What To Look For
Heat damage is one of the main reasons hair breaks and frizzes. Buying the right type of blow dryer can protect your hair from unnecessary heat damage. Look for a dryer with different temperature and speed settings. Drying hair with normal heat and then going over it with a cooler temperature locks hair in place and keeps hair from frizzing. Look for a dryer with a diffuser to cut down on frizz, a cool-shot and a concentrator nozzle. A removable air filter will enable you to clean out the lint to avoid the dryer overheating. Ionic dryers have the best reputation for producing shiny, smooth hair.
Common Pitfalls
A common misconception is that only people with long hair need to worry about the type of dryer they purchase. This is false. Every time you turn on a bad hair dryer you are exposing your hair to heat damage and breakage, no matter how little time you have it turned on. If you care about the health of your hair, treat it gently with a professional blow dryer.
Where To Buy
Top-quality professional hair dryers are not going to be sold at your local grocery or drugstore. The largest inventory of professional hair dryers can be found at beauty retail stores, such as Sally Beauty Supply, online or at your beauty salon. These types of places are staffed with experienced and knowledgeable employees who can best give you advice on the type of blow dryer that's right for you.
Cost
While professional blow dryers used to be only available for hair professionals, they are available for purchase by the general public at a price range between $60 and $200. This price may seem a little steep but professional blow dryers are designed to perform for a greater length of time than a generic blow dryer.
Comparison Shopping
Voted 2010's best professional hairdryer by Consumer Search, the T3 Tourmaline Professional Hair Dryer is lightweight but carries a price tag of $140. Reviewers who used a blow dryer on a daily basis felt that the benefits of using this dryer outweighed the hefty price tag.
A winner of the Beauty Launchpad Reader's Choice Award, the Hot Tools Professional Ionic 1875-watt blow dryer is available for purchase at around $80. It offers a 50-percent faster drying time and has six different temperature and speed options, a travel bag, removable lint filter and a one-year warranty.
Accessories
To enhance the health and look of your hair, apply a professional styling product that works with the heat of the blow dryer to improve the overall health of your hair. One example is TIGI's Bed Head Dumb Blonde Reconstructor, available for purchase online or at your local beauty supply store or salon for around $20.
Insider Tips
For a sleek, straight look, blow dry one section at a time using a long paddle brush.
If you have thin hair, try applying a gel mousse to your locks before you blow dry. This will add volume to your hair all day long. Avoid finger-brushing your hair while blow drying, as this causes your hair to become more frizzy.
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