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The simple answer is yes, you absolutely can straighten your hair with a blow dryer. When you use a high-quality, professional blow dryer, you can achieve a natural straight look that is difficult to achieve with a flat iron.
You can adjust the heat setting and use a round brush to work your hair from its roots to its ends. Though it may take slightly longer than using a straightener, the result will be much better for the long-term health of your hair, and you will likely achieve more fullness and volume.
Also, when you use a concentrator nozzle to help you, it's much easier to focus the blow dryer in a specific pattern, helping you to achieve straight, shiny hair with your blow dryer.
We all know about the results that a flat iron can achieve, but what are the benefits of using a salon-grade blow dryer to straighten your hair? Let's investigate.
The benefits of using a blow dryer to straighten your hair
✅ Using your blow dryer to straighten your hair saves you money, as it means that you don't need to buy a straightener.
✅ The adjustable heat settings on your blow dryer offer protection to your hair and prevent your hair from drying out - a common issue for people who regularly use flat irons. You can also apply a heat protectant to your hair for additional protection.
✅ A concentrator nozzle is a brilliant attachment that you can use to target the drying of your hair, and it can help to achieve a super sleek and straight look.
✅ Using your hair dryer as a straightener means that you can also use it to style your hair in different ways. You can opt for the diffuser nozzle to curl your hair or the styling nozzle to achieve different looks. If you buy a flat iron, you are stuck with one style.
✅ Thanks to the ionic technology within the best blow dryers, you reduce the likelihood of frizz when you straighten your hair with a blow dryer.
The beginners’ guide to straighten hair with blow dryer
Learn how to straighten your hair with a blow dryer in easy steps.
Step 1: Start with damp, prepped hair
After washing, pat your hair dry with a microfiber towel. Hair should be about 70–80% dry before you begin blow drying.
Step 2: Section strategically for control
Divide your hair into 3–5 sections using clips: bottom, middle, and top layers. Always work from the bottom up. Smaller sections allow more control and better tension, which is key for achieving straighter results.
If your hair is thick or curly, consider creating more sections for better precision.
Step 3: Attach the concentrator and set to medium heat
Clip on the concentrator nozzle to your Laifen SE Lite. Set the dryer to medium or high heat depending on your hair type (fine hair = medium, thicker hair = high).
Laifen SE Lite · High-speed hair dryer
$71.99
$79.99
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• Low-heat protection to prevent further dryness
• Negative ions to lock in moisture and reduce frizz
• Fast, gentle airflow for quicker drying without damage
• Lightweight design for easy, everyday use
• Negative ions to lock in moisture and reduce frizz
• Fast, gentle airflow for quicker drying without damage
• Lightweight design for easy, everyday use
10% OFF
Step 4: Use Tension and Controlled Movement
Take your first section and use a paddle brush or comb to create tension, pulling the hair taut from root to tip.
Follow the brush with the dryer, keeping the nozzle aimed downward and close (but not touching) the hair.
Move slowly and steadily. Repeat 2–3 times per section if needed.
Step 5: Seal the style with a cool blast
Once a section is straight, finish with the cool shot button to set the shape and lock in shine. This step closes the cuticle and helps your hair stay sleek longer.
After finishing all sections, run your fingers through your hair and apply a small amount of light serum to tame flyaways.
Can I straighten my hair overnight?
Yes, you can straighten your hair overnight but not in the hot-tool sense. Overnight straightening is all about using heatless methods that reshape your hair while you sleep.
One of the most popular techniques is wrapping your damp hair tightly around your head (known as "hair wrapping") and securing it with pins or a silk scarf.
Pro tip: Choose a hair dryer that straightens hair!
As you can see, there are numerous benefits to using a blow dryer to straighten your hair. But the key is choosing the best blow dryers for straightening hair.
We recommend the Laifen Swift Special, which is a small yet extremely powerful straightening hair dryer. The Swift Special comes with three attachments - the concentrator nozzle, diffuser nozzle, and magnetic styling nozzle - to make it extremely easy to straighten your hair like a pro.
