Curly blow dry vs regular blow dry: what is the difference?

A curly blow dry dries your hair with a diffuser to keep your natural curl pattern. A regular blow dry uses a round brush and a nozzle to pull the curl out and leave it smooth. Same slot in the diary, same stylist, completely different finish. If you have curls or waves and you keep leaving the salon straighter than you wanted, you have probably been booking the wrong one.

The short version

• A curly blow dry keeps your curl. A regular blow dry removes it.

• Diffuser, low airflow, no brush tension. That is the curly version.

• Round brush, nozzle and directed heat. That is the regular version.

• Curly blow dry £30 to £38. Regular blow dry £28 to £35.

• Both take 30 to 45 minutes, longer on dense or very long hair.

What a curly blow dry actually is

The dryer goes on a diffuser attachment, the airflow comes right down, and your hair dries in the shape it naturally wants to sit in. We cup sections into the diffuser instead of pulling them through a brush. No tension means the curl pattern stays where it is.

Product does a lot of the work. Curl cream or a light mousse goes on soaking wet hair, we scrunch it in, then dry from the ends up towards the root. The last few minutes are done on cool so the cast sets before anyone touches it.

That last part matters more than people think. Break the cast while the hair is still warm and you get frizz, and then the blow dry gets the blame.

What a regular blow dry does differently

A regular blow dry works the opposite way. Round brush, nozzle on, heat pointed down the hair shaft, tension applied section by section. That tension is what gives you the smooth finish and the lift at the root.

On straight and wavy hair it is lovely. On tight curls it goes one of two ways. Either you get a sleek finish that holds until the first bit of damp weather, or you get a halo of frizz because the hair was not dried fully smooth in the first place.

Directed heat plus tension is also where damage builds up over the years. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using low or medium heat settings and a product that protects hair from the heat. Sensible advice whichever version you book.

Which one should you book?

If you wear your hair curly day to day, book the curly blow dry. It is the finish you actually live in, and it lets your stylist see how your cut behaves in its natural state.

If you wear it straight most of the time, or you want it smooth for a wedding or a night out, book the regular one. Nothing wrong with a curly girl having a sleek week.

Wavy hair sits in the middle and can go either way. If your waves drop out by lunchtime, a diffused finish with the right product will usually hold better than a brushed one.

If you are booking a cut, tell us at the start which finish you want. A curly cut dried straight looks very different to the same cut diffused, and we would rather cut to the finish you are going to wear at home. Sabrina and Sheree both do a lot of curly work, so say so when you ring and we will put you with the right person.

Prices and timing

A curly blow dry is £30 to £38. A regular blow dry is £28 to £35. The range comes down to length and density, not who you sit with.

Both run about 30 to 45 minutes. Very long or very dense curly hair can push closer to an hour, because a diffuser on low is slower than a brush on full. Tell us when you book and we will give the slot more room rather than rushing the end of it.

If you want a cut too, cut and finish is £42 to £55 and the blow dry is included. Booking the cut and then adding a blow dry separately costs you more, so just book the cut. The full list is on our pricing page.

Klarna is available if you would rather spread it.

Booking at our Stopsley salon

We are at Shop 660, Jansel House, Hitchin Rd, Stopsley, Luton LU2 7XH. Open Tuesday and Wednesday 10 to 8, Thursday 10 to 6, Friday 10 to 3, Saturday 10 to 4:30, closed Sunday and Monday.

Ring us on 01582 730381 or book online. If you are not sure which one suits your hair, ring and describe it to me. Two minutes on the phone saves you sitting in the chair wishing you had asked for the other one.