One of my favourite indulgences is to head to the salon and treat myself to a blow-dry, for no other reason than for a bit of self-care. After all, nothing puts a spring in my step quite like the moment I emerge from the hairdresser. Indeed, this euphoric experience is just one of the things that have been (rightfully) off limits to us these last few months, but we think that the passage of time is going to make our salon return all the sweeter.
That said, a blow-dry doesn’t last forever, and once we’ve seen what our hair can look like with a little TLC, chances are we’re going to want to put more effort into keeping it looking its best for longer. And the best way to do so is with a hair dryer.
When did you last upgrade your hair dryer? If you’re anything like me, you won’t even be able to remember. So, what better time to ask some of the country’s top hair stylists for their dryer recommendations?
We reached out to some of our hairdresser friends to find out what they think the best hair dryers are. Turns out, they all opted for the same two options, which gives their chosen hair dryers even more industry clout. So, for salon-worthy tresses, keep scrolling to discover which styles the professionals think are the best hair dryers on the market.
“No question—ghd Helios. It’s a lightweight hair dryer that offers a really powerful and steady air supply with multiple temperature settings. It will ensure even the heaviest hair is dried quite quickly. The advanced ionic technology reduces frizz and delivers a sleek and polished finish, which my clients love to recreate at home.” — George Northwood, owner and founder of George Northwood.
“It has to be the ghd Helios. I love it because it’s so lightweight to hold, which makes my life easier when I’m styling all day. This style has a new airflow which helps me create more smoothness and shine to all my blow dries which, naturally, my clients love, too.” — Jenn Linton, co-owner and co-founder of Linton & Mac.
“I always use the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, one of the main reasons being that it’s so quiet which is great in the salon when you tend to have a lot of hair dryers going at the same time. It’s also much better for conditioning the hair and preventing extreme heat damage, too. It also dries the hair very quickly and efficiently, which is a great benefit when you’re short on time. Another great thing about it, is that it’s designed to put less strain on the wrist with its even distribution of weight, which is something that’s very important to hair stylists to prevent any work related strain or injuries.” — Paul Edmonds, owner and founder of Paul Edmonds.
“Finding the perfect hair dryer for Afro/textured hair is just as important as your drying technique. ghd has matched the state of the art technology behind the Helios hair dryer with three attachments including a comb nozzle a diffuser and a wide nozzle. It’s a game changer, not only for the stylist, but also for the consumer. I love working with this dryer and the comb nozzle as it provides tension suitable for different densities of Afro hair textures, but the rounded ends are brilliant for scalp comfort. Helps the consumer to get the look they want and in half the time.” — Charlotte Mensah, owner and founder of Hair Lounge.
“My go-to hair dryer is the ghd Helios—it’s honestly the best hair dryer I have ever used. It makes blow-drying so much less of a chore and the results are smoother than any other hair dryer I’ve come across. It has a professional nozzle, allowing you to recreate a salon-worthy blow-dry at home. The brand has just released it in the cutest powder pink colour as part of the ghd breast cancer awareness range, so now you have even more of a reason to treat yourself to it.” — Samantha Cusick, owner and founder of Samantha Cusick London.
“The Dyson Supersonic is a really great hair dryer—one I always recommend to my clients. It’s small, light, incredibly quiet, kind on the hair, and also it looks great as well, which is a bonus. Now that I’ve tried it, I would never use anything else.” — Simon Campbell, top stylist and educator at Windle London.
“Without a, the ghd Helios. The airflow is perfect for creating amazing shine and it really smoothes the hair when drying. It also comes in a variety of different colours and speeds up your drying time, which my clients love. It also minimises heat damage because you use it for less time on the hair. We use the ghd Helios across both our salons and our clients and staff alike are always impressed with the results.” — Stuart Whitelaw, owner and founder of Mesart.
