Naomi Jamieson
If you regularly style your hair curly, using one of the best diffusers for curly hair with your dryer is a must. These attachments are direct route to well defined curls with minimal frizz. They disperse the air from your dryer across a much wider surface area, which in turn distributes it more evenly through your hair, making the process much gentler on your strands. This in turn helps to maintain curls' shape and keeps excess frizz to a minimum – so they really are worth it.
Many of the best hair dryers for curly hair either come with a diffuser or have a compatible attachment sold separately. “A diffuser is a brilliant tool to use for those looking to add definition to their curls, even out their curl pattern, and add volume," says top hairstylist and salon owner Charlotte Mensah. "Using one ensures that the air doesn't disrupt your curl pattern or cause breakage. Diffusers can be used on a variety of different hair textures and patterns. It’s just about finding the right accessory attachment and technique for you.”
Not only does our beauty team test hair tools like the best hair dryers for a living, but as somebody with loose curly hair myself, I always use a diffuser when styling my hair curly. This means I know exactly what makes a good one – namely a good number of holes for even air flow that will keep curls defined and not generate excess frizz. The best universal buys are from Diva Pro, Drybar and Bio:Ionic, while the best overall combination has to be the Dyson Supersonic and its diffuser. Here are our detailed reviews of the best – and when you're done here, our guide on how to use a diffuser is loaded with advice on getting the most from your new attachment. But first, we've also shared some of the best early Black Friday deals on diffusers below...
Best deals on diffusers for curly hair
The best diffusers for curly hair, reviewed by our beauty team
RRP: £29 | Width: 14cm | Works with other brand dryers: Yes
To help you create a salon-worthy style at home, US blow dry bar chain Drybar has its own range of tools and hair styling products including a great diffuser, The Bouncer. Inside there’s an adjustable ceramic layer that allows you to reduce the airflow for an even gentler dry, which is a nice personalised touch. About half of the prongs of the diffuser extend well past the bowl, meaning you’re able to lift sections easily if you want to create a more voluminous look.
Plus it really lives up to its name: bouncy is exactly how it left our curls when we used this with Drybar’s Buttercup Dryer. The Bouncer also works with the travel Baby Buttercup, as well as some non-Drybar dryers, but the nozzle is quite a narrow one, so do bear this in mind if you plan to use to use it on your current dryer from another brand. Other than that, the Bouncer is a good all-rounder and reasonably priced, with some compatibility with other brands' tools, which is why we chose it as our overall best diffuser for curly hair.
Read our Drybar Buttercup Dryer review for an in-depth look at the brand's hair dryer
Pros
- Adjustable airflow
- Fairly good bowl depth
- Works with non-Drybar dryers
Cons
- Attachment end is quite narrow
RRP: £30 | Width: 15cm | Works with other brand dryers: Yes
Another universal diffuser option, Bio:Ionic’s attachments work both with a selection of its own dryers and those of other brands with a traditional shape – even smaller travel-friendly options. So if you’ve not been able to find one from your current hair dryer’s brand, this sturdy and premium-feeling attachment could be the winning ticket. The prongs are also a generous length and can reach the scalp, while the surface of the diffuser is covered with a good amount of holes. It also features adjustable airflow, so we liked that you could adapt the amount of air that comes through the dryer to suit your styling needs and preference.
With the adjustable fitting, it secures well to many standard-size dryers for a nice, snug fit – as well as smaller designs like those often associated with the quietest hair dryers – so it's a great universal buy. Not only did it impress us enough to earn its place in our guide to the best diffusers for curly hair, but with hundreds of five-star reviews it’s clearly a hit with the masses.
Pros
- Adjustable airflow
- Fits other brands' dryers
- Long prongs
Cons
- On the expensive side
RRP: £30 | Width: 13.5cm | Works with other brand dryers: No
With its diffuser, the Dyson Supersonic is many hairdressers' go-to for drying curly hair, including Jonny Eagland, senior stylist at Nicola Clarke at John Frieda. Meanwhile, Lucy says: "When I'm not testing other tools for work, this is the dryer-diffuser combo that I use whenever I style my hair curly at home. For me, it always results in defined ringlets and leaves my hair feeling healthy and soft."
The newer Supersonic Nural Dryer also comes with a new and improved diffuser – the airflow is still just as good, if not better, than the former Supersonic diffuser, but the inner prongs also detach for more of a bowl shaped design that works on looser wavy hair, too.
