Hair Dryer Buying Guide

Wattage

Wattage measures the power that fuels your hair dryer. The higher a hair dyer’s wattage, the more powerful both the heat and flow of air are. Experts recommend hair dryers with at least 1750 watts, but if you have fine or damaged hair, you’ll want to stick with hair dryers that have 1500 watts or less. Those with particularly long or thick hair should choose a hair dryer with 1800-2000 watts.

The exception to the rule is if you’re shopping for a travel hair dryer. Most have lower wattages due to their compact size, but some manufacturers, like Conair, make travel hair dyers with 1800 watts or more, though they’re slightly larger in size than less powerful travel hair dryers.

Weird Science

Most hair dryers generate positively charged ions, which are often blamed for damaging hair (usually by makers of ionic or negative-ion hair dryers). While positive-ion hair dryers take the air in the room and heat it, negative-ion or ionic hair dryers dry by shrinking the water droplets in hair. Ionic hair dryers may minimize overall drying time, thus reducing the potential for heat damage to your hair.

Hair dryers traditionally contained metal heating coils. Most still do, but ceramic coils are showing up more and more (usually in ionic hair dryers) and they’re gaining popularity for their self-regulating heating properties. Unlike metal, ceramic heats evenly and distributes heat uniformly to your hair, reducing the risk of over drying. Ceramic also adjusts to temperature automatically and never gets “too hot.”

The most recent hair dryer innovation is ground tourmaline (yes, the gemstone). Tourmaline is believed to increase negative ion production in ionic hair dryers and cut overall drying time by more than 50% over hair dryers without it. The faster the drying time, the less exposure hair has to heat and the shinier it is once it’s dry. What’s the catch? Hair dryers featuring tourmaline technology start at about $100, and most models are geared toward professionals rather than consumers.

Heat Settings

When you use a hair dryer to dry your hair, the hot air opens the hair cuticle, making it more pliable and easier to style. It’s possible to over-dry and damage your hair, resulting in flyaway or frizzy hair or dullness. Generally speaking, you should use the coolest possible setting and the least amount of force for the shortest amount of time to keep hair healthy.

No matter what type of hair dryer you choose, you’ll want it to feature several heat and speed settings. Most hair dryers offer between four and six settings for heat and speed. If your hair is short to medium-length or fine, these four to six settings are adequate. For longer, thicker hair or curly hair that needs to be straightened, more settings may offer you more control over your style and reduce drying and styling time. Some hair dryers also feature a “cool shot” that delivers a four- to five-second burst of cool air that helps seal the cuticle and set your style.

Finally, don’t overlook safety. Choose a hair dryer that shuts off automatically when it overheats.

Attachments

Hair dryer attachments can seem like overkill, but if, like most of us, you always look better leaving the salon that you do at home, they’re worth purchasing. If you have straight hair or want to straighten curls, look for a hair dryer that comes with a nozzle attachment that concentrates air flow to make straight hair even straighter. If you love your curls but not the frizz that can come with them, choose a hair dryer with a quality diffuser that reduces the flow of air, so hair dries without the agitation that can make curls unruly.

Ease of Use

Cord length is a consideration if your outlets are far from where you style your hair. Retractable cords add a measure of safety if you’ll be using your hair dryer near the sink, tub or shower. Your hair dryer should also have lint screens or filters that are removable for easy cleaning (clogged filters can be a fire hazard).

Need to know more?

• Blow Drying and Brushing Tips
  http://www.unilever.com/ourbrands/beautyandstyle/articles/blowdryingandbrushingtips.asp
• How to Blow Dry Long Hair
  http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,1581055,00.html
• Buying the Right Hair Dryer
  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/30/earlyshow/living/beauty/main1255070.shtml