8 Hair Dryers for Fine Hair That'll Help Volumize Your Limp Lil Strands
Get ready to be blown away (lol).
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As someone with fine (read: easily damaged) hair, blow-drying used to be my nightmare. I felt like every dryer left my strands fried, dried, and frizzy all over, while air-drying would leave me with limp, lifeless hair that was (spoiler alert!) still a frizzed-out mess. Le sigh. Rather than blasting my scalp with any ol' blow dryer, I found that getting a tool specifically designed for fine hair can make *such* a difference. IMO, the best hair dryer for fine hair is one that will give you a nice volume boost while limiting damage and/or breakage—and I've rounded up all the best tools for the job.
To see which blow dryers best offered big volume with minimal damage for fine-haired folks like myself, I put several top-rated options to the test, including both budget-friendly blow dryers and hair dryer brushes along with splurge-worthy tools. I then evaluated each one based on temperature and speed settings, attachment options, and how well they handled fine hair to put together this list of the very best for you (you're welcome!). Below, a sneak peek at my fave options.
Our top picks for the best hair dryers for fine hair of 2024:
Keep reading for all the best hair dryers for styling and volumizing fine hair with minimal damage, as well as tips for finding the best tool for you. And, as a general rule of thumb, make sure you pair any dryer you choose with a heat protection spray and avoid the highest heat or speed settings, as fine hair is more susceptible to breakage!
Pros
- Dries hair quickly while still protecting it from damage
- Soft, rubberized handle makes for easy gripping
Cons
- Concentrator attachment can fall off at higher speeds
- No option to switch off ionic tech, so can leave hair a bit flat
If you have fine hair, ceramic hair dryers tend to be your best bet. Ceramic heats up quickly and evenly across its surface and generates infrared heat—which is why this ceramic dryer from BaBylissPRO is such a good choice for fine hair types. I've had mine for half a decade, and I'm obsessed with the extra-long 10-foot cord, long-lasting AC motor, quick drying power, and the ionic technology, which helps to seal the cuticle and provide a frizz-free finish. I'd just avoid using the highest heat setting on fine hair, 'cause it can get pretty darn hot.
- Settings: 3 heat settings, 3 speeds, and cool-shot button
- Wattage: 1900 W
- Attachments: Concentrator
Glowing Customer Review: "I have fine hair, and most hair dryers seem to literally dry out my hair and leave it feeling brittle. This is the best hair dryer, all the way down to the way it feels. I love the three settings for heat, as well as the three settings for speed. Very well made product! Definitely recommend!"
Pros
- Great for drying and styling hair at the same time
- User-friendly and works on most hair types
Cons
- Not as effective for drying roots, per testers
- Can get VERY hot (and noisy!) on highest setting
If you're so over trying to juggle a round brush and a hair dryer at the same time, you've gotta try this internet-famous two-in-one hot tool (which is, tbh, one of the best beauty investments I've ever made). Using a mix of nylon and tufted bristles, this oval-shaped dryer brush is designed to build volume with each pass, helping fine hair look fuller and bouncier in no time. Plus, the six-foot swivel cord gives you *so* much flexibility. Pro tip: I stick with the "low" and "cool" settings to avoid burning my hair to a crisp.
- Settings: 3 heat/speed settings
- Wattage: 1100 W
- Attachments: None
Glowing Customer Review: "I have curly/wavy hair that is past my shoulders but very fine. If I don't blow-dry and straighten it right away, it gets very curly and frizzy. With this brush, I can let my hair air dry for a bit, and then use this, and I don't need to use a flat iron at all. My hair looks so full and bouncy that several people have asked me if I just got my hair done."
Pros
- Dries hair just as fast as professional models, according to testers
- Helps to mitigate frizz and provide a smooth, sleek finish
Cons
- Cool-shot button is a bit tricky to press
- Can leave hair a lil flat, due to ionic technology
If you're looking for quick results without major damage, you've gotta try this quiet-but-powerful option from Conair. Thanks to its AC motor, this budget-friendly dryer ensures an impressively fast dry time—plus, it uses ionic technology to reduce frizz and flyaways, as well as ceramic-coated coils to protect fine hair with gentle infrared heat. Oh, and it comes with two attachments and a blowout brush, all for less than $40. A bargain for sure!
- Settings: 3 heat settings, 2 speeds, and cool-shot button
- Wattage: 1875 W
- Attachments: Diffuser, concentrator, and round brush
Glowing Customer Review: "I am a professional stylist, and this is my favorite dryer. It’s powerful, light, has all the attachments I need, and I love the heat settings. The cool setting and cold shot are actually cold, which is great for my fine, colored hair. I love this better than all of the expensive salon dryers I have purchased in the past!"
