How to use every hair dryer attachment for perfect, glossy strands

If you're used to heading to a salon to get your hair done, you've definitely gone through a learning curve going the DIY route during the lockdown. While using a traditional hair dryer seems simple enough, to get a smooth blowout or the perfect waves, you'll need to use some of the oddly-shaped attachments that come in the box. Ahead, we list out a handy guide to every type of hair dryer accessory and how to use them.

Concentrator nozzles

These come in various sizes, but the main function is to help you have more control by concentrating air flow in a specific direction/area on your head. “You can do a quick blast dry without a nozzle, but for focused heat on specific sections of the hair, the nozzle allows you to lift the roots and add volume. This is the way to get those buoyant, flawless blowouts,” explains Ankieta Oberoi, senior stylist and colourist at Mumbai-based Happy In The Head.

Don’t be confused by the different sizes, celebrity hair stylist, Anchal Morwani says. “With a wide-mouthed nozzle, the airflow coming out is slightly concentrated, making it easier and faster to blast dry the hair. Whereas, with a tight nozzle, the airflow coming out is super concentrated. This helps in changing the shape of hair from current to smooth, laying the cuticles flat which helps add tremendous shine and creating different styles such as beveled-in curls, in and out curls and a flip-out blow-dry.”

Diffusers

For those with wavy or curly hair, this attachment is key. It helps dry your curls in their natural form without adding volume, all the while taming frizz. “The diffuser distributes the hot air in a soft even flow which helps curls retain their natural form without breaking or frizzing the curl pattern. It can also be used to bring texture and movement to straight or wavy hair, without adding too much volume,” says Oberoi. “For best results use the low to medium heat and blower setting. The lower setting will help prevent frizz and won’t dry the hair out as much. This setting takes a bit longer for the hair to dry but produces the best results.” She suggests applying a curling cream/gel to damp hair before using a diffuser for additional hydration.

Picks

These are designed to add volume and lift to any kind of style. “A pick is an attachment that looks like a combination of a comb and a nozzle. They are designed to go close to the scalp to dry the hair without burning the skin,” describes Morwani. These are usually used for drying textured, voluminous curly hair and also provide easy drying for wigs, extensions and weaves.

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