DIY Hair Dryer Diffuser: Make Your Own!

Diffusers have become incredibly popular for use with hair dryers. They channel the airflow of a hairdryer into a wider pathway, which helps those with naturally wavy and curly hair to keep those luscious curls, even after blow drying and brushing.

They are great, and everyone should have one. But maybe yours broke and you need to dry your hair for a date, or maybe you just love DIY.

Is there a DIY hair dryer diffuser you can use in a pinch?

Yes, you can use a sock or a plop towel to diffuse your hair. We’ll discuss how to do it below!

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What Is a Hair Diffuser?

A hair diffuser is a personal hair care product designed to be used on wet hair. It is a plastic tool that can be attached to the end of the hair dryer to distribute the heat evenly. They look like the image above.

Many dryers now come with these attachments as part of the package, but if not, you can always buy a universal one .

Moreover, it helps diffuse hair and reduces drying time while giving longevity to your natural hair texture. 

As you go up in quality and price, high-quality hair diffusers are typically made of nylon or rubber and are heat and water-resistant. They are usually shaped like an upside-down bowl with holes on the bottom that allow airflow.

High-quality hair diffusers are typically made of nylon or rubber and are heat and water-resistant.

We’ve put together an article on how to diffuse curly hair that explains exactly what you need to do.

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Who Can Use a Hair Diffuser?

Women with either long or short hair can use this transformative tool, length doesn’t matter. Diffusers are helpful for people with thin or fine hair, as difussion will help to make the hair more manageable and give it a voluminous look. 

However, using a hair diffuser is not limited to only those with thin, straight, or fine hair. It is also beneficial for those with curly or frizzy hair as it helps tame the frizz and create more volume in the hair.

A hair diffuser is not limited to only those with thin, straight, or fine hair.

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Can You Make a DIY Hair Dryer Diffuser?

You can DIY a hair dryer diffuser using socks or a plop towel. However, these items are pretty cheap, and if you often deal with frizz, you should just buy a commercial one. You can even get a whole Bed Head brand hair dryer diffuser package  for fairly little money.

But maybe you need it now or you just don’t want to spend the coin. Here’s how to DIY it.

DIY diffusers are inexpensive and easy to make with materials found in most households. Here are the two ways to DIY a hair diffuser:

1. Using Socks or Cheesecloth as Diffuser

Grab a breathable material fabric like a cheesecloth (socks) and cover the end of the blow dryer with it. Tie it firmly, leaving about 3 inches of a bubble at the end.

You can use it like a normal hair diffuser. Keep the heat setting off or on the lowest option.

Be sure to choose a heat-resistant material like cotton so it doesn’t melt during the diffusing process. It will only become a potential hack for you if you choose the right material to place on the end of the blow dryer.

2. Using a Plop to Diffuse Hair

Prepare your hair properly before initiating the process. After applying the leave-in products, plop your hair. Make sure your hair is tied up under the plop properly. Next, start blow drying on the plop with a normal heat setting.

Keep moving your blow dryer around your plop at a distance to avoid direct contact. 

When your hair is around 80% dry, then remove the plop. Let your hair naturally dry to prevent further heat damage. Many people use cotton T-shirts for plopping, which might distort your natural curl pattern. 

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Benefits of Using Hair Diffuser

A hairdryer is used to dry the hair, but it’s not always practical for use in a public setting. A diffuser allows you to dry your hair without making too much noise.

The hair diffusing technique enhances natural curls, reduces frizz, and boosts volume. 

It also reduces the intensity of heat that prevents the natural oils from escaping your hair strands. As a result, a diffuser attachment can help you get better results when you’re styling or drying your hair. 

Hair diffusers are suitable for all types of hair, but they are especially popular among women with curly or wavy hair.

The benefits of using a diffuser go beyond just the health of your hair. You can create tighter curl patterns with less effort, which saves time and makes styling easier. 

Furthermore, a hair diffuser is a safer styling tool that prevents your hair from getting caught or tangled while you style it, which can lead to breakage and split ends.

It also offers more control over your style by creating tighter curl patterns than traditional curling irons or straighteners.

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How to Diffuse Your Hair?

1. Prep Your Hair

A good way to prepare your hair is with a clarifying shampoo to remove all excess oil. Then, apply a leave-in product for hair styling according to your hair type.

Finally, apply good quality conditioning and hydrating products that can hold your curls for a longer period. These should specifically provide your hair thermal protection to prevent damage from heat.

2. Choose the Right Heat Setting

In this step, you have to select the appropriate heat setting of the device you are about to use for diffusing hair. It would be more convenient to do it with a blow dryer. Blow dryers have low, medium, and high heat settings, but the good part is it offers a cool button to infuse your hair with volume.

While initiating the hair diffusing process, keep the heat setting low and gradually increase it according to your hair requirements. You have to use a cool setting on the roots instead of heat.

While initiating the hair diffusing process, keep the heat setting low and gradually increase it according to your hair requirements. You have to use a cool setting on the roots instead of heat.

3. Work in Sections

Start by sectioning your hair into two sections, then gently cup your hair in the diffuser or whatever method you’re using for diffusion, and scrunch your curls softly. Next, move the DIY diffuser around your head and hold it for a few seconds on each section to distribute heat evenly. 

4. Diffuse Upside Down

Next, diffuse your hair upside down so that it reaches the roots of your hair, and then continue diffusing from there until all of your hair is covered. 

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Conclusion

A DIY hair diffuser promises to add volume and shine to your locks, but it is not always effective. Unfortunately, the DIY hair diffuser seems like a great idea, but it has some downsides.

The main issues are that both techniques are time-consuming and don’t produce quite the same results as an actual hair diffuser does.

But if you’re in a pinch and don’t have a functioning diffuser on hand, these substitutes will work.