4 Curly Hair Drying Tools To Try

If you’re a proud owner of a head of curls, you’re well aware that the struggle to find the perfect combination of tools and products is really, really real. Especially when it comes to drying curly hair, the trial and error never ends. Even once you find what seems to be a magical routine, there’s always room for improvement. But is there such thing as the end-all, be-all when it comes to curly strands? Maybe; maybe not. That's why I'm on a hunt to find the best tools for naturally curly hair.

After chatting with our in-house curly girl and lifestyle editor Leah Rocketto, I learned that she’s pretty low maintenance when it comes to her hair. Her typical routine involves washing every day with a curl-specific shampoo and conditioner before patting her strands dry and squeezing out excess water. Then she scrunches her locks with curl defining mousse, pins it away from her face, and is out the door.

But with chilly days ahead, Leah’s usual wash-and-go routine might not fly. Which is why we challenged her to add a new step into her routine: a diffuser. Below, discover four curl-taming contraptions that you probably haven’t tried, and read Leah’s experience with each.

1. The Bonnet

Deluxe Limited Edition Pink Softhood Bonnet Hair Dryer Attachment, $19, Amazon

"Once I got past the bright color and bouncy-house vibe, I realized that the bonnet works just like a salon hood dryer. This would be great for a straight-haired girl who's trying to get her curls to set, but not for someone with naturally curly locks, like me. I twisted my hair into a bunch of mini-buns in the hopes of getting good results, but what I ended up with was a frizzy mess. That's being said, it was super-easy to use (if a bit time-consuming) and I'd definitely recommend this in lieu of going to a salon. "

The results:

2. The Hot Sock

Hot Sock Diffuser , $7, Amazon

"This was super simple to use. Just slip the attachment over a blow dryer and you're good to go. It diffused the direct heat from my hair, but actually minimized my curls, leaving me with triangle-shaped hair. So I won't be trying it again, but if you're looking for a quick dry and aren't looking for a ton of volume, give it a shot.

The results:

3. The Standard Diffuser

Collapsible Diffuser For Hair Dryer, $13, Amazon

"Once this opens up, it looks like a regular diffuser — and works like one too. I just slipped the silicone attachment over the blow dryer, tilted my head, and let my curls fall onto the center while my hair dried. This gave me some of the best curls of the week. Just make sure your blow dryer's nozzle is the right size, as I had to borrow my roomie's to make this tool work."

The results:

4. The Curl Dryer

Bed Head Curlipops 1875 Watt Diffuser Dryer, $37, Amazon

"How can you resist a device that's hot pink and purple. This dryer is super-lightweight, and was effective at giving my curls a little more volume without frizz (until I stepped out in the rain, that is). It's also perfect for travel, since it's lightweight and smaller than the average blow dryer and diffuser combo. And, again, it's hot pink."

The results:

The Winner: The Standard Diffuser

"If I were to invest in a new drying tool, it would be the traditional diffuser. It was easy to use and made my curls look the most natural with minimum frizz."

The Runner-Up: The Curl Dryer

"The Bedhead Curlipops dryer came in a close second. It's so lightweight, so I can take it anywhere, and it dried my hair the fastest of the bunch."

Images: Kenny Suleimanagich/Bustle

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