As someone who’s worked in beauty for over five years, I take a bit of pride in the amount of knowledge I’ve developed across all things hair, nails, makeup, and skincare. You name it, I’ve probably covered it. I’ve also spent countless hours interviewing industry experts and learning about the latest launches. Prior to my career, though, there were some topics that I had limited knowledge on. One example: heat tools.

From my preteen years through college, I would religiously straighten my curly hair. But outside of my salon appointments, I wasn’t using heat on my hair—I always air-dried it. So needless to say, I was genuinely floored when I learned that I could use a diffuser to dry my curls without messing with my natural pattern.