We find the tiny holes and Dyson’s advanced technology make for really gentle, frizz-free drying, but do bear in mind that their bespoke designs won't work with other hair dryers. But if you're not yet a Dyson owner, you can afford one and you’ve been on the fence about it until now, their dryers really are that good for curly hair.
Read our full Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer review for an in-depth analysis (and check our Dyson Hair Dryer deals to save money)
Pros
- Secures magnetically
- Excellent even airflow
- Adaptable for waves and curls
Cons
- Only works with the Supersonic Nural
RRP: £29 | Width: 14.5cm | Works with other brand dryers: No
Most people know about the best ghd straighteners, but the brand’s hair dryers and attachments are also loved by industry experts all over the world. Compatible with both the ghd Helios hair dryer and Air hair dryers, the prongs of this diffuser are nice and long, allowing you to separate and move around sections of your hair while you style, and it feels very well-made and durable.
It is on the larger size as diffusers go and, as such, we found that it can hold a good amount of hair in one go and is great for creating a nice bit of volume. It’s also a flatter diffuser rather than a slightly concave bowl shape; Mensah describes it as "perfect for those who want to keep their settings on low heat and just add a smaller lift to curls". If you’re a ghd dryer owner, or you're planning to purchase one of their dryers, we think you’ll be pleased with this one's results.
Pros
- Very sturdy
- Long prongs
- Loved by hairdressers
Cons
- Only compatible with ghd dryers
RRP: £29.99 | Width: 17.5cm | Works with other brand dryers: Yes
Of all the diffusers we tested out, this one truly lives up to its universal credentials as it fitted on all the non-Diva Pro dryers we used to test it. This is mainly for two design reasons: firstly, the end of the XXL Diffuser is really big, which allows it to fit right over the nozzles of most hair dryers. Secondly, the inside also features flexible padding that adjusts around your dryer of choice, ensuring a really secure fit that helps to stop this diffuser from sliding off mid-dry. Lucy says: "Lots of diffusers are designed to be used with just the one dryer, so I love that this could be used with most traditional-shaped hair dryers, but the size is far more generous than the average diffuser, too."
The cup itself is nice and wide and more than an inch or so deep, lending itself well to those with very long hairstyles and/or lots of curls, and it dries nicely. We found that the prongs, although flexible, are a little thin, which could be an issue for those with thicker and/or denser hair. But overall, we think this is a great universal diffuser that'll work with most dryer models, which sets it apart from lots of others on the market.
Pros
- Very wide and deep bowl
- Fits many different hair dryers
- Larger than the market standard
Cons
- Prongs are quite thin
RRP: £69.99 | Width: 13.5 cm | Works with other brand dryers: N/A
If you know you’re going to diffuse your hair after every wash because you wear it curly most or all of the time, then you could just buy a dryer that’s always got a diffuser attached to it. As its name suggests, Bellissima Italia’s Diffon Ceramic Diffuser features ceramic technology for a gentler heat, two-speed settings, and nice long fingers. But perhaps more importantly we found it really easy to use, surprisingly light at just over 700g (about 1.6 lbs), and gives curly hair a nice bounce boost. Lucy says: "I love how compact the design is – and that there's no fear of the diffuser detaching from the dryer while drying – and my end result was bouncy, defined curls."
If you’re going to the gym or on a trip and you’re only planning wash-and-go curls, this tool is also much more space-friendly than packing a bigger hair dryer and separate diffuser. The downsides are that you can't adjust the heat and speed separately, there's just one switch, and there's no cool shot function. But although there are more advanced models out there, when you consider the technology of this compact model versus its price tag it's a pretty great deal.
Pros
- Combines a dryer and diffuser in one
- Compact and lightweight
- Great for travel
Cons
- Only one heat setting
How we tested the best diffusers for curly hair
A selection of diffusers tested for this feature from Bio Ionic, Bellissima Italia, Mermade Hair, Drybar and DevaCurl
To find the very best diffusers for curly hair, our tester put attachments from both high-end and affordable brands through their paces, assessing each one's ease of use and the results it achieved. Our curly-haired testers considered all of the following factors when drying with these diffusers:
- Width and depth of diffuser bowl
- Size and number of holes
- Length and number of prongs
- How well it secured onto a dryer
- How well it defined and/or added volume to curls
- How much excess frizz was generated, if any
- Compatibility with other brand dryers
- Price
How to choose the best diffusers for curly hair
Now that you're convinced that your dryer needs a diffuser to bring out the best in your curl pattern, the next question concerns what you actually need to look for in an attachment to make sure it’s right for both your hair and your dryer.
