Everything You Need to Know When Choosing a Hair Dryer
Iantha Yu is an experienced beauty editor with over ten years of experience in the publishing industry. Her words can be found on Marie Claire, Beauty Crew, Women's Health, Virgin Voyeur, SHOP Til You Drop, Broadsheet, and more.
We get it: choosing a hair dryer can be a tricky task.
There are so many brands and models on the market, boasting different heat settings and attachments… Where does one even start?
In this story, we’ll break down all the terminology you’ll commonly come across when choosing a hair dryer so you can find the right one for you.
Armed with this knowledge, you can make a well-informed decision the next time you’re ready to make a purchase.
What You Need To Know About Hair Dryer Wattage
One of the key factors when it comes to figuring out what's a good hair dryer is the wattage offered, or the blow dryer’s electricity usage.
In short, the higher the wattage, the hotter the hair dryer can get, which means your hair will dry faster.
So, how many watts does a hair dryer use? This really depends on the brand and model you pick.
Travel-sized hair dryers might offer 1200 watts, whereas more advanced models might offer up to 2250 watts.
What You Need To Know About Hair Dryer Temperature Range
Picking a hair dryer with temperature control is vital as different hair types and shapes suit different temperatures.
You’ll be able to find a hair dryer’s heat settings on the tool itself. The heat control usually looks like an adjustable switch that ranges from low to high.
To be specific, a hair dryer with low heat setting is great for fine or thin hair as this hair type is more susceptible to heat damage.
On the other hand, a hair dryer with various heat settings can be great for thicker hair types as coarse hair can handle a higher temperature in general.
Our Tip: A blow dryer with a cool setting is great for those times when you want to create a polished blow-dry at home. A blast of low temperature air can close your hair’s cuticle and prevent frizziness through the day.
What You Need To Know About Hairdryer Nozzle Shapes
When choosing a hair dryer, you may have noticed the different nozzles a device comes with.
- A diffuser attachment such as the Mermade Hair Diffuser is perfect for wavy or curly hair. A diffuser evenly spreads out the hot air, allowing your waves or curls to form correctly.
- If you’re looking to give yourself a sleek and straight blow-dry, then a narrow attachment fits the bill. The Parlux 3500 Replacement Nozzle - Large/Narrow - 74mm x 9mm is great to use along with a barrel brush to get a concentrated blast of hot air. If you're looking for a diffuser the Parlux 385 Diffuser Attachment is the perfect solution.
- Those with tightly coiled hair might want to consider a hair dryer that can be fitted with a comb nozzle. One like the GHD Helios Hair Dryer Comb Nozzle makes drying and managing curls a bit easier.
What You Need To Know About Hair Dryer Weight
Blow-drying your hair is no walk in the park. Sometimes it can take up to 30 minutes to achieve the blowout of your dreams.
With that in mind, it might be important to consider how heavy your tool is. The heavier the dryer, the more tired your arms will get.
Other Hair Dryer Unique Selling Points
When shopping for a hairdryer, you may notice certain words pop up, such as ‘Ceramic’ and ‘Ionic Technology’.
Both of these features can be important when shopping for a new hair dryer.
Hair dryers made with Ceramic parts, such as the CLOUD NINE The Airshot Pro, ensure that the tool heats up quickly and evenly to speed up your drying process.
On the other hand, Ionic Technology blasts your hair with negative ions to counteract the positive ions usually found in damp hair.
The result is really smooth and shiny hair. A good example of an Ionic hair dryer is the Parlux Power Light 385 Ionic & Ceramic Hairdryer - Gold
As you can see, choosing a hair dryer is no simple task! We hope this story made picking the right tool for you a little easier.
Want to know more about hair dryers and hot tools? Check out these guides...
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