The Swift Special features adjustable heat settings so you can straighten your hair using the cool, warm, or hot settings. As mentioned above, it also features ionic technology, which is key for reducing frizz when straightening your hair.
The Swift Special is available in five premium colors - petal pink, ruby red, pearl white, matte black, and silver blue, giving you ample choice before deciding which to buy.
Hair dryer vs straightener: Which is best?
A straightener - sometimes referred to as a flat iron - can undoubtedly be a handy tool if you're keen to achieve super straight, sleek, and shiny hair each time. However, buying both a blow dryer and a straightener is more expensive, and there are pros and cons that you need to be aware of.
So, to help you decide whether to use a hair dryer and straightener or a hair dryer that straightens hair, we've put together this handy comparison chart that you can use before making up your mind:
| A hair dryer that straightens hair | Straighteners |
| ✅ You can achieve multiple styles with detachable attachments (diffuser for curls, concentrator for straight hair). | ❌ You can only achieve one style with straighteners - straight hair. |
| ❌ The process of using a concentrator nozzle to dry and straighten your hair is more difficult than using straighteners. | ✅ A flat iron makes it extremely easy to straighten your hair and ensures shiny and sleek hair every time. |
| ✅ A hair dryer is specifically designed to dry your hair efficiently. | ❌ Though it produces heat, straighteners are not designed for drying - they are designed to style and change the structure of your hair. |
| ✅ If you use a dryer with an adjustable heat setting, your hair is protected from overheating and drying out. | ❌ Due to their heat, straighteners can cause long-term damage to your hair if they are overused. |
The key thing here is that a hair dryer can be used for numerous purposes - drying, styling, curling, and straightening. However, a straightener can only be used for straightening your hair.
We're not saying that you shouldn't invest in a hair straightener, but learning how to style your hair with a concentrator nozzle attached to a high-quality blow dryer can save you money and may even protect your hair in the long run.
The bottom line
Many people opt for a hair dryer straightener - like the Laifen Swift Special - rather than buying a blow dryer and a flat iron. We think this is a great strategy, as it saves you money and means you don't have to buy both products.
What's more, using a hair dryer that straightens your hair has lots of additional benefits, as it protects your hair from heat damage and means that you can style your hair in lots of different ways if you decide to mix things up from time to time.
Each of the Laifen dryers is a great option for straightening your hair, but we recommend the Swift Special, as it comes with a concentrator nozzle to make your life easier.
FAQs
How do you blow dry your hair straight without frizz?
It’s all about technique and direction. If you want smooth, frizz-free results, the trick is to keep the airflow going down the hair shaft, never against it. Start with a heat protectant, and use a concentrator nozzle to focus the air while pulling the hair straight with your fingers or a paddle brush.
How to blow dry hair for volume?
To really get that lifted look, focus on the roots. Flip your head upside down to dry your roots first, then move in sections, aiming your dryer upward while scrunching or lifting hair with your fingers. Use a volumizing spray beforehand, and finish with a cool shot to set the lift.
How to get natural hair straight with a blow dryer?
The key is controlled tension and heat protection. Start with clean, conditioned hair, and use a leave-in product plus heat protectant. Then stretch each section with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers while blow drying with a nozzle or comb attachment.
Does blow drying with cold air make your hair straight?
Nope, cold air sets, it doesn’t shape. Cold air is amazing for sealing your hair cuticle and adding shine, but it won’t straighten your hair on its own. Use it only after you've used warm air to shape your style.
What do you put on natural hair before blow drying?
You need hydration and heat protection. Choose a water-based leave-in conditioner to soften and detangle, then follow with a lightweight heat protectant. For thicker textures, a blow dry cream can help smooth and control the hair while keeping moisture in.
Is blow drying hair straight damaging?
It can be, but only if you’re careless with heat. Blow drying on high heat every day, skipping heat protection, or tugging too hard can absolutely cause damage.
How to wear your hair at night to keep it straight?
If you want to keep your straight style intact overnight, wrap it. Use the wrap method (where you brush hair around your head in a circular pattern) and secure it with bobby pins or a silk scarf.
