# of Heat Settings: 2 | Attachments: None | Who It’s For: People who want lift and bounce
Courtesy of Symphony Barnes for Allure
How to select a hair dryer for your hair type?
Whether you blow-dry daily or once a week, it all starts with having the right tools to execute it. Before you purchase a brand-new hair dryer, Los Angeles-based celebrity hairstylist and Virtue’s creative director Adir Abergel recommends selecting a device that works with your hair type. “When blow-drying curly hair, use an ionic dryer,” he previously told Allure. “If you have finer hair that needs more volume, use a traditional blow-dryer, not ionic.” If you’re unsure, or if you’re sharing with a roommate or partner, here’s some good news: There are options that feature both nonionic and ionic technology so you can swiftly toggle between them.
Abergel also noted that using a concentrator nozzle, which precisely hits hard-to-reach areas, is the real key to achieving salon-level results. “It concentrates the air and aids in directing the airflow exactly where you want it to go,” he previously explained. This concentrated airflow also helps the cuticle of the hair lay flat so that it will be shinier and less frizzy, according to Los Angeles-based hairstylist Kiki Heitkotter. Finish with a cold shot of air for extra shine, too.
How can you minimize heat damage?
To minimize damage, look for multiple temperature settings—since high heat isn’t always necessary, especially for, say, fine hair types. If you have the time, low heat is best for stymieing damage caused by heated hair tools. And don’t forget to prep with heat protectant, a hair-care staple when you’re using styling tools. (Good news? They tend to be built into some leave-in products.)
Below, we’ve rounded up the best blow-dryers for all hair types — as recommended by professional hairstylists and Allure editors — that’ll help you achieve frizz-free, salon-worthy blowouts with impressively fast drying times.
More hair dryers we love:
Best for Frizz: BondiBoost Sonic Hair Dryer
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Why It’s Worth It: This 2023 Best of Beauty Award winner nabbed the top spot for its ability to deliver salon-worthy smoothness and shine, according to testers. It’s also lightweight and quiet, and comes with a cool-shot button — making for a dryer that checks all the boxes.
Editor Tip: It has a self-cleaning button that can extend the life of the dryer.
# of Heat Settings: 4 | Attachments: Diffuser, concentrator | Who It’s For: People prone to frizz and flyaways
Best for Curls: Pattern Beauty The Blow Dryer
Why It’s Worth It: Curly hair tends to be drier and more susceptible to damage from frequent heat-styling. Because of this, Pattern Beauty founder and actress Tracee Ellis Ross sought to create a hot tool that wouldn’t compromise already-vulnerable textured hair. The Pattern Beauty Blow Dryer comes with four unique, curl-friendly attachments (brush, comb, and diffuser attachments as well as a concentrator nozzle) that will help you shape, stretch, smooth, and define your coils — all without pulling, tugging, or otherwise disturbing them.
