Remember the old adage” only a bad carpenter blames his tools?”. In the case of hairstyling the right tools really can make a difference. Having a great hairdryer can certainly go a long way towards making every day a good hair day.
How do you choose the right hairdryer for you though, when there are so many different brands and models available? A few helpful hints;
Wattage : The wattage of the hairdryer you choose is important. The higher the wattage, the more powerful and effective the hairdyer will be. Trying to dry your hair with a low wattage hairdryer can double your styling time. Look for a hairdryer that has at least 1700 watts of power. If you are blessed with particularly thick hair a hairdryer with at least 1900 watts will give the quickest drying time.
Hair Type : What type of hair you have should also be takern into consideration when purchasing a hairdryrer. If you have curly hair you will need a dryer with a good diffuser attachment to produce frizz free results, and those with thinner hair may want to look for a good brush attachment to help build volume.
If you rely upon a hairdryer to straighten your curly hair the best choice is a hairdryer with ceramic technology. A ceramic heating element gives of a more even and more powerful heat to help straighten the hair efficiently. If you can find a hairdryer with both ceramic and tourmaline technology. The negative ion emitting crystals found in tourmaline promote sleek, shiny hair. You will also need a good nozzle attachment that can focus the airstream directly where you need it.
Speed : A hairdryer that has a number of different speeds and various heat settings is always a good bet. This allows you to use the higher settings to quickly remove the majority of the moisture from your hair, then switch to a low setting for precise final styling. A cool shot button, which makes the hairdryer only emit cold air, is a hairdressing trick for helping a finished style stay in place.
If you have colored or damaged hair you should avoid very high hairdryer settings. To avoid further damage this kind of hair should really be dried using the lowest heat setting possible.
Weight: A hairdryer’s overall weight might have to be a consideration. If you have short hair that dries in minutes it is probably not an issue, but if you have longer hair, or a complicated style, holding on to a heavy hairdryer for too long may be painful and annoying.
Price : Price is of course always a factor in any purchasing decision. You can probably find a hairdryer for under $15 in some stores but chances are it won’t last long or be very powerful. The high end models tend to have all manner of bells and whistles, some of which you personally may not really need. Ceramic and tourmaline hairdryers are usually more expensive than other kinds of hairdryers but if you use a hairdryer on a daily basis they are well worth the investment. A good one can be found for well under $100.
Portability : If you travel a lot or have to style your hair away from home a lot you will obviously want a smaller hairdryer. There are a number of good travel dryers on the market. They are not as powerful as their bigger cousins but many are more than adequate for producing a great hairstyle on the go.
