lighter in your hand because of the balance points. It also comes with an air blade attachment so that you can focus the air jets on one area of your hair.
5. Jinri Professional Salon Hair Dryer
One of the Best Budget Hair Dryers for Curly Hair.
If you’re looking to care for hair while saving money on the products and accessories you use, you’ll want to look at the Jinri Professional Salon Hair Dryer. This is one of the cheapest hair dryers that you can use to care for your curly hair. The Jinri Professional Salon Hair Dryer features an anion generator that’s almost to create millions of negative ions, which reduce the frizz and static electricity in your hair after you’ve used the hairdryer. When you’re using the Jinri Professional Salon Hair Dryer, you’ll be able to choose from 2 air control settings such as High Air and Low Air. You can also select three temperature settings such as High Heat, Medium Heat and Low Heat. It also comes with a cold air button so that you can blast your curls with cold air and set them in place. With the Jinri Salon Hair Dryer, you’ll be given a concentrator, which is an attachment that creates a blade of jet air so that you can focus on styling your hair. It also comes with a diffuser attachment, helping with airflow that your curls dry evenly and create better waves and defined curls.
Hair Dryer for Curly Hair – Buying Guide
We want you to find the best hair dryer for your curly hair, so we’ve created a comprehensive buying guide to show you how to choose the right hair dryer for your curly locks. We’ll be going through the benefits of owning a hairdryer for curly hair, what to look for when choosing a hairdryer, and some tips that you can use when you’re drying your curly hair with a blow dryer.
Benefits of Using a Hair Dryer for Curly Hair
The main reason that people use special hair dryers for their curly hair is that the regular hair dryers will dry out their hair too fast and leave static electricity in their hair, which makes the hair go frizzy. When you use a hairdryer for curly hair, the hairdryer will come with ionic technology, which generates negative ions, which reduce the amount of frizz in your hair. They also come with heat and air volume control settings to prevent damage to your hair with too much heat.
Many hair dryers for curly hair will also come equipped with a diffuser that you can use to reduce the frizz in your hair while speeding up the drying process without getting tangled, messy hair at the end of the drying process.
Instead of concentrating the airflow on a specific spot of your hair, the diffuser will thoroughly dry your hair. It will also protect your hair from heat damage and ensure that your hair has texture and that your curls are defined.
How to Choose the Best Hair Dryer for Curly Hair
In this section of the buying guide, we’re going to show you some of the features you should look at when choosing a hairdryer for your curly hair. If you’re new to owning a hairdryer, you may benefit from reading this comprehensive buyer’s guide.
Here are the key features to look for when picking a hairdryer for curly hair.
1. Type of Curly Hair
Before you buy a hairdryer for your curls, you’ll need to know what type of curly hair that you have so that you can find a hairdryer with the best features to care for your hair. When it comes to curly hair, there are many hair types that you could have, such as wavy hair, kinky hair, coily hair and curly hair.
Here are some things to consider about your hair type:
- Hair Porosity – Your hair’s porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. The porosity of your hair can be a genetic characteristic, or it can be a result of your hair care routine, tools you use, products in your hair and the amount of time that your hair is in the sun.
- Hair Elasticity – You can determine the elasticity in your hair by stretching out your curls and then seeing how long the curls take to return to their natural curly state. If your curls don’t bounce back into place, you’ll need to use more water-based moisturizers to increase elasticity.
- Curl Variance – Every person’s hair is different, and you can find several types of curly hair on the same person. If you have several types of curls, you’ll want to use a lower heat setting and some mousse to style your curls.
- Hair Density – When you think of curly hair, you may think of thicker hair with defined curls. However, not all curly hair is thick, and some people have curly hair that’s thinner and fine.
As we mentioned, your hair’s porosity will determine the type of blow dryer you need to use. However, many people don’t know how to test their hair’s porosity, so their hair may remain dried out and unmoisturized.
How to Test the Porosity of your Curly Hair
If you want to test the porosity of your curly hair to see if it can absorb water and moisture, then we’ve got you covered. All you need to do is find several strands of your hair, or pull out a few strands of your hair to be used for testing. If you have several types of curls, you’ll want to use hair from each type of curly hair.
Then place the curly hair in a bowl of water and let it sit for 2-5 minutes. If your hair is floating after 5 minutes, then your hair has a low porosity level because it cannot absorb the water. However, if the hair was sinking within 5 minutes, then it has a high porosity level because it could absorb moisture.
When you have high porosity hair, your hair will dry quickly with a hairdryer. However, your hair will be prone to absorbing too much hair product or being affected by the humidity, which can damage your hair and make it frizzy. To combat this problem, you’ll want to limit the amount of product you’re using in your curls, dry your hair quickly, and use a blow dryer with low heat to protect your hair.
If you have low porosity hair, your hair will require more time to absorb the hair product and moisture, which means that it’ll also take more time to dry your hair. When you have low porosity hair, you’ll need to use an ionic hair dryer with low heat so that you can dry your hair for longer without making your hair frizzy.
2. Heat Control and Power
The bottom line is that the more heat settings that your hairdryer has, the better. If your hairdryer has multiple heat settings, you’ll have more control over the air temperature, and it gives you more options for styling your hair.
Every hair dryer comes with the basic heat options like Hot and Warm air, and then they add the cold air button so you can set your curls after styling your hair. However, some of the higher-end hair dryers come with 3-6 heat options for ultimate drying control. You’ll also have the option to select the air volume coming from the hairdryer by using the airspeed buttons.
