Lee Stafford Blow Dry Faster hairdryer November 2012
A fast road to perfect curls?
The new Blow Dry Faster hairdryer with unusual ‘sock’ diffuser from Lee Stafford promises to leave you with perfect curls. We were intrigued, so we asked one of our curly-haired researchers to try it out, to see how it compared to a normal diffuser hairdryer. Here she shares her first impressions.
I was keen to try the diffuser sock on the Blow Dry Faster hairdryer, part of celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford’s new range, as my beloved hairdryer with diffuser attachment broke last year, and I haven’t found another model that matches up to it.
The Lee Stafford Blow Dry Faster hairdryer has a small sock diffuser, made from fabric and foam, that attaches to the end of the hairdryer. This claims to diffuse the air flow for perfect curls, whilst having the advantage of being small and easy to transport.
Lee Stafford's 'sock' diffuser is meant to diffuse air flow for a gentler dry - encouraging curls and not frizz
Powerful blow drying
This hairdryer has two speeds and three heat settings, an extra cool shot, and ‘ionic conditioning’ - in which the air flow is charged with ions, which apparently reduce static and create smoother results.
It certainly packs a punch – it’s powerful and quick to dry hair when used without the diffuser.
The handle vibrated quite a lot during use though, and I found this made it a little uncomfortable to hold.
At three metres long, the cord length is generous, so you can dry your hair quite far from an electrical socket if needed. And the instructions included some handy styling tips.
Diffuser didn’t give great curls
Unfortunately, I didn’t get great results using the sock diffuser attachment. While I found it easy to attach and use, the results couldn’t really compare to my normal diffuser – the sock diffuser left me with frizzier than normal curls that lacked bounce.
Ultimately, it felt the same as using a normal hairdryer on low power. Without the plastic ‘fingers’ and bowl shape of a traditional diffuser, the sock diffuser struggled to encourage and separate curls. If you want a gentle blowdry, but not a curly finish, it may be useful – but I didn’t feel the results were comparable to my usual method.
The Lee Stafford hairdryer also comes with a concentrator for straight styles
Useful as a travel diffuser
As the instructions point out, this compact sock diffuser would be less cumbersome to take on holiday than a normal diffuser. I do often find it a bother transporting a traditional diffuser hairdryer – they are an awkward shape and can take up quite a bit of space.
The sock diffuser can also be used on any hairdryer, as it attaches to the hairdryer with an elasticated edge. Again, this could make travelling easier, but I’m not sure this is much of a bonus when the results weren’t particularly good.
Which? first look verdict
This may not be the ideal Christmas gift for someone with curly hair.
However, if you aren’t prone to frizzy hair, and want a slightly tousled look and a travel-friendly diffuser, this product could be useful. It seemed very powerful too, so if you just want a quick blow dry, it could be a good bet.
The Blow Dry Faster hairdryer costs £49.99 and is available from several high street retailers.
Pros: Powerful hairdryer, long cord
Cons: Initial results from diffuser were disappointing
- Check out our hairdryers review
- Read our first look of the Remington Pearl curling tongs
- See what we thought of the Enrapture Encode Totem hair styler
