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Once upon a time (AKA last year), I had to fly to a wedding with nothing but a tiny weekender bag, which was already stuffed with 12 pounds of beauty products and, like, some socks. Knowing that I had to blow out my hair for the day, I begrudgingly brought along a travel-size blow-dryer, fully aware that it would probably suck as badly as a hotel dryer.
But I was so, so wrong. This mini dryer (which is now discontinued, may it RIP) blew my hair out way faster, with noticeably less frizz, than my very expensive full-size dryer at home. And since then, I’ve only exclusively used mini dryers at home, testing out all of the cult-favorites to find the best of the best for my curly, frizzy-as-hell hair. And now, I’m sharing my wisdom with you. Behold: The very best travel-size dryers you’ll want to use every single day.
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For the Thick-Haired
Ion Dual Voltage Ionic Travel Hair Dryer, $30
BUY IT
This sucker is crazy small—like, fit-inside-a-clutch small (okay, fine, a really big clutch)—and its ion technology helps water evaporate faster, giving you a shorter dryer time with significantly less damage to your hair. And I'm all about cutting drying time when I'm traveling.
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For the Frizz-Prone
Drybar Baby Buttercup Blow Dryer, $135
BUY IT
Okay, yes, this one is on the expensive side, but for good reason: It was literally tested to deliver the exact same power as a full-size dryer, and it's equipped with a cool-shot button to get hair smooth and shiny at the end of your dry. Also, maybe I’m a little shallow, but the adorable name and Instagrammable color automatically scored high points in my very biased book. Not sorry.
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For the Fine-Haired
BaBylissPro Tourmaline Titanium Travel Dryer, $33
BUY IT
This fire-red dryer comes with an itty-bitty blow-out attachment, which is annoyingly adorable, but what’s inside the barrel is anything but dainty. It’s filled with 1,000 watts of power, which, normally, isn’t anything to brag about, but thanks to its mix of tourmaline technology, this little dryer helps seal in moisture for a smooth finish.
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For the Budget-Savvy
Conair Vagabond Compact 1875 Hair Dryer, $13
BUY IT
What this cult-favorite baby hair-dryer lacks in appearances, it makes up for with an impressive 1,875 watts of blowing power, plus two heat and speed settings. No, it won’t whisper you positive affirmations or tuck you in at night, but for $13, this is seriously a great buy, especially if you rarely travel.
Chloe Metzger
Deputy Beauty Director
Chloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, obsessively writing about new makeup launches, the best hair products (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare formulas that really work for every skin type (follow her on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes pics of that magazine life).
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