- Size: “A good diffuser should have a large surface area to rest the hair in when drying, as some can be too small and don’t give ample frizz-free drying space," says Jonny Eagland, senior stylist at Nicola Clarke at John Frieda. "The holes in the diffuser should be smaller to allow for even and more gentle airflow, as the less disruptive the flow, the better the curl definition and reduction in frizz." There are 'sock' diffusers and other shaped designs on the market, but the most common form is a cup or bowl-shaped design.
- Compatibility: At the risk of stating the obvious, the diffuser will either need to be compatible with your current hair dryer or work with your new model, if you’re replacing your current tool. The safest bet is usually to buy from the same brand if they offer a matching diffuser, though there are universal models out there too. If you opt for the latter, check if you’ll be able to return it if it doesn’t fit your dryer - this is especially important if you’re shopping online.
Does a diffuser really work for curly hair?
Definitely. We – and many other curly-haired women – can speak from experience that using a diffuser is a pretty failsafe way to dry perfectly-defined curls. Because the air is distributed more evenly from the dryer, it dries the hair more gently and therefore helps to preserve your curl pattern.
Is it better to air dry curls or use a diffuser?
"It all depends on the result you want to achieve," explains Michelle Thompson, UK ambassador for ghd. Using a diffuser has its benefits: not only will your hair dry quicker but you can also create a lot more volume."
If you know that your curls tends to become frizzy if you air dry your hair, or that it takes a very long time to dry naturally on its own, you'll most likely find that using a diffuser and a dryer on a low speed and low heat setting gets you much better results.
What types of diffusers are there?
Generally speaking, diffusers come in two main categories; a "bowl" shape with prongs, which is very popular, or a "sock" design that fits over the nozzle of your hair dryer. They can vary in the bowl's shape and size – some models, like the DevaFuser, have a completely unique shape.
Is it healthier to use a diffuser on hair?
It certainly is, according to experts. "As the airflow is dispersed throughout the holes of a diffuser, there is no direct forceful airflow being directed onto one specific area of the hair at one time," Thompson says. "Using a diffuser on thick, curly, high-density hair that takes many hours to dry naturally is definitely recommended, and it is healthier for the hair to be dry rather than it being wet for a long time."
What is the best diffuser for type 2, type 3 and type 4 curls?
If you have very long curls or a lot of hair (or both!) it's worth looking for a diffuser that has a larger surface area or bowl. Although these attachments work on all curl types, curly hair is a huge umbrella term for lots of different patterns, from tight coils to looser waves. "The best thing to look for is how the diffuser works on your texture – use reviews to understand the results in that person’s hair [compared to yours]," says Nià Pettitt, founder of The Curl Bar London. In our round-up, the attachments that we thought were best overall came from brands including Drybar and Diva Pro, while the best dryer and diffuser combination probably goes to Dyson.
View the latest LOOKFANTASTIC discount codes from woman&home's voucher team to save money on your hair tool purchases
Our expert panel
Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and a contributing beauty editor at woman&home. She has also written for Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Refinery29. Hair is one of her specialisms and she has tested dozens of tools over the years – and with naturally loose curly hair herself, she always uses a diffuser when drying her curls, so knows firsthand what makes a good one (and a not so good one).
Charlotte Mensah is an award-winning hair stylist, founder of the Hair Lounge salon and her own eponymous haircare brand, and the author of Good Hair: The Essential Guide to Afro, Textured and Curly Hair. As well as being a curly hair expert, when this article was first published, she was also an ambassador for ghd.
Michelle Thompson is an award-winning hairstylist and Afro and textured hair specialist, as well as an ambassador for ghd – whose diffuser features in this guide.
Nià Pettitt is a content creator and the founder of The Curl Bar London, a salon specialising in curly hair.
Jonny Eagland is senior stylist at London salon Nicola Clarke at John Frieda, as well as an ambassador and educator for haircare brand Virtue. Eagland is a particular fan of the Dyson Supersonic and diffuser when styling curly haired clients.
