What To Look For

Whether you use it sparingly as a finishing tool or you dry your entire mane from root to tip every day, a hair dryer is an essential part of your haircare routine. In a world without a blow dryer, you’d spend too much valuable time waiting for your hair to dry and walking around with lackluster locks.

So how do you choose the right blow dryer for you without wasting your money? That’s where our team of ShopOwl researchers come into play. We’ve pulled together this quick guide to help you choose a hair dryer that you’ll love for a long time.

How Do Hair Dryers Work?

Professional hair stylists will tell you that heat and power are the two most important features of a hair dryer. The more air that’s blowing and the higher the heat, the faster your hair dries. But the more heat and air you throw at your hair, the more you’ll damage it, as well.²

To combat this, today’s blow dryers often come with extension tools that help you diffuse or concentrate the air, so it’s less damaging to your hair and scalp.

Old school dryers use metal heating coils to create warmth to dry hair and while they’re very effective and inexpensive, they’re also really damaging for your hair.

Technological breakthroughs have brought us ceramic, tourmaline, and ionic blow dryers. All of these are better at protecting your hair, but also come with higher price tag. In order to find the right option for you, you first need to know your hair type.

What to Look For And What To Avoid

Beware Of Fire Hazards And Electrocution

Hair dryers seem like pretty basic styling tools, but if not used properly they can pose a big safety concern. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued hair drying safety guidelines to help raise awareness and protect users.³

While you’re the key to making sure your blow dryer is used and stored correctly, it’s true that not all hair dryers are created equally.