Having a bad hair day? Are you still trying to make your hair look good with a hair dryer that is decades old? The best way to make the most of your crowning glory is to treat it gently, by using the best blow dryer for natural hair. There is more to hair dryer than just scalding hot air. The best blow dryers on the market today include infra-red, ceramic or ionizing technologies that are designed to gently dry your hair saving it from damage and leaving it smooth, shiny and healthy.
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The Top Hair Dryers for Natural Hair Will Do No Damage
Many people believe that blow drying damages the hair. Most blow-dry their hair anyway. Recent research from Korea (1) found that hair which is correctly dried using a blow dryer suffered less damage than hair that was air dried.
The cortex of the hair is protected by an outer layer, called the cuticle. When the cuticle is intact, the hair looks shiny and smooth. The cuticle can be damaged when subjected to too much heat. As long as you keep the air flow cool your hair will suffer less damage because wet hair swells and the longer it stays wet, the more damage the hair follicle will suffer. For the healthiest outcome, allow your hair to dry naturally until it is about 75% dry. Then to use the hair drier on the coldest setting from six inches away and dry it while continually moving the hair drier.
The Best Blow Dryer for Natural Hair – What to Look for
Ionizing Hair Dryers
The interaction of earth’s elements water, air, sunlight, and radiation creates negative ions. These are oxygen atoms that contain an additional electron. Negative ions clear the air of risky particles (2). They seek a positive ion on the surrounding particle atoms. When they collect the positive ion, the particles become heavier and drop to the ground. Research has proven that negative ions can reduce the mold, allergens, bacteria, and viruses(3) in the air. They can also make you happier by encouraging the production of serotonin (4).
Water molecules in wet hair are positively charged, when the air from the hair drier has negative ions, it breaks the water drops into smaller particles so that the hair dries more quickly. Quicker drying will leave your hair looking softer, shinier and healthier.
Ceramic Driers
Ceramic heaters are made from composite materials usually clay. They use infra-red heat which doesn't get as hot as other heat types, so the hair is protected from damage. Ceramic heats up quickly and easily, using longer rays. These are the best blow dryers for fine, thin hair.
Tourmaline Driers
Tourmaline is a semi-precious metal. It generates ionic heat and offers the best protection for your hair. Some tourmaline driers have parts coated with the material while the parts in others are molded from it. Tourmaline hair dryers have both infra-red and ionic features, so they are a lot gentler on the hair.
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Review of the Best Dryers for Natural Hair
Quality
Price
Our rating
This product is a professional blow dryer with a long-lasting AC motor. It has 1875 watts of power. The powerful airflow will quickly dry your hair, without the need for excessive heat. The air that it releases is heated with infra-red and is ionized ensuring that your hair dries to a glossy finish.
And, the dryer has three heat settings and two-speed settings. It also has a cold shot button so you can set your style in place. It has a removable air filter for easy cleaning and an 8.3-foot cable, so it is easy to move around. The filter has a double net to prevent hair from being drawn into the back of the dryer. The cable is equipped with a hang loop.
This dryer weighs 1.65 pounds. It has a two-year warranty and a one-year replacement warranty. The one-year replacement warranty also covers the accessories. It comes with comb, nozzle and diffuser connectors. Use the nozzle for precise styling, the diffuser for even heat distribution for curly or wavy hair drying and the comb for smooth straight hair. It is ETL certified and has an ALCI safety plug. On the downside, controls on the handle sometimes get in the way and are inadvertently triggered.
Pros
- 1875 watts
- AC motor lasts longer
- Infrared heater
- Ionized dryer
- ALCI safety plug
- Two-year warranty
- Comes with a diffuser, comb and nozzle attachment
- Quiet
- 8.3-foot cable
Cons
- The controls on the handle can be inadvertently triggered
Quality
Price
Our rating
The John Blast hair dryer offers all that you could ask for in a hand-held dryer. This tourmaline ceramic dryer boasts a powerful 2200-watt motor that will produce a healthy flow of ionized air giving your hair a quick dry without damaging it. The blow dryer is capable of eighty-three cubic meters of air per hour. It has a nine-foot anti-tangle cable so you can use it over a larger area without having to unplug it.
It weighs just 1.3 pounds without the cable. This professional hair drier has micro-conditioners infused into the air grill to help make the hair shinier, protecting it from damage. The hairdryer combines ceramic infra-red radiation with the negative ionizing effects of tourmaline.
It has three heat settings and two settings for speed. Use the hot setting when your hair is very wet and needs it most and then as the hair dries protect your hair from over drying by turning the heat down. The dryer is a real quiet operator.
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It has a cool shot button so you can give your hair a blast of cold air when you have finished styling it, locking it in for the day. When you've finished styling your hair, hang the dryer up using the cable hook.
