Women's Health

Beauty

14 Best Hair Diffusers For Curly And Wavy Hair That Promise Less Frizz, Per A Hair Stylist

 

Shiny, bouncy curls coming right up!

When you're short on time or just want to show off your bouncy curls, a wash n' go is probably your best friend. Right in line with that? A hair diffuser.

No one likes heading outdoors with a head of hair that feels like you're wearing a wet rag. Diffusers can help you avoid that by leaving your curls dry, frizz-free, and even more defined. "It’s a great way to quickly dry curly or wavy hair without blowing it around too much," says Leigh Hardges, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.

Peep some of the best hair diffusers below:

A hair diffuser for curly hair evenly distributes air through a blow dryer attachment that's usually bowl-shaped to allow you to work on big chunks of hair at a time. So, if you're still spending time air-drying and manually scrunching your hair up for more definition, it's time to level up.

Shop this list of the best hair diffusers for curly hair in 2023, per rave reviews.

BEST FOR ADDING VOLUME

Conair InfinitiPro Hair Dryer Diffuser

Some dryers accommodate curly and wavy hair and others are designed for it. This Conair dryer and diffuser is the latter. It's made with a unique circulating airflow system that is designed to dry and add volume to natural hair without leading to heat damage or frizz.

Rave Review: "After reading all the curly hair gals' reviews, I decided to purchase this [diffuser]. I blow dried my hair on a medium heat/low setting and was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of curls the diffuser brought out. What I was really happy about was that I did not need mist in my hair the next day to bring my curls back to life. I highly recommend anyone with curly hair to purchase this blow dryer."

BEST FOR AVOIDING OVER-DRYING CURLS

Revlon Infrared Hair Dryer Diffuser

If you want dry hair and hydrated curls, this Revlon diffuser may help make that wish come true. It's designed to avoid over-drying in order to maintain your hair's natural moisture. This dryer's also designed with a cold shock button that helps you lock in definition after drying, per the brand.

Rave Review: "I was looking for an affordable hair dryer with a good diffuser and decided to give this one a try. Wow, I am beyond impressed! I have thick medium-length hair and It dried my hair to 90 percent in under 10 minutes. It’s super quiet and the diffuser is nice and big. My curls tend to get dry and dull when I diffuse, but they were soft and shiny with this diffuser."

BEST DEAL

Ouidad Made For Curls 3-in-1 Universal Diffuser

Purchasing the Ouidad hair diffuser is basically like getting a 3-for-1 deal. The diffuser comes with three unique attachments you can use to truly customize the way you style your hair, no matter its length or texture.

Rave Review: "I've had this diffuser for about two months now and I really like it. It is oval, which makes it a little easier to travel with versus a round diffuser. The shape is great and I like the ability to customize the prongs. I use it with my travel hairdryer—a GHD. My hair looks great when I use it."

BEST FOR PREVENTING HEAT DAMAGE

Shark HyperAir Diffuser

The last thing you want is to heat damage your precious curls. In order to protect your locks, Shark's blow dryer/diffuser measures heat output up to 1,000 times per second to ensure quick and even heat distribution. Plus, it comes with three heat and three airflow settings.

Rave Review: "I have naturally curly hair and have been researching this blow dryer. I had read about it and the selling point was the diffuser. I can say this dryer is even better than I was hoping. It dries my hair faster and my hair is less frizzy. I wish I had bought it sooner."

BEST COLLAPSIBLE DIFFUSER

Ceremonia Collapsible Hair Diffuser De Rizos

If your beauty closet can't handle one more styling appliance, Ceremonia's got you covered. This diffuser will attach to most hair dryers that reach up to 400 degrees, and it folds down for easy storage.

Rave Review: "I was pleasantly surprised how well this dries hair without frizz! This was the first time I've used a diffuser that doesn't frizz my curly hair, and I've tried many diffusers... I love that it collapses for easy travel and saves space."

BEST FOR TRAVEL

Bed Head Curls-in-Check Hair Diffuser Dryer

If you're the kind of curly gal who loves flaunting your curls on vacation, the Bed Head diffuser is perfect for you. It's super lightweight and dries hair quickly, so you can spend less time styling and more time getting your vacay on.

Rave Review: "I always wanted to use a device that worked fast and effective—found it! I love that it is not heavy to carry. Its design is very convenient for traveling and my frizzy hair turned out spectacular."

BEST CULT-FAVORITE DIFFUSER

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer/Diffuser

You can't talk about hair styling tools without mentioning Dyson. The brand's hair dryer with a diffuser attachment is a cult-favorite pick for its temp-regulated air that prevents heat damage, but locks in shine. The hair appliance is also always cool to the touch, so you can style without worries of accidentally burning yourself.

Rave Review: "For the naturalista curl friends out there, don't contemplate this buy. It is the best decision I have made. My dry time improved 60 percent... Act now you won't regret it. It is worth every penny."

BEST FOR SHORT HAIR

DevaCurl DevaFuser

The DevaFuser quite literally looks like a tiny hand, so it can simulate manual scrunching. Its smaller size allows it to get closer to the roots, though, making it especially useful for those with shorter hair. It's also designed with 360-degree airflow for faster drying.

