I welcome you to this practical guide on properly using hairdryer nozzles and which is best for your hairstyle.
For as long as I can remember, I have liked to have long hair to wear with a different hairstyle or style every day and achieve those looks; I have been trying all the best hair dryers.
But the results I achieved at home were seldom as pretty or as durable as the ones I did at the hairdresser’s, so I decided to investigate what I could be failing at.
The answer lay in the hairdryer nozzles. Although some seem almost identical, each has a purpose and a unique way of using it, and I was not giving them proper use.
Since I learned to use them, the results have been of professional quality! Have you ever wondered if you’re doing it right or wrong?
Here’s a practical guide to correctly using the nozzles of your dryer and the best tips to enhance your hair type.
The different hairdryer nozzles
Some of you already know, and some not so much. Check out this list of all existing hairdryer nozzle models, with its recommendations for professional use.
Fine smoothing nozzle
The nozzle becomes progressively thinner until it ends in an opening of between 10 and 15 mm.
It is the fastest smoothing wavy hair and with little volume, as it creates high surface heat pressure.
To achieve a professional result:
- Keep the temperature low.
- Use a wide round brush.
- Move the hairdryer away at a safe distance of at least 5 cm.
- Start from the roots, as high as you can.
The best fine straighteners are the ones that come with Parlux hair dryers.
Wide smoothing nozzle
The nozzle becomes progressively thinner until it ends up in an opening of between 20 and 35 mm.
It is the fastest smoothing of curly hair or with many volumes since it achieves greater heat penetration between the strands.
To achieve a professional result:
- Use a round brush of intermediate thickness.
- Divide the hair into thin locks.
- Keep the temperature on average.
- Rises to maximum air intensity.
I recommend the wide smoothing nozzles that Rowena hair dryers bring.
Concentrator nozzle
It is the nozzle that becomes thin abruptly. The thick part of the base is short, and almost the entire nozzle is completely flat, between 10 or 15 mm thick.
This mouthpiece is not to smooth the hair but to mold it. It is the one that creates the lowest air pressure but with the highest precision since it causes all the air to leave in a straight line.
It also concentrates the most heat, so it seals any shape you give to your hair, such as surfer waves, bangs molding, or rounding the tips of the hair in or out.
To achieve a professional result:
- Use your own hands to mold with heat-resistant gloves.
- Raise the dryer to the maximum air intensity.
- Choose the minimum or intermediate temperature, and follow the recommendations of this Schwarzkopf guide so that you do not end up “friend” your hair.
- Apply air diagonally from top to bottom to minimize frizz.
My favorite concentrator nozzles are the ones that come between the accessories of Cecotec’s Bamba hair dryers.
Mouthpiece with comb
It is a thin straightening nozzle to which a row of comb teeth has been added. It serves to stretch the hair as it dries, without the need for an extra brush.
It is ideal for giving a more relaxed style to the curls and waves since it stretches them but does not smooth them.
To achieve a professional result:
- Divide the hair into small locks.
- Put the dryer at medium temperature.
- It uses an air intensity also medium.
- Grab each strand of hair by the tips and remove it while you pass the dryer.
The best nozzle with a comb that is used is that of the Dyson hairdryer model Supersonic.
diffuser
It is the accessory of round and wide shape, which has a concave surface with multiple sticks of just about 5 cm, and holes where the air comes out. This accessory is to shape the curls or give greater volume to the waves.
It is used as if it were a basket: separate a lock from your hair and pick it from the tips on the concave surface of the diffuser, raising it and compressing the hair to the root, sticking the sticks of the diffuser to the scalp. Don’t worry. Those little reeds have a cold tip. Leave it there for 5 seconds and remove it.
To achieve a professional result:
- Use combing cream.
- Keep the dryer at the lowest air intensity.
- The temperature can be the highest, as long as you do not exceed 5 seconds.
- Head down as you can see in this Dyson video:
The diffusers with the best quality/price ratio are those of Ecotec’s Bamba dryers.
Soft drying nozzle
It’s around an accessory with a wavy internal frame that disperses the air and lowers the temperature, so it’s much kinder to your hair.
This mouthpiece is indicated if you have dry or battered hair or if your hair has a wonderful strand.
It is used generically as if the dryer had no accessory on, but with this nozzle, you can stick it directly on the root and shape your hair with your hands without the need for protective gloves since it eliminates the risk of burning.
To achieve a professional result:
- Spray your hair with bulking spray.
- Get upside down to dry from the root to the tips.
This accessory is exclusive to Dyson’s latest models.
The best mouthpiece for every hairstyle
Here I’m mentioning the most common hair types and which hairdryer nozzle you should use to achieve a quick change of look.
Hair too smooth
If you want to achieve waves or loops in your hair, but it is too straight, use the concentrator nozzle and go shaping your hair with your own hands, protecting you with a heat-resistant glove.
Shapeless wavy or curly hair
If you want to enhance your loops or make your waves more marked, you need the diffuser. In a few minutes, you will have an enviable volume and definition.
Smooth frizzy or wavy hair
To achieve a smooth straight, which does not sponge and does not have frizz, you will find a fine smoothing nozzle.
Hair difficult to straighten
If you want smooth hair but have it very curly, with many volumes, or with very thick strands, the nozzle indicated is the thick straightener.
In addition to smoothing or curling, remember that you can use the nozzles to create hairstyles, and for that, the nozzle with a comb and the concentrator nozzle is special. Get creative and tell me your results!