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Everyone has their own personal hair and beauty struggles, but a common complaint among the curly community is consistency. Healthy, defined curls are every curly-haired person’s goal on wash day — but achieving them through air-drying can be complicated by factors like the temperature and humidity outside.
Enter: diffusing. It can help even out curl patterns while adding body. Ready to meet your perfect curls? Keep reading to learn how to achieve them.
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What’s a Diffuser?
If you find yourself wondering “what is a hair diffuser?” we totally get it. There are so many hair tools out there that it can be hard to keep up. A diffuser attachment helps to disperse airflow from your blow dryer in a much more controlled manner. They are designed to imitate a natural “air-dry” effect. Diffusers come in many shapes and sizes, but they all seek to diffuse the hot air coming out of a blow dryer.
It is possible to find a diffuser attachment designed to fit over your existing dryer, but those who are thinking about diffusing on the regular may want to consider investing in a dryer that comes with its own.
Diffusing works by directing airflow all around curls, allowing them to dry without being disrupted the way they would be with a normal dryer air stream. The diffuser is designed to give a gentle cycle of airflow to dry your hair, but not blow it around — which would end up causing frizz.
Top Benefits of Diffusing Curly Hair
So, what exactly does a diffuser do? For those with curly hair, you’ll be pleased to know diffusing your hair has a good amount of benefits. Diffusing allows you to dry your hair before leaving home (air-drying can take hours), but it also offers many benefits to the curl pattern. The benefit of using a diffuser is that it will minimize frizz, enhance volume, add shine, and define the curl pattern.
If you let your hair dry naturally it will take some time, so the curl has more of a chance to be disturbed, moved, or shaken up before dried. But once diffused and dry, the curl pattern will stay intact much longer and hold its shape frizz-free.
Diffusing greatly improves the definition and shine of curls and offers far more consistent results than air-drying. And diffusing isn’t just for curly hair — it’s for all hair types, as it can be less damaging than regular blow-drying and can bring out waves and curls in the hair.
Diffusing Steps For Perfect Curls
Keen to get started on the journey of perfect curls, free from frizz? Here is each and every step you need to know on how to use a diffuser on curly hair and achieve pro-like results.
1. Hydrate and Detangle
Properly taking care of your hair prior to diffusing is crucial to getting a gorgeous curly set. If you blow dry curly hair, you know how important ensuring your curls are hydrated is. Diffusing hair with no product will result in a much different, frizzer look than curls prepped with adequate moisturizing and styling products.
For various types of hair, the most important difference to start is your product choice. If your hair only has a little wave or curl, you want to generally focus on polymer-based products like mousses, texture sprays, thickeners, or light gels. If your hair has more curl to it and is thicker, you may want to focus more on emollient types of products like creams or oils.
Applying the desired product throughout the hair from the roots to the ends. The best way to distribute product is to evenly saturate your hair when it’s wet. This helps to distribute the product of choice evenly throughout your entire head of hair. Some like to scrunch it in, while others prefer to set it with a finger wrap. Each method works, but it’s all about what works for you.
The hair should be soaking wet when you apply the styling product to ensure even distribution, but you can gently scrunch your curls with a microfiber towel after product application and before
diffusing to cut down on dry time.
This lightweight mousse will define any and all curl types, giving weightless volume. It also provides a hold that will last you throughout the day, even if you touch your curls.
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This foaming gel will control any frizz before the diffusing process. It will help define your curls and is free of that annoying crunch feeling that many products made for curly hair give. Your curls will feel lightweight and bouncy each time you apply it to your strands.
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For all curls and coils, this curl-defining gel-cream will hydrate your hair like a cream would while holding the curl like a gel. You’ll notice beautiful added shape and shine when you apply the product to your curls.
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This curl defining cream is infused with argan oil. While it smells amazing, it works just as well. It will condition your curls while making the styling process so much easier. It works with all curl types and fights frizz instantly.
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A 3-in-1 product is music to the ears of many who have curly hair and are tired of using so many products on their curls. This multitasking cream will define your curls — giving them shine, enhanced shape, and free of frizz.
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Your curls will get the perfect amount of hydration once applying this hair oil to your curls. It’s clinically shown to reduce frizz and breakage. Your hair will look shiny and healthy once you start using it.
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Curls thrive when they are treated to a beautifully made, curl-enhancing oil. This prickly-pear-infused hair treatment will strengthen, soften, and detangle your curls while ensuring it’s free of frizz.