The hair dryer comes with two nozzles, a long and a short, which lock on so that you don’t have to worry about them falling off. Use one nozzle to dry the hair and the other for precision styling. The hair dryer has a removable filter so you can easily keep it working in peak condition by cleaning it out on a regular basis. It is equipped with an ALCI safety plug.
The John Blast is covered by a five-year warranty. The John Blast gets my vote as the best professional dryer for natural hair.
Pros
- 2200-watt motor
- Lightweight
- Nine-foot anti-tangle cable
- Tourmaline
- Five-year warranty
- Lock on nozzles
- ALCI safety plug
- Quiet in operation
Cons
- No double filter cover so it can draw hair into the back
Quality
Price
Our rating
The Magnifeko Professional blow dryer is powered by an 1875-watt AC motor for quick and easy drying. The drier does not depend on heat alone, dispensing a powerful ionized blast of warm air to dry your hair without damaging it or making it frizzy. It has two-speed settings and three temperature settings. It also has a cold air setting so you can use it to cement the style in place. And, It has a removable filter for easy cleaning and a non-slip grip. The kit includes two nozzles, one for styling and a broader nozzle to quick-dry hair. It has an earth leakage plug for safety reasons and a security thermostat.
If you are not satisfied with your purchase within the first year, there is a 100% unconditional money-back guarantee.
Pros
- 1875-watt motor
- Negative ion technology
- 100% money back guarantee for one year
- Non-slip grip
Cons
- Switches can be inadvertently triggered
Quality
Price
Our rating
The VAV produces infra-red heat from the ceramic heater. The 1875-watt DC motor discharges ionized air to quickly dry your hair without damaging it, leaving it shiny and smooth. Infra-red gently dries hair from the inside out preventing damage to the cuticle.
The blow dryer has a long 8.7-foot cable so you can move around without having to find another outlet. The cable has a hanging loop and an ALCI safety plug. This dryer has two speeds and three temperature settings. It also has a cold shot button for locking in the style. It comes with a diffuser and a concentrator nozzle. The air filter is removable for easy cleaning. Without attachments, the hairdryer is a lightweight 1.37 pounds. It has a one-year replacement and two-year repair warranty.
Pros
- 1875-watt motor
- Infrared heat
- Long cable
- Has diffuser and concentration nozzle
- Two-year warranty
- Lightweight
Cons
- Occasional fitment problems. Nozzles too loose
- Switches sometimes get in the way of the fingers
Quality
Price
Our rating
Powered by a durable 1875-watt AC motor, this dryer will quickly dry your hair without the need for additional heat. AC motors are around fifty percent faster than DC motors, and they last about three times as long.
The slim handle design makes this product very easy to manage. It has two speeds and three heat settings. It also has a cold shot button to set your style in place for the whole day. And, it comes with a single narrow concentrator nozzle. The removable filter cover makes it easy for you to keep the dryer clean and in top form. It has a double filter to prevent the accidental aspiration of hair into the back of the unit.
This compact and light blow dryer is equipped with ceramic ionizing technology and infra-red heating. It boasts one hundred times more ionizing molecules than any other drier on the market. It has a seven-foot cable with a loop and Velcro band for packing and is equipped with an ALCI safety plug.
And, it has a one-year replacement, two-year repair warranty.
Pros
- 1875-watt motor
- AC motor is quiet and durable
- Slim handle design
- Concentrated ionizing technology
- Seven-foot cable
- Two-year warranty
Cons
- Switches get in the way and can be inadvertently triggered
Our Recommended Hair Dryer
Based on our review of some of the best blow dryers for natural hair the Jinri gets my vote as the dryer offering the best value for money. Granted it is slightly above average price, but it has both ionizing and infrared technology. It also comes with three different nozzles and an 8.3-foot cable. The AC motor is durable and quiet, and the product comes with a decent two-year warranty.
| JINRI | JOHN BLAST | MAGNIFEKO | VAV | BERTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WATTAGE | 1875 | 2200 | 1875 | 1875 | 1875 |
WEIGHT | 1.65 | 1.3 | <2 | 1.37 | 1.43 |
IONIZER | Yes | Tourmaline | Yes | Yes | Yes |
INFRARED | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
HEAT SETTINGS | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
SPEED SETTINGS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
COLD BUTTON | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ACCESSORIES | Diffuser, comb, concentrator | Two lock-on nozzles | Two nozzles | Diffuser and nozzle | One nozzle |
WARRANTY | Two years | Five years | One year | Two year | Two year |
My Review | 5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
What Is the Best Blow Dryer for Natural Hair?
The choice of blow dryer is a personal one and depends mostly on the type of hair that you have. The correct dryer for a person with thin, fine hair would not suit the needs of someone with coarse, thick hair. Hair dryers, when properly looked after, should last for years so make sure that you choose one with all the features that suit your hair and circumstances.
Best I have ever used is the Karmin.