The Case Against Always Air Drying
Most curly hair guides recommend air drying as the gentler option, and in terms of heat exposure it is. But air drying has a significant downside: the longer your hair stays wet, the more time it has to swell, shift, and frizz before the style sets. Medium to thick curl types can spend four to eight hours drying during which curl clumps are vulnerable to humidity and pattern disruption.
Diffusing the Right Way
Diffusing on low heat with a bowl-shaped diffuser consistently outperforms air drying for medium-to-thick hair types. Tip your head to the side and use the diffuser in a pulsing motion — hold it against a section of curls for 20 seconds, lift away, move to the next section, return. Never move the diffuser continuously while hair is wet as the airflow will disturb curl clumps and cause frizz that cannot be recovered without re-wetting.
Getting Root Volume
Diffuse with your head flipped forward for the first 80% of dry time to build root volume. Flip right-side up for the final portion to set the overall shape. Use the cool shot button for the last minute to close the cuticle and lock in shine. Never diffuse past the point of fully dry as over-drying causes frizz and breaks down gel cast.