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Doubling as a heat protectant, this leave-in conditioner will detangle your hair while protecting it from any heat and damage. It will reduce frizz and flyaways for perfect-looking curls.
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This lightweight, detangling leave-in conditioner is made with aloe vera and will give your curls instant moisture. It will prevent breakage while protecting your hair against heat. If you have knots in your hair that feel impossible to detangle, you will love implementing this leave-in conditioner into your hair care ritual.
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Reduce frizz post-shower with this microfiber towel wrap. It’s hypoallergenic, absorbent, soft and smooth. The microfiber will enhance your curls while drying them — without causing any frizz or damage.
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Your hair will dry so much quicker when using this hair towel wrap from Kitsch. It's made with ultra-absorbent materials and will help reduce any frizz that a regular towel may cause post-shower. Using this towel will ensure you’re nourishing the health of your hair.
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2. Start Diffusing The Roots
It’s important to start at the roots, as this section will take much longer than the rest of the hair. When diffusing, it’s best to not disturb the curls with the diffuser, meaning don’t move the hair – just move your diffuser in a 360-degree motion, making sure that you’re hitting all points on your head.
Keep in mind that you’re drying your roots first. Once you feel your roots are pretty much dry then you can begin diffusing down the mid-shaft, toward the ends of the hair. During this step, lean forward and flip your hair in front of you. Lightly shake your head to have the curls fall into place. While the back dries, any product that falls toward the front of the hair helps reduce the frizz in the front.
When beginning to use this hair dryer and diffuser, frizz will become a thing of the past. It’s a compact dryer that is perfect for travel. It has an extra-large diffuser which is ideal to care for all curls, coils, and waves.
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This lightweight yet powerful hair dryer comes with a concentrator and diffuser attachment. It will leave your curls feeling and looking healthy. Plus, you won’t have any frizz.
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Ulta
Conair InfinitiPro By Conair Luxe Series Natural Texture & Curl Styling Dryer
This curl styling dryer will enhance your natural curls with circulating airflow to gently dry your hair. The volumizing diffuser will help you bring out your best frizz-free curls. It gets the job done for even the tightest curls.
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For those with curly, coily, and tight textured hair, you will love styling your strands with this high-performing blow dryer. It comes with four attachments — brush, wide tooth comb, concentrator nozzle, and diffuser. It allows you to shape, stretch, smooth, and define your natural curl pattern. I mean, look how cute it is!
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This universal diffuser will fit on most other blow dryers, allowing you to create salon-like curls right at home. The diffuser will define curls while reducing frizz. It’s easy to use and travel with, giving you the reassurance of always having perfectly styled curls.
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3. Diffuse the Length
Once the roots are dry, you can control how much volume you create by either flipping the hair and drying it in different positions for high volume or just diffusing sitting up. Keep the diffuser three to five inches away from the hair, moving the dryer in a circular motion around the area of the hair without touching the hair during this step. Once you feel that things are starting to feel a little bit drier, you’ll notice the hair starting to get fuller. This is when you can start doing the shake-out motion.
The shake-out is when you flip your head over and really get in your curly hair with a diffuser and start shaking out your hair. This is going to start promoting volume from underneath the nape of the neck. Once you feel the roots to the midsection of the hair are fully dried, you can flip your hair back upright and continue to diffuse.
You’ll want to start cupping your hair into your diffuser and moving your diffuser in an upward motion while tilting the head from side to side. This is the classic diffusing technique you may have seen on social media, but it’s important not to dry the ends of your hair before the roots and midsection of the hair have dried; the ends will dry fastest and will quickly frizz if over-dried.
You’ll know when your curls are dry when your chosen hair product has formed a cast over your curls. This means they will be slightly crunchy to the touch, but we’ll address that in the next step.
4. Scrunch and Set
Once the hair has fully dried, there is still one step left: scrunching to break the cast.
Start by shaking your head to loosen your roots, then begin to scrunch your hair. The best way to scrunch is by opening your palms to hold the hair from the ends, bringing it up toward the root, and finally squeezing the entire length of the hair at the root to break the cast.
You can now really personalize your curl placement depending on how you like to have them lay.
Perfectly Unique Curls
In the end, your results are going to vary depending on the type and texture of your hair and the products that you select. Overall, diffusing can greatly improve your curl definition – and cut drying time by more than half.
Diffusing is the key to consistent, healthy, and defined curls. Want to know how you could cut your wash day in half? We thought so, see A Lazy Girl’s Guide to Natural Hair: 4 DTC Brands That Have Cut My Wash Day in Half.
