Even those of us who try to avoid heat styling know that it’s necessary at times, especially during the winter months. No one wants to deal with having wet hair soaking their back and giving them the shivers all day long. It’s especially trying when you have thick hair, like I do, which is why it’s imperative to have a great hair dryer that works quickly and with the least amount of damage possible.
But not all hair dryers are alike. On more than one occasion, I’ve been foiled by a self-purported fast-acting hair dryer that ended up being a waste of money. To find out which dryers are best for varying textures, I consulted hairstylist Betsy Duggan of The Color Palette salon in New York City, and she shared her favorite must-have dryers for thick hair.
“When the hair has texture, you need [a dryer] to have good airflow and get very hot to [straighten] those curls,” she explained. “If you have straight (but thick) hair, you need it to have either the heat or the airflow, but it doesn’t need to have both.” She further pointed out that if your hair is curly and you like to style it as such with a diffuser to define your curls, you need less air flow coming from your dryer.
Below, you’ll find her recommendations alongside my tried-and-true editors’ picks. They’re available at a range of price points with different functionalities, so you can find the one that best fits your need and budget.
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