The comb that comes in the box is not always the one you end up loving, so a few extras help. T3 Smoothing Comb Attachment has vented teeth that spread heat while stretching and detangling hair, and it is made for T3 dryers. Shark Beauty FlexStyle Wide-Tooth Comb fits only the Shark FlexStyle, using two rows and two lengths of teeth to stretch natural curls from root to tip. Check the fit before you buy either one.

For hands-on detangling, Mane Knot Ur Avg is a wide-tooth comb made with recycled material. PATTERN Wide Tooth Comb is meant to detangle and section curls and encourages separation when you fluff dry hair out. Crown Affair The Comb No. 002 in tortoise is hand-carved with widely spaced teeth and rounded tips, and the brand says it works in the shower and out of it. Mane Ready or Knot is a paddle brush with metal bristles for wet or dry hair, dae Vegan Detangle + Style Brush does both jobs in one, and Virtue Flourish X Manta bends to the shape of your hand and scalp to create less tension on each strand.

Here is my routine: comb through damp hair in sections, then let the dryer attachment do the stretching.

What I would skip: a stiff paddle brush on very tangled wet hair. Start with a wide tooth comb and finish with the brush.

Heat protectant goes on before any dryer comes out. Moroccanoil Perfect Defense is a weightless dry spray that protects against thermal damage, and I like a dry spray when hair is fine. Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil is a heat protectant leave-in primer that the brand says cuts frizz by 50 percent versus untreated hair. Bumble and bumble Straight Blow Dry Styling Cream is a heat-protective cream for medium and thick hair that keeps styles smooth. Kenra Professional Blow-Dry Spray protects up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and decreases blow-dry time by up to 50 percent, according to the brand. Olaplex No. 9 is a weightless serum for heat, shine and anti-tangle action, and Olaplex No. 7 is a styling oil for a glossy finish. Living Proof Full Thickening Blow-Dry Cream promises thicker-looking hair that lasts all day, and JVN Complete Blowout Styling Milk is a lightweight, heat-activated cream.

How to use it: apply to towel-dried hair, comb it through with the attachment, then dry in sections.

What I would skip: layering an oil, a serum and a cream all at once. Pick one, and save the oil or serum for the ends after drying.

Start with the dryer, since it decides which attachments you have. Wide tooth combs suit thick, curly or coily hair that needs stretching, a smoothing comb suits blowouts, and a pik is for lifting at the roots. Add a heat protectant that matches your hair, a spray for fine hair and a cream for thicker hair. Dry in small sections, with the comb moving from root to end, and finish with cool air to set the shape. Keep the dryer a little away from your scalp, and stop when the hair is dry instead of going back for one more pass.