What is the difference between a hard hat dryer and bonnet?

Hooded dryers…bonnet dryers…hard hat…soft bonnet…ionic…ceramic…tourmaline…1200 watts…1600 watts…1875 watts…OMG! Why can’t you just pick the first hooded hair dryer you see and be done? Because that would be too much like right.

Choosing a hooded hair dryer can be overwhelming because of all the options and technological advances in hair styling appliances. In general, heat is not your friend. Specifically, direct heat is not your friend.

Direct heat sources include blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons, and hot rollers. Heat damages hair by decreasing moisture in your strands and by destroying your hair’s protein structure. Direct heat causes dryness, split ends, and hair loss.

Like I said, heat is not your friend…but you may be able to play nicely with indirect heat sources like hooded hair dryers. You can use hooded dryers for deep conditioning and hair styling (rollersets, straw sets, wraps, etc.). Rollersets in particular are perfect for keeping the ends of your hair from being damaged by heat.

A HOODED DRYER IS A HOODED DRYER, RIGHT? There are so many options available that you might end up tearing your hair out before you decide on one. But try not to do that.

First decide how much you want to spend on a hooded dryer. Then determine how you plan to use the dryer. Will you do rollersets or only use it for deep conditioning?

Is a soft bonnet better for you or a hard hat bonnet? Do you want a table top hair dryer or one that can be rolled around from room to room? Are you tall or short?

Trust me this makes a difference when it comes to adjusting the height of the dryer. Do you have a small peanut head or a bigger dome? I know that sounded mean, but I’m really trying to save you time and money.

What good is a hooded dryer that you can’t fit under with your rollers in? How many heat settings do you want it to have? Do you want it to have a COOL setting as well?

Hooded dryers use up alot of energy. The higher the wattage the more energy its using. Meaning higher electric bills and the possibility of blown fuses.

The most important thing about wattage is that you choose a dryer that is appropriate for your hair type and won’t fry your hair. Ceramic, ionic, and tourmaline are among the biggest buzz words in hair dryers and flat irons these days. But what on earth do they mean and do you need a hooded dryer that has one of those terms in its description?

But does it really work? Honestly, with regard to hooded hair dryers I don’t know. My ceramic and tourmaline flat irons do make my hair smoother and shinier as compared to my old non-ceramic or non-tourmaline curling irons.

Even my little 1200 Watt Conair Mini Pro Tourmaline Ceramic hair dryer makes my hair smoother and shinier than my old 1875 Watt non-ceramic, non-tourmaline hair dryer. And my Mini Pro was only $9.99 at Ross! And its pink!

For the past 3 weeks I’ve been trying to decide on a hooded dryer and I went through every website I could find looking for reviews of various dryers. Plus, I couldn’t decide between a table top hard hat dryer or a rollabout hooded dryer. The chart from Folica was what helped me make my decision.

I have alot of hair but its very fine, relaxed, and prone to damage from heat. I wanted a rollabout dryer because I didn’t want to be stuck in one place or limited to where I could set the dryer up. Yesterday I decided on the LCL Beauty 1200 Watt Professional Salon Dryer on Wheels.

I chose it based on the wattage, I can take it from room to room, and the bonnet (hood) is big enough to fit my peanut head and large rollers under it. I’ve read from some of the girls over at LHCF that it can fit 2" and 3" rollers. The dryer sells for $129.77 with free shipping.

What are your requirements for a hooded dryer? What features are most important to you?