Topic
Heat and technique
Most stylists suggest the lowest heat that still dries your hair well: lower for fine, curly or color-treated hair, higher for rough drying thick hair. The cool shot sets the shape as the hair cools.
- Rough dry to
- about 80 percent dry, then style
- Nozzle distance
- about 6 in from the hair
Use heat in stages: rough dry on higher airflow until hair is about 80 percent dry, then lower the heat and style section by section. Keep the dryer moving and the nozzle a few inches away. The heat setting guide shows a typical band for your hair type.
The cool shot blows unheated air. Hair holds its shape as it cools, so a few seconds of cool air on each finished section helps a blowout or curl last. It is the same idea as letting a curl cool before you let it go.
Diffusing curly hair means drying it with little movement: cup a section in the diffuser bowl, lift it toward the scalp, hold, then release. Low airflow and low to medium heat keep the curl pattern together, and not touching the hair while it dries reduces frizz.
Common mistakes
- Holding the dryer in one spot or too close to the hair.
- Styling while the hair is still very wet.
- Brushing or scrunching curls while they dry.
Pages on this topic
- How to use a hot air brush for a smooth blowoutHow to use a hot air brush or blow dryer brush step by step: how dry hair should be, sectioning, heat settings, tension, the cool setting and common mistakes.How-to
- How to get root volume with a hair dryerGet root volume with a hair dryer or hot air brush: dry roots first, over-direct sections, use a round brush, set with the cool shot, and pick the right tool.How-to
- How to blow dry hair straight with a round brushBlow dry hair straight and smooth with a dryer and round brush: rough drying, sectioning, concentrator angle, brush size, heat settings and the cool shot finish.How-to
- Can you use a hot air brush on wet hair?Can you use a hot air brush or blow dryer brush on wet hair? Which tools are made for wet hair, how damp hair should be, and how to get a smooth result.Explainer
- How to use a hot air brush on short hairStep-by-step guide to using a hot air brush or blow dryer brush on short hair: barrel size, sectioning, heat settings and how to get lift without frizz.How-to
- How hot does a hair dryer get? Air temperature explainedTypical hair dryer temperature ranges, what low, medium and high settings mean, Dyson's published Supersonic temperatures, and how distance changes heat.Explainer
- Dyson Airwrap heat and airflow settings explainedDyson Airwrap temperature settings explained: the three heat and three airflow steps, the cold shot, which settings to use by hair type, and how the i.d. adapts.Explainer
- What the cool shot button does and when to use itWhat the cool shot button on a hair dryer does, why cooling hair helps a style hold, when and how long to use it, and which dryers and hot air brushes have one.Explainer
- How to diffuse curly hair with a hair dryerWhat a hair dryer diffuser does and how to use one on curly and coily hair: settings, the cup and lift method, hover drying and fixing frizz.How-to
- Hair dryer heat settings by hair typeTypical hair dryer heat and airflow settings for fine, medium, thick, curly and coily hair, plus what the dial positions mean in degrees on Dyson.Explainer
- Frizzy after blow drying? Technique changes to tryWhy hair can look dry and frizzy after a blow dry, and the technique changes that help: nozzle direction, airflow, heat, sectioning and cool shot.Fix