Keep on blowing...

So this morning I was about half done blow drying my hair when my hair dryer just completely died.  It wasn't even very old, and I was running it on the low setting, but it just stopped. So I had to pull out my little compact travel dryer just to make myself presentable for work, and now I need a new dryer. 

Dryers come in a wide price range.  I have to say, its been my experience, that all my less than $40 hair dryers have worked and worked, and then this one, which was retailing for more than twice that (though I didn't pay that, I had a coupon) lasted me a year.  So cost does not necessarily buy quality.

In general, spending some money on your hair styling heat tools will pay off in less heat damage and healthier, more enviable hair.  And better tools also save you time because they work more efficiently.  Some blow-dryers can even cut drying time in half, which saves your hair from excess heat (and the rest of you from heat too: ever tried drying your hair when you're still hot from a workout? The sweating is counterproductive.) 

The key is finding a drying in your price range that incorporates new technology of ions and ceramic or tourmaline, and with heat output of at least 1800 watts. An ionic blow-dryer produces negative ions that surround your hair, cutting frizz and pulling the water out of your hair faster.  Ceramic and tourmaline are both coatings that are used to cover the heating coils of the dryer to protect hair from heat damage.  Both are musts for keeping hair shiny. Also, be sure it has a separate nozzle attachment for directing heat more specifically (that's how you get sleek, shiny hair). 

SAVE:


Revlon RV544 Tourmaline Ionic $24.99 - This dryer features an ion indicator light, separate heat and speed rocker switches, 2 heat/2 speed settings, cold shot button, hinged endcap, anti-skid bumpers, and concentrator and finger diffuser attachments. This ultra lightweight design is 25% lighter than your average dryer and has a sleek and upscale spray finish. This unit is super quiet. My husband would like that. :)
 

Conair Infinity Tourmaline Ionic Styler Model 223XRB $34.99 -  This dryer has been named an InStyle Magazine Best Beauty Buy four years in a row (though not sure what criteria is used in awarding that status). It offers some of the same features found in many higher-priced blow dryers. It includes three heat settings and two speed settings as well as a cool-shot button; a soft finger diffuser, which allows you to get closer to the scalp for better hair-sculpting control; and a concentrator attachment, which is designed to direct airflow for styling purposes. It also has a removable filter to prevent lint build-up and comes with a three-year limited warranty. And a retractable cord. They all should have that.

Goody Heat Flash Dry 1875 Watt Lightweight Dryer $42.99 -  This dryer has Patented pro speed fan which equals 2x more powerful airflow. Its Ionic + ceramic + tourmaline. Comes with a concentrator and a diffuser, 2 air speeds and 3 heat settings, plus a cool shot button. It has an angled precision tip which concentrates air for smoother styling.  It's 1875 watt lightweight dryer, and claims to dry your hair 35% faster vs leading dryer.

SPLURGE:


T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer $200 -  This hair dryer is expensive, but some reviewers say worth it if you use a dryer every day and/or have long hair. All of the dryer's components are infused with crushed tourmaline gemstones, which the manufacturer says emit more ions than other minerals and help cut down on frizz. The T3 also has a ceramic coil, which users say prevents hair damage caused by overheating. The T3 Tourmaline Professional Featherweight has two drying speeds, a cool-shot button and a concentrator nozzle.

CHI Pro GF1505 Ceramic Anion Infrared Low EMF $114.99 (on sale) - One professional review gives the CHI Pro dryer its highest overall score compared to nine other models tested and says that it is among the quietest. It also has an extra lint filter. User reviews at Amazon.com are also positive; several owners say the 1,300-watt CHI Pro is quiet and produces professional results. It features: Low EMF, Ions that provide Shinier Hair, Cold Shot Button, 2 Speed setting, Ionic Infrared Light, Quiet Speed Motor, and Ceramic Heater.

 

Resources for this post: How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editor's Secret to Getting Gorgeous without Breaking the Bank, by Andrea Pomperantz Lustig; http://www.consumersearch.com/hair-dryers/reviewhttp://www.girlishh.com/how-to-blow-dry-hair-with-a-brush/