Hair Styling Essentials – Hair Dryers and Accessories

Hair Dryers; The Inside Scoop

Do you really know how to use a hair dryer? It pays to master the art of blow drying your hair. A hair dryer can make curly hair straight, add volume to fine and thin hair, or style soft curls to almost all hair types. This is the predominant hair styling tool used by non-professionals and professional hairdressers alike.

Choose a hair dryer with 1500 to 1800 watts. Anything less powerful will prolong the drying time and put more stress on the hair. Much higher wattage can over-dry or blow a hairstyle right out of your hair.

It’s important to dry your hair to about 95% before you start using your hair dryer as a styling tool. Your hair is most vulnerable to breakage when wet, so the less tugging the better. Also, this saves time and wear and tear on your hair. To get most of the moisture out of your hair, start by drying with full heat, using your fingers instead of a hair brush. Now you are ready to use your hair dryer for styling your hair.

Don’t forget to use your hair dryer attachments, they do have a purpose.  

• The Nozzle — Don’t throw away that nozzle. It will concentrate the airflow allowing for a better result on your hairstyle. It will also make your styling time more effective. By concentrating the air at the roots for lift, or at a specific section for curl, it can make the difference of achieving a good and long lasting hair style.

• The Diffuser Sock –This is a synthetic, elastic, one-size-fits all sock that fits over the hair dryers head. Great for travel, it scrunches down to nothing. Used to diffuse the air and dry the hair less forcefully. Good for wavy and curly hairstyles when you want to enhance the curl. The sock is also cheap and will fit all hair dryers.

• The Other Diffuser — Made of plastic, these fit on the head of the hair dryer (However, not all types fit every hair dryer. You need to check the sizes.) These will diffuse heat over a larger area of your hair. Some have prongs that allow you to lift your hair from the roots to dry in more lift at the roots. Check out my article How to Use a Diffuser.

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