Pros
- Can be used to give hair a voluminous, full-bodied lewk
- Gentle on hair, thanks to ball-tipped nylon bristles
Cons
- Some found the extra-wide handle tricky to grip
- Bristles may bend or snap off over time, per a few reviewers
Rather than a mix of ball-tipped and tufted bristles, this hair dryer brush from Insert Name Here uses nylon bristles with ball tips all over, which are less likely to get tangled in your hair as you dry and style it. For finer hair types, it's recommended to use the low heat setting for drying and the cool setting for locking in style—but thanks to the ceramic titanium plates, this one offers even heat distribution to reduce damage. Oh, and the six-foot swivel cord and lightweight design make for *very* easy handling.
- Settings: 3 heat/speed settings
- Wattage: 1100 W
- Attachments: None
Glowing Customer Review: "I have fine, long, colored hair. Highest heat setting is very intense, so I chose the mid-level heat with a little bit of polishing oil. My hair was dried and styled quickly with volume, unlike using a flat iron that makes my hair flat. Bristles are very soft and work great as detangler and styling brush."
Pros
- RapidGloss tool helps deliver a glossy, shiny, frizz-free finish
- Temp-regulating capabilities means little chance of heat damage
Cons
- Takes some time to master all the different attachments
- Noisier than some testers expected
The Shark SpeedStyle (which won a 2024 Holy Grail Beauty Award from Cosmo) comes in two versions: one for straight and wavy hair textures, and one for curls and coils. Whatever version you choose, this bb can help you achieve the sleekest, glossiest style of your life. How it works: Start with the QuickSmooth Brush, Turbo Concentrator, or DefrizzFast Defuser to completely dry hair, then switch to the RapidGloss Finisher to smooth down any remaining frizz. Side note: I'd avoid using the highest speed and heat settings on fine and/or thin hair to reduce flyaways.
- Settings: 4 heat settings, 3 speeds, and cool-shot button
- Wattage: 1700 W
- Attachments: Brush, finisher, and concentrator/diffuser (depending on the version you choose)
Glowing Customer Review: "I have fine hair, but a lot of it, and it tends to get frizzy. I used to dry my hair then straighten it, but I am no longer using a straightener. The concentrator tool gets my hair mostly dry, then I follow it up with the brush. The best tool is the RapidGloss attachment. I have flyaways before using it, then they’re gone and my hair is super sleek after."
Pros
- Ionic switch allows for more versatility
- So, so easy to use (and leaves hair so shiny!)
Cons
- Not the best for straightening hair
- A bit bulkier than some prefer
Another Cosmo 2024 Holy Grail Beauty Award-winner, this cutie is a bit different than your classic blow dryer brush. Rather than sporting an oval-shaped head, this tool from Kristin Ess (which has a mix of nylon and tufted bristles) looks just like a regular paddle brush—except it's heated. My favorite aspect, aside from the nine-foot cord: You can toggle between ionic and non-ionic technology, depending on whether you want a sleek, smooth look or big, bouncy volume. Once hair is dry, simply finish it off with the cool setting for a shiny finish.
- Settings: 3 heat settings, 3 speeds, and ion generator
- Wattage: 1200 W
- Attachments: None
Glowing Customer Review: "I love how easy this tool is to use! It dries and styles my hair at the same time, which saves me so much time in the mornings. My favorite part is the volume it gives—my hair feels fuller and bouncier after each use. The heat settings are easy to adjust, and it doesn’t leave my hair feeling dry or damaged."
Pros
- Gentle on strands but dries hair impressively fast
- Includes both an ionic and a volume boost switch
Cons
- Diffuser and smoothing comb attachment sold separately
- Not everyone loves the control placement (which is on the back of the handle)
You may be wondering, "Why in the world would I need a $200 hair dryer??" but let me tell ya, this sleek tool is well worth the investment. Among many (!!) premium features, this one boasts a nine-foot-long cord, a super lightweight build, an above-average number of temperature options, and both an ionic switch and a volume boost feature (which turns off the negative ions to deliver more oomph). Plus, it features a custom-engineered fan that dries hair super-quick without stripping strands of moisture. Amazing stuff.
