Hair Dryers
A hair dryer is a useful beauty tool to have in order to dry and style hair quickly. Blow dryers and accessories can be very diverse for styling and come in different forms.
How do you choose a hair dryer?The heating element and internal parts can be made from combinations of different types of materials. There can be combinations of the materials too; for example, a dryer could be ionic and tourmaline or ceramic and ionic. Many professionals choose different types based on what treatment they wish to achieve. These materials include:
- Ionic: An ionic dryer emits negative ions to help the water in the hair evaporate. This results in less frizz.
- Ceramic: Infrared heat can help dry with minimal damage, add shine, and get hot evenly and quickly.
- Tourmaline: Tourmaline is a mineral that also affects the ions of the hair to prevent frizz and reduces the treatment time it takes to dry.
Blow dryers can also be different sizes with different amounts of power. Small sizes are compact and can be great for travel or small spaces. Professional dryers can include a hooded design, which is a large item with a stand that dries hair evenly from above while a handheld one is more suited for personal use. When considering power, you can look to see the wattage and whether it is dual voltage or not. A higher wattage allows for higher heat or speed from the dryer and also reflects how much energy it will use. A dual voltage dryer is very helpful for travel because some countries require a different voltage setting.
What attachments come with hair dryers?Various attachments come with certain dryers and can be connected to the end of the dryer to direct airflow in specific ways.
- Diffusers: A round nozzle with comb-like prongs helps distribute the airflow more evenly and is often used for curly or wavy hairstyles.
- Bonnet or cap: A cap connects from your head to the blow dryer and fills with air around your head, similar to a hooded dryer in a professional salon but more compact.
- Concentrator: A flat piece directs the air for a streamlined direction to smooth hair.
Hairdryers can have several settings for heat and speed that help with treatments and styling. A hotter setting is effective for very wet or thick hair to save time while a cooler setting is better for hair that is damp or thin. Many blow dryers have a cool air button that can be used on slightly damp hair or at the end of drying to set it in place by sealing the cuticles. The speed of the dryer also affects the time it takes to dry. A higher speed can be useful for very wet hair while a lower speed can be useful for styling with a round brush or comb.