The winter season is cold, whether you’re in sunny California or northern Wisconsin. On top of that, there’s curly hair’s moisture paradox. In the summer time, you’re curly hair can dry out to a crisp. And in the wintertime, your wet hair has trouble getting dry. The answer to your woes is simply to use a hair diffuser. Don’t you love easy solutions?
Diffusing Central: Your Curly Hair
One curly, Sara D of California, says, “Diffusers are great for giving more volume and curls.”
Diffusers are great because they promote volume and height for straight, limp hair, and curls for wavy and curly hair. It is not its own instrument, but instead an attachment that diffuses the air from the hair dryer to evenly dry the hair. This in turn means the hair is dried, but less likely to dry from uneven heat. In short, a diffuser prevents damaged hair.
All hair types are great for diffusing, but curly hair takes a particular liking to the method. Hair dryers dry curls unevenly which not only damages, but frizzes hair as well. Diffusers can dry the curls with indirect heat, adding volume to a frizz-controlled head of hair. For those with type 3 and 4 hair, a diffuser may just be that thing you’ve been missing.
How to Use a Diffuser
A diffuser may look like a scary attachment to use on hair, but in actuality it’s quite simple. First, you have to find a specific attachment that fits to your hair dryer. Note the many holes in the diffuser for your hair, as well as the prongs or “fingers” sticking out. These holes diffuse the hot air while the fingers are there to grab or hold your hair.
Like many curly girls, Sara has her own perfect regiment. “I use a diffuser on wet hair, after applying a leave-in conditioner and curl enhancing cream or mouse,” she says.
After that, she uses the diffuser by flipping her hair over to add volume and, “then I finish with a frizz-reducing oil (like argan oil“>.”
- Wash and conditioner your hair. Place the diffuser for your hair and all other tools in front of you.
- Add anti-frizz product or serum and any other desired styling products such as leave-in conditioner, mousse, oil or pomade. Work through hair.
- Attach the diffuser to the hair dryer and turn the hairdryer on. Set the hair dryer speed to low and the heat to medium. Warning: Do not use more than low to medium heat to diffuse. The hot temperature setting will burn your scalp.
- Focus the diffuser on the top of your head from root, working at a 90 degree angle from the scalp. Many people use the diffuser for your hair as a catcher, collecting your hair from the bottom up and work the hair dryer in consistent circular motions while moving upward; this is a great option for creating curls.
- With every time your place the diffuser, gently release the hair from the fingers, never tearing through your hair as though the diffuser is a brush. You can hold your hair for as long as 30 seconds as you swirl your hair up.
- After you use the diffuser and your hair is dry, add any after products, if necessary and enjoy!
It’s okay to add additional product throughout the process. Many people like adding hair spray or a finisher toward the end, while others like adding more mousse. But don’t overdo it! The hair can be weighed down by too much product, leading to limp or funky hair.
If you have straight or wavy hair and are looking for volume, try flipping your hair over on your head and use the diffuser for you hair from the back, up. That will give more lift and volume to your hair.
If you have curly or kinky hair, avoid scrunching or touching your hair and allow the diffuser’s fingers to catch your hair, swirling the hairdryer up as if you were using your own fingers to twirl your hair.
Want More?
Looking for an easy place to grab a diffuser? Look no further than CurlMart!
Final Thoughts
Diffusers range in price from $7 to $30, depending on the quality and type. Although all diffusers tend to work well, ceramic is one of the many materials that distributes heat evenly, something even more important to defining the perfect curls. They’re sold at a variety of stores including department and specialty hair care stores.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind. If you have straight or wavy hair, it’s okay to scrunch the product into your hair to produce volume or better curls. But avoid scrunching your hair if you have curly or kinky hair. This leads to more frizz and less curl.
