For those of you who are blissfully blessed with a great mane of lush waves or corkscrew curls, you’ve already discovered that standard blow dryers are not your friend unless you’re trying to straighten your hair. They tend to turn curls into a mass of fuzzy frizz, which is definitely not the look you’re going for.
If you have a love-hate relationship with your wavy mane, we’ve found some awesome options for you. The best dryers for curly hair can make a huge difference, especially one that infuses moisture and gently dries without damage. They offer a combination of features, from infrared heaters that prevent overdrying to tourmaline ceramic and ionic technologies that deliver more shine, moisture and volume but also protect and condition your curls and benefit straight styles too.
We’ve also reviewed dryers with a variety of wattage options. Obviously, those with the biggest motors deliver the most robust airflow. That’s not always great for curly hairstyles that often need a gentler touch, but most offer varied enough heat and airflow settings that you won’t have an issue. We’ve also included some smaller and more portable travel models as well as a couple of well-rated budget buys. No matter your desired price point, you’ll find a dryer that can deliver sweet ringlets, luscious waves and even those straight styles you really want, all without a trip to the salon, which is a little harder to do these days.
You might be surprised that some of the more well-known brands are missing because they lacked key features or didn’t include a diffuser. If you want to shop for those big brands in spite of that, we’ll steer you instead to our reviews of the best professional blow dryers.