10 Best Hair Dryer Diffusers for Curly Hair 2024 | UK Hair Specialist Reviewed
If you have never used one of these special tools before, you may be finding the myriad of choices a bit overwhelming. We worked closely with UK Curly Girl to bring you this exclusive guide on how to find the best hair dryer diffuser for you, telling you all the important points that you need to consider when purchasing a hair diffuser. We have curated a 10 best list to bring you the best diffusers from brands such as Dyson, ghd, BaByliss, and Panasonic all available to purchase online with next day delivery.
Quick List - Top Hair Dryer Diffusers for Curly Hair
Shannon of UK Curly Girl is a natural curly hair blogger, YouTuber and owner of 'O So Curly'. She's a huge fan of natural beauty and hair products, and a self-proclaimed 'product junkie'.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
With Specialist Advice From UK Curly Girl
Shannon of UK Curly Girl is a naturally curly hair blogger, YouTuber and owner of brand 'O So Curly'. She's a huge fan of natural beauty and hair products, and a self-proclaimed 'product junkie'.
With a gorgeous head of curls herself, she's previously shared her favourite curly hair accessories and deep conditioners with us, so we thought we'd ask her to share some pointers to think about when buying a hair dryer diffuser for curly hair, too!
What Does A Hair Diffuser Do for Hair?
This gentle stream of warm or cool air ensures that the natural, delicate shape of your curls (that you tried your best to create using conditioner and styling products!) will not be disturbed. It will also help to give your head of curls a more beautiful, bouncy, voluminous shape overall.
How to Choose a Hair Dryer Diffuser for Curly Hair in the UK
When shopping for your first diffuser, there are multiple points to consider. Should you purchase just an attachment, or a hairdryer with a built-in diffuser? If the latter, what settings should you go for? We'll lay it out for you step-by-step so you can pick out your ideal styling product with confidence.
Universal Attachment or A Diffuser Equipped Hair Dryer: Narrow Down What Works for You
Universal Attachments Are Convenient and Can Be Used Overseas – But Check the Size!
The third option to consider is a sock diffuser. These unique inventions are mesh fabric attachments that you slip over the hair dryer. The fabric diffuses the air, making a gentle breeze to help dry your curls. While these are very light and compact, they won’t give your curls any extra volume or shape like typical diffusers do.
Regardless of the style you would like to go for, you should check the specifications to make sure that it will definitely fit your hair dryer’s particular shape. Even some regular diffusers cannot fit dryers that are too short or too wide, which is something to take into consideration.
There are many new attachments that are great for drying curly hair on the market but be sure to check the size as I have received many that ended up not large enough to fit over the end of my beloved dryer. Usually, you can avoid buying a whole new dryer if you get the attachment sizing right so it is worth doing some research!
Pick Hair Dryers With Diffusers if You Are Starting From Zero!
On the other hand, dryers purchased in the UK cannot be used overseas because of voltage differences, yet the diffuser will not be compatible with any other hairdryers, meaning this option is not the best for globetrotters.
When starting from zero be sure to pick a hairdryer that has a cool heat option (for the end of your drying session to prevent frizz) and comes with a diffuser attachment as this is what you'll need to dry your curls, leaving them smooth and defined - without the frizz.
Examine the Specs of the Hair Dryer for the Best Results
Make Sure the Hair Dryer Has the Settings You Want
Therefore, before purchasing a hair dryer diffuser set it’s important to make sure that it has what you want and need to properly style your locks. Many curlies like to diffuse their hair with the hairdryer on the lowest and coolest functions, so keep this in mind if you are a diffusing beginner.
You'll want your brand new dryer to come with an option of more than 2 heat settings, you should steer away from the highest heat when drying your curls as this can over time damage the hair. It's always a good sign if you have a low and medium heat setting and a low speed as you can better manage your drying session.
Never buy a dryer that does not have a cool heat setting (this is usually under the dryer and in a separate space from the heat and speed settings) this setting is so important as it will prevent heat damage and seal in your moisture and definition.
Ionic Hair Dryers Can Reduce Frizz
Apart from the quicker drying time, another benefit of this is that you will be using less heat on your hair than with a regular drier, resulting in less frizz. Hurrah!
Ionic technology is great for curly hair, as we know, heat is often something you'll want to steer away from when it comes to curly hair care, but many curlies hate to air dry so having a hairdryer with ionic technology and cool settings is a great middle ground. Frizz is something that can be prevented during this process thanks to ionic technology.
10 Best Hair Dryer Diffusers for Curly Hair in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ghd Air Hair Drying Kit | | Professional-Standard Drying at Home | |
2 | Remington Proluxe Ionic Hairdryer | | For Drying Curls Quickly in Style | |
3 | Panasonic Nanoe Ion Hair Dryer｜EH-NA65 | | A Top-Quality Nanoe Dryer From a Trusted Brand | |
4 | Xtava Black Orchid Large Hair Diffuser | | The Best Attachment for Thick or Black Hair | |
5 | Hairizone Universal Hair Diffuser | | A Universal Diffuser That Won’t Leave Scratches | |
6 | Remington Pro-Air Turbo Dryer｜D5220 | | High Quality Drying at a Budget Price | |
7 | BaByliss Curl Dry 2100 Hair Dryer | | Designed to Tame Frizz and Bring Out Curls | |
8 | Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer｜HD03 | | Advanced Technology for Frizz-Free Curls | |
9 | The Curly Co. Collapsible Diffuser | | Ideal for Travel, Overnight Stays and Gym Bags | |
10 | Hot Sock Ultralight Diffuser | | A Simple Sock Diffuser for On-the-Go Drying |
Professional-Standard Drying at Home
The prongs on the wide diffuser are nice and long, ensuring an equal distribution of air across your hair. What’s more, this trustworthy, British hair care brand has designed this dryer with an easy-to-hold ergonomic design and a conveniently long cable. Our verdict? It’s pricey, but definitely worth it for the top-notch quality!
