Secrets to Properly Diffusing your Hair: All This Time I was Doing it Wrong!
Updated: Oct 10, 2020
When I first started styling my own hair around the age of 10 or 11, I was given a diffuser. I never had any idea how to use it, other than to just sort of dangle my hair into it and hope for the best. This continued for far longer than I’d care to admit. Recently, however, I’ve learnt some impressive tricks and tips to give my curly/beachwave hair some serious volume!
If you would like hair bigger than your future, keep reading.
Step one: Wash your hair and towel dry.
Step two: Comb it through and detangle using whichever brush suits your hair best. I use a simple styling brush. Make sure to apply some heat protection spray. My favourite is ‘Heat Defeat’ by John Frieda, mostly because it smells so good (weird I know.) It also helps combat frizz.
Step three: Apply your leave in conditioner. Grab a reasonably sized clump and comb it through the ends of your hair with your fingers. The one I’m using at the minute is by Toni & Guy which retails at around £7.00
Step four: Now it’s time for the fun part! Get a clump of your curl gel and rub it between your fingertips. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times curl gel has saved my hair from going flat. It is in fact the saving grace of this entire post. I’m currently using ‘Curl Jelly’ by Umberto Giannini which I bought for £7.00. All you've got to do is grab a section of your hair and CRUMP, CRUMP, CRUMP! (By this I mean scrunch your hair in your hands and squeeeeeze.) Repeat throughout all sections of hair. Doing this lets the gel lock-in your curls so that they’re set for the rest of the day. And I mean it when I say they.are.SET. (Note: Shouting the word CRUMP as you CRUMP your hair really adds to the enjoyment of crumping.)
Step five: Allow the gel to dry a little before you bring out the diffuser. I’ve made the mistake of jumping straight in before and ended up looking like Anne Hathaway in ‘The Princess Diaries.’ Once your diffuser is plugged in and ready to go, start at your roots. Move the diffuser in small circular motions and massage your scalp with the prongs- treat yourself.
Step six: When your roots are dry, tilt your head upside down and place sections of your hair in the diffuser. Gently bring the hairdryer towards your head to scrunch the hair in the diffuser. Avoid using your hands at this stage as it tends to make your hair frizz.
Voila! Your hair should be so full of volume!
More Tips: For extra volume, and to really hold my curls, I sometimes add hair mousse. For this I seriously recommend ‘Got2b Volumaniac Bodifying Mousse’ by Schwarzkopf. It’s the best hair mousse I’ve ever used and I will never go back. I also lightly backcomb my hair with a wide toothed comb. (NEVER backcomb or brush curls with a normal hairbrush/comb, unless you’re wanting to channel Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ or Hagrid.) If you do end up with some frizz (which for my hair is often inevitable) just add a small amount of touch-up cream to seal your hair and stop fly-aways. I use ‘Frizz Ease Secret Agent Touch-up Cream’ by John Frieda.
I hope this answers all your hair diffusing qualms. Enjoy my curly haired queens x