Get the perfect hairdryer for a happy do

HAIRDRYERS come in a bewildering number of styles, sizes and prices. Here’s how to buy one that suits your style.

> Watts are about power, with the more watts meaning a hotter, faster blast. If you have very thick hair that takes forever to dry if you don’t help it along, look for high watts. If your hair dries quickly, and you’re not fond of noisy machines, a lower wattage is more your thing.

> Old hairdryers were hot and sometimes dried out or damaged hair. New technology tries to minimise this damage. Ionic technology helps keep hair strands moist on the inside, while ceramic and tourmaline provide gentle drying that helps maintain shine.

> Similarly, you may want a tool that includes a cool air setting. These are excellent for when you want to give your hair a lift between washing. Just blow upside down a few minutes while tossing with your fingers and then apply hairspray. Set the spray with the cool setting.

> If you’ve straight hair, a concentrating nozzle will help you achieve lift while a diffuser is a must for drying curly hair. With better, pricier tools, they often favour one style or another. Best thing is to open the box and see what accessories there are. If you see a small and large diffuser and you’ve lovely waves, opt for that rather than the one with two nozzles and a pick.

> Finally, if you travel regularly, look for smaller versions that are lightweight, with foldable handles with dual voltage settings.

Fancy ones come with an adapter so you can change easily between two and three pins. Also, don’t forget the extra long chord for when you’re in a place with a mirror on one side of the room and a socket on the other.