Most air dryers come with the basic options of high air, medium air and low air, but some hair dryers come with more speed settings so that you can dry your hair as quickly or slowly as needed.
Here’s how to choose a hairdryer with the right power for your hair:
- Damaged or Fine Curly Hair (1200 Watts to 1500 Watts) – If you have thick curly hair that’s damaged or fine hair that’s curly, you’ll need to be careful with it by using a lower-powered hair dryer. The 1200 watt to 1500 watt hair dryers will dry your hair, but with less gusto than some hair dryers you could use.
- Normal Curly Hair or Wavy Hair (1300 Watts to 1800 Watts) – When you have normal curly or wavy hair, then you can use a hairdryer that’s slightly more powerful. The 1300 watt to 1800 watt hair dryers will be strong enough to dry your hair and make it look luscious again.
- Coarse, Thick Curly Hair (1500 Watts to 2000 Watts) – If you have thick hair that’s curly, you’ll need a powerful hair dryer that can force air through to the roots of your hair and thoroughly dry your hair. The higher the power hairdryer, the more air and heat you can use to dry your curly hair.
Once you know your hair type, you’ll be able to choose the right hair dryer for your curly hair. If your hair is damaged, you can buy a higher-powered hairdryer and use the lowest setting so that you can use the same hairdryer once your hair is healthier.
3. Hair Dryer Technology
When you’re reading the hairdryers’ descriptions, you can be confused when you read bigger terms without an explanation of the science behind the hairdryer technology. However, the technology being used in the hairdryers are especially important when you have curly hair.
Here’s everything you need to know about hair dryer technology.
- Ionic Technology – The term Ionic technology refers to the process of creating negative ions and shooting them at your hair. These ions attach themselves to your hair during the drying process and remove static, which reduces the frizz in your curly hair.
- Titanium Hair Dryers – The titanium hair dryers are used in machines that have more power because they can heat up more. If you have curly hair, this heat can damage your hair shafts and cause your hair to be frizzy.
- Ceramic Hair Dryers – Ceramic hair dryers are better than titanium hair dryers because they can create higher heat while producing an even heat that doesn’t burn or damage your hair as much.
- Heat Cuticle Control – This term refers to having the ability to control and regulate the heat from your hairdryer. This prevents too much heat from hitting your hair and damaging the shafts or roots of your hair.
- Cool Boost – When you have sensitive hair, you don’t want to use too much heat or too much cold. However, a quick blast of cool air is enough to set your curls in place once you’re done styling your hair.
Now when you’re shopping for a hairdryer, you’ll be able to choose the right hair dryer for your curly hair.
4. Additional Hair Dryer Features
We’ve covered the primary features that you’ll find with your hairdryer. However, there are many features that you may want on your hairdryer. While these features may not be essential, they can make it easier for you to use your hairdryer.
Here are some additional features that you may want to consider.
- Hair Dryer Attachments – You can buy attachments for your hairdryer; however, it’s nice when the hairdryers come with the accessories you need to care for your curly hair. If you have curly hair, you’ll want to use a diffuser so that you can dry your hair with low heat and thoroughly dry your hair while keeping your defined curls. You may also want a concentrator or air blade to help style your hair once it’s completely dry.
- Ergonomic Handle – You dry your hair several times a week, so you might as well find a hairdryer that comes with a comfortable handle. You should also find a hairdryer with a balance point so that it feels lighter in your hand when you’re holding the hairdryer.
- Design / Colour – While the hairdryer’s design and the color won’t do a better job of drying your hair, it can make it look better when it’s in your bathroom. We recommend that you choose a colour or hairdryer design that fits the aesthetics of your bathroom.
- Long Cord – It’s always frustrating to dry your hair with a hairdryer that doesn’t have a long cord. We recommend that you find a hairdryer with a cord that’s longer than 4 feet so that you can relax when you’re drying your hair.
There may be other features that you like to have when it comes to hairdryers, but these are some of the most popular features that people look at when choosing a hairdryer for curly hair.
Tips for Curly Hair Care
Once you have your hairdryer, it’s time to begin using it to dry your curly hair. In this section, we’ll provide some hair care tips that will help you use the hairdryer on your hair and prevent your hair from becoming frizzy.
Here are some tips for using a hairdryer for curly hair.
- Always make sure that you’ve had a haircut to remove any split ends that can frizz when you’re drying your hair.
- Turn down the temperature on the hairdryer to prevent the hair from becoming dried out or frizzy.
- Avoid products with high alcohol because they can dry out your hair’s stems and make your hair unhealthy. Instead, use products with hydrating ingredients like glycerin, which is the perfect humectant, meaning that your hair can absorb more moisture, and it gives a protective coating to your hair and promotes curls.
- You may think that you need to shampoo your hair all the time, but this isn’t the case. The shampoos will take away the natural oils. Instead, condition your hair more often and use shampoos less often.
- Avoid any friction that comes in contact with your hair because this causes friction. Don’t use a towel aggressively against your wet hair; instead, you should pat it down with a soft towel to remove excess water then let it air dry.
- A blow dryer can be your hair’s worst enemy, especially if you have curly hair. Too much heat can cause your hair to become damaged and frizzy. However, if you use a diffuser, then the blow dryer can become your frizz-fighting friend.
Summary
We hope that this article will help you find the best hair dryer for your curly hair. If you’re new to owning a hairdryer, you may want to read through our buyer’s guide to help you understand what to look for when choosing a hairdryer for curly hair.