- Settings: 5 heat settings, 3 speeds, ion generator, volume boost mode, and cool-shot button
- Wattage: 1875 W
- Attachments: 2 concentrators, round brush, and paddle brush
Glowing Customer Review: "This is by far the nicest dryer I have ever used. It's gentle on my fine hair while also being effective in getting the job done with little time or high heat temperature. Honestly, if this dryer wasn't as excellent as it is, I would drop stars for how much it costs, but in the case of this dryer...it's worth it!"
Pros
- Five attachments allow for *so* many styling possibilities
- Intelligent heat control helps better prevent heat damage
Cons
- Definitely has a bit of a learning curve
- Pricey (but currently on sale!)
Yep, I had to include the fan-fave Dyson Supersonic, which is decidedly not cheap but beloved by Cosmo editors of all hair types. The biggest perk of this one is the five attachments included, which allow you to better control and direct the airflow (and that's pretty essential, considering the Supersonic can reach speeds of 110,000 rotations per minute). For my fine-haired friends, I suggest using the gentle air attachment with the concentrator for a volumizing blowout, then finishing up with the flyaway attachment to tamp down frizz with a single pass.
- Settings: 4 heat settings, 3 speeds, and cool-shot button
- Wattage: 1600 W
- Attachments: Diffuser, concentrator, comb, gentle air attachment, and flyaway attachment
Glowing Customer Review: "Not only can I be done with my hair in about 4 minutes, from start to finish, but the texture and shine this gives my hair makes me feel like I just left the salon. I have fine, dry hair and have typically had to use loads of product to make my hair have volume and shine. I only have to use a bit of oil on my wet hair before drying and I end up with shiny, glossy hair. So happy I finally decided to splurge."
How to blow-dry fine hair for volume
Here's the thing: Simply shooting hot air at your head is not going to help you achieve the bouncy, voluminous blowout of your dreams. The most important thing to use when blow-drying fine hair (other than a heat protectant!) is an attachment tool. If frizz is your primary concern, make sure you get a dryer with a concentrator, which "can control the direction of airflow, pointing downward, so you are encouraging the cuticle to lay down flat," as Aaron Grenia, co-founder of IGK Hair, previously told Cosmo. And for fine, curly hair, try a diffuser, which will disperse the flow of air from your blow dryer.
Along with using the right attachments, you'll want to make sure you're handling your dryer the right way, too. For the best results, let your hair partially air-dry (which, luckily, doesn't take long with fine hair) and then rough-dry (or even dry hair upside down) to lift your roots for max volume before styling. Using a round brush to pull hair up and away from your head as you dry it can also provide a fuller, more voluminous appearance. Once hair is almost dry, you can then use a low or cool heat setting to smooth and style.
How to choose the best hair dryer for fine hair
Look for multiple heat settings
To prevent unwanted hair frying or damage, look for a blow dryer with adjustable heat and speed settings. As hairstylist Amy Abramite previously told Cosmo, "Hair that's finely textured, compromised by chemicals, or already damaged may not be able to handle hot temperatures and still remain healthy." With adjustable heat, you can stick with lower heat settings to help mitigate damage to fine hair (and same goes for speed).
Go with a ceramic model
For folks with fine hair like moi, a ceramic or porcelain dryer is the way to go, since those are designed to generate infrared (i.e. gentler) heat and spare your delicate strands. And while ionic dryers are great for combating frizz (since they emit negative ions that help break up the water droplets on your hair for faster drying than coil-heated dryers), they can make fine hair look a bit flat. If volume is your priority, you're better off opting for a non-ionic hair dryer—or better yet, one that has both ionic and non-ionic capabilities that can be switched on and off for versatility, like the Kristin Ess Blow Dry Brush.
Check out the volumizing features
If you've got fine hair, chances are you're always looking for ways to add some va-va-voom. Your hair dryer can help ya do that—especially if it comes with a round brush or brush attachment for creating an at-home blowout. Other helpful attachments include diffusers for creating bouncy curls and concentrators for sleek styles (though you'll want to focus on your roots with both of these attachments to create lift). And ofc, the ability to turn off negative ions—like with the T3 Aireluxe—can help ensure your style doesn't fall flat.
Meet the experts
- Aaron Grenia is a hairstylist and one of the cofounders of IGK Hair, which creates hair products for a variety of hair types.
- Amy Abramite is a hairstylist and the creative director at Maxine Salon in Chicago, IL. She's an expert in hair cutting, blowouts, and styling with hot tools.
Why trust 'Cosmo'?
Corinne Sullivan is an editor at Cosmopolitan and has six years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news, including the best shampoos for fine hair and the best dry shampoos for fine hair. Her fine-hair blow dryer picks were based on product reviews, ratings, and personal testing, along with information from experts.
Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé.
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