For Drying Curls Quickly in Style
Although the prongs on the diffuser head are a bit low, the wide surface area will help the air reach every curl on your head. Curly girls and guys will also appreciate the fact that the cool shot function has a switch instead of a button, so you don’t have to worry about holding it down to add the final touch to your styling.
PanasonicNanoe Ion Hair Dryer ｜ EH-NA65
A Top-Quality Nanoe Dryer From a Trusted Brand
Plus, the prongs on the diffuser head are nice and long to help the air reach all your curls, and there are many settings to help you out when drying. This is an excellent choice if you want to invest in a top-quality hair dryer that you can trust to perform well.
The Best Attachment for Thick or Black Hair
As this option is not completely “universal”, you will have to check if it fits your hair dryer before ordering it. Despite this, if you have a suitably-shaped model, we believe this is the best diffuser attachment for bringing bounce to thick and natural curls!
HairizoneUniversal Hair Diffuser
A Universal Diffuser That Won’t Leave Scratches
However, depending on the shape of the hair dryer that you use, there’s a chance that it might slip or become lopsided, as the silicone strips aren’t always totally secure. The prongs are also a bit short so won’t help to dry the depths of long sections of hair.
High Quality Drying at a Budget Price
If considering this dryer, keep in mind that the diffuser is smaller than we would like, which could make drying curly hair a bit difficult. In addition, there are only 2 speed settings which will not give you as much freedom when styling as other options on this list.
Designed to Tame Frizz and Bring Out Curls
Reviewers have complained that the cord is a bit shorter than they would like, and they would prefer the diffuser head to be larger to cover more of their curls with air. In addition, more heat settings would be better for freedom when styling. That said, this is a great choice for a budget hair dryer.
DysonSupersonic Hair Dryer ｜ HD03
Advanced Technology for Frizz-Free Curls
The downside is of course, the price tag! It’s hard to justify paying so much for a styling tool, so you will have to think long and hard before purchasing it. In addition, some reviewers with long hair have said that they would like the surface area of the diffuser attachment to be larger. Despite this, you can’t deny that this is top quality!
The Curly Co. Collapsible Diffuser
Ideal for Travel, Overnight Stays and Gym Bags
However, this product is not universal so you will need to check if it fits on your hairdryer before purchase. In addition, the shape is rather flat, so you may want to reserve this for on-the-go use while using another diffuser for weekly styling at home. It's also pretty expensive, considering that you can buy a hairdryer diffuser set for less!
A Simple Sock Diffuser for On-the-Go Drying
Like any sock diffuser, even when held under the hair or at the scalp, it won’t really help to give any extra volume to your curls – just like air drying. Nevertheless, due to its versatility and compactness it’s perfect for bringing on trips abroad, and is apparently a favourite at fashion shows for some last-minute styling!
How to Use a Diffuser on Curly Hair
To do this, place the ends of your hair on to the cup of the diffuser, and scrunch the hair up to your scalp with the dryer. Hold the dryer up towards your head for a few seconds, and repeat with the remaining sections of your hair while moving your head back and forth until dry! Et voilà, beautifully styled, frizz-free, voluminous curls!
How you use your diffuser is crucial to your hair's results after drying! You want to be gentle and hardly touch your curls with the diffuser, so start by simply cupping the hair in sections into the diffuser (without moving it) and hold it there for some time, do this all-around your head.
You'll want to focus on the top of the head and crown area, where you should hold the dryer on top of your hair (do not push too deeply). At the end of the session, I like to flip my head down and cup the ends of my curls upside down, then flip my hair to the right, dry from above, and do the same on the left side. Repeat as necessary until your hair is fully dry.
Looking for More Curly Hair Saviours?
Wondering how else to give your curls the care and treatment they deserve? We have plenty more suggestions for creams, shampoos, conditioners, and everything in between, so you can learn how to wash and style your way to a good curly hair day every day.
Summary
That’s it! We hope this article was useful to you, whether you’re on the beginning of your hair-diffusing journey or are just looking to replace your old favourite. Once you get used to drying your hair with your new product, you’ll see why diffusers are a must-have for many curlies. Now, let your hair down and embrace those natural ringlets!
Author: Brigid Bernard
Top 5 Hair Dryer Diffusers for Curly Hair
No. 1: ghd｜Air Hair Drying Kit
No. 2: Remington｜Proluxe Ionic Hairdryer
No. 3: Panasonic｜Nanoe Ion Hair Dryer｜EH-NA65
No. 4: Xtava ｜Black Orchid Large Hair Diffuser
No. 5: Hairizone｜Universal Hair Diffuser
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.