Rave Review: "I saw this diffuser on 'Hoda & Jenna' and decided to give it a try. It's the best diffuser ever! It's hard to describe, but it's like using a hand. You can get right to the roots and it really lifts the hair and seems to dry faster. I'd give it more stars if I could!"

BEST FOR QUICK-DRYING

Pattern Blow Dryer/Diffuser

This complete system from Tracee Ellis Ross' Pattern brand includes a blow dryer, diffuser, wide tooth comb attachment, and concentrated nozzle. The products work together to shape, smooth, stretch, and define curls. The diffuser, specifically, releases a controlled airflow that quickly dries hair no matter what angle you tackle it from.

The Pattern blow dryer/diffuser is so new, it doesn't have reviews yet, but have you seen Tracee's curls? Trust, she def knows a thing or two about styling hair.

BEST FOR ADDING SHINE

Drybar The Bouncer Diffuser

Drybar's a household name for hairstyling for a reason. They know a thing or two about heat-styling without damaging locks in the process. This diffuser applies that philosophy. Its wide surface reduces the speed of heated airflow to your curls to add definition and shine.

Rave Review: "Best diffuser I've used so far! This attachment fits my Babyliss blow dryer perfectly and grips it nicely. I have very fine, wavy—sometimes 'curly" hair'—and the prongs on this device work really well to 'work' the waves/curls in my hair."

BEST TOP-RATED DIFFUSSER

Hairizone Universal Hair Diffuser

With nearly 8,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, you can bet this diffuser will give you something to rave about. In addition to even heat distribution (thanks to its 211 holes) and frizz-free drying, the diffuser is also made with retractable buttons that allow it to fit to almost any blower dryer.

Rave Review: "I love this diffuser! I have always had wavy/curly hair and never liked wearing it natural because air drying made it weigh down on my head. But, this tool has completely changed the game and I love wearing my hair natural now. It's also very easy to use."

BEST DIFFUSER FOR DEHYDRATED HAIR

Curlsmith De-Frizzion Dryer

The De-Frizzion diffuser is designed to keep hair health top priority. It's made with tech that smoothens the hair cuticle to boost shine and keep your hair hydrated, minimizing static and frizz. The diffuser also allows you to scrunch, hover over, or stretch your hair, depending on the style you want to achieve.

Rave Review: "I got this for my sister-in-law and she is in love with this! Her curly hair feels amazing and now she isn't struggling drying and styling her hair for hours!"

BEST PRO PICK

Trademark Beauty Speedy Blo

Hardges likes this hair dryer/diffuser combo from Trademark Beauty because it is small, lightweight, and offers high heat that's distributed evenly. "It also has long appendages that will help reach into thicker hair," Hardges adds. Basically, it checks every box.

Rave Review: "This hair dryer blew me away with its powerful and quick-drying technology. Its diffuser has been a lifesaver for me on more than one occasion, and the two extra nozzles have assured me a professional style every time. It's lightweight and the handles feel secure in my hand as I blow a masterpiece in front of the mirror."

LEAST NOISY DIFFUSER

Hot Tools Quietair Power Dryer/Diffuser

This blow dryer/diffuser combo has everything you could want—a wide attachment for quick drying, a cool shot button, and eight speed and heat settings. But, it's also made with a super quiet motor. So, it's perfect for diffusing hair near working roommates or sleeping children or partners.

Rave Review: "Okay, this is the best blow dryer I have ever used!! I love the diffuser attachment. When they said it's a 'quiet' blow dryer, they weren't kidding! Huge difference from my current blow dryer!"

What should I keep in mind when shopping for a diffuser for curly hair?

To make sure you achieve the best curls you can, there are a few things you should keep in mind when you shop:

Your hair's thickness

Some diffusers are capable of accommodating more hair than others, or are designed to get closer to your root if you have shorter hair. The fuller your hair, the deeper the diffuser you buy should be, says Hardges. "A deep cup will hold more hair and long appendages can reach into thick, full hair."

Compatibility with your hair dryer

If you're purchasing a diffuser that doesn't come with a hair dryer, you should check its measurements to make sure it's compatible with the blow dryer you have at home. The best hair dryers for attaching diffusers are those with long nozzles, says Hardges.

Design

Diffusers come in all types of sizes and styles. Like Hardges said, the deeper the cup the more hair it will accommodate. You also want to shop for diffusers with lots of openings. "Lots of holes will help dry the hair quicker," says Hardges.

What are the benefits of using a diffuser?

A diffuser is designed to control the way heated airflow reaches your hair. This makes for less frizzy hair and more defined curls. "With a diffuser, the hair dries so much quicker than air-drying, too," says Hardges.

How do you use a diffuser?

For the best results, you should use your diffuser on high heat and with low airflow, says Hardges. "Hold the diffuser at least six inches from the hair to gently dry the ends. You can also flip your head over to dry it upside down and crest volume in the crown of your head." Bouncy, shiny curls coming right up!