Best Diffusing Techniques for Curly Hair
When blow-drying a curly pattern, a diffuser attachment is truly a game-changer. A diffuser enhances curl definition, shrinkage, and volume. Sadly, heat damages your hair so air drying will always be the most healthy option for your hair, but we understand that you don't always want to show up with wet hair. Just remember heat protection before blow-drying and be careful with the heat setting.
Diffusing Techniques
Hover Diffusing
The simplest diffusing technique where you hold the hairdryer away from the hair and slowly hover it around your hair. You can use a nozzle attachment or no attachment at all, but the diffuser attachment ensures that the air is blown more widely and less intensely, which will minimize frizz. Hover diffusing will give you a more natural look with less shrinkage as it does not manipulate the curl pattern. Hover diffusing is in general recommended for curl types: wavy, curly, and coily.
Pro Tip: Use this technique before pixie or stretch diffusing to set the gel cast and essentially reduce potential frizz from blow-drying.
Pixie Diffusing
A diffusing technique where you use the diffuser to “scrunch” sections of your hair, encouraging more shrinkage and curl definition. Scoop a section of hair into the diffuser, bring it close to the roots, and hold for 10-30 seconds. A great technique for wavy and curly hair.
Pro Tip: Minimize frizz by turning off the hairdryer between sections and turning it back on when the hair is scrunched at the root.
Stretch Diffusing
This diffusing technique involves stretching sections of your hair to get a more relaxed look with minimal shrinkage. Place sections of your hair between the diffuser and your hand, and gently move it downward for less volume or outward to retain volume. You can use a nozzle attachment or no attachment at all, but the diffuser attachment ensures that the air is blown more widely and less intensely, which will minimize frizz. Stretch diffusing is most popular among coily hair types.
Blow-Drying Routine
Here's our step-by-step guide to blow-drying curly patterns with minimal heat damage and frizz:
1 Heat protection
Always, apply a heat protection spray or cream to your hair before blow-drying.
2 Heat and speed setting
As a general rule, adjust the heat setting according to how close the blow-dryer is to your hair. Use low-medium heat when working closely like with pixie or stretch diffusing. When further away, you can increase the heat if you want to speed up the drying.
The lower the speed, the less the frizz - ergo we recommend low-medium speed. You can speed up as long as your hair is not blown away, then you ask for frizz.
3 Start at the roots
Your roots take the longest to dry, so by starting at the roots your ends can begin to air dry while the roots catch up. In other words, your hair will dry faster when you start at the roots. For maximum volume, move your head from side to side and upside down, while hover diffusing your roots.
4 Leave the ends til the end
Now, it's time to dry the ends. Opt to start with hover diffusing to set the gel cast at the ends. If you want a bouncy and shrunken curl pattern, use the pixie diffusing technique. If you want a more natural curl pattern and length, continue hover diffusing. Finally, if you want a more stretched look and length, then stretch diffuse the ends.
5 Dry to about 80%
The more you touch, scrunch, and manipulate your hair, the less defined your curl pattern becomes. Blow-dry until your hair is about 80% dry and air-dry for the remaining time. Limit touching your hair until 100% dry - you know your hair is completely dry when it's not cold.
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