Your best curly-hair moments will come when you let your hair dry on its own. But we get that there are occasions where you don't want to show up with sopping-wet hair.

When you don't have time to air-dry, a diffuser attachment for your blow-dryer will make all the difference in how your hair looks (It's also incredibly inexpensive). A standard blow-dryer, according to Shorter, damages strands because it creates violent wind around the hair. This can lead to frizzy, tangled tresses. A diffuser disperses the air and focuses it around the curls. The unique shape of the attachment cups your coils as they dry, keeping your curl pattern intact.

Harbinger cautions against shaking or agitating the hair while blow-drying it. Instead, twist your curls into the shape you want while your hair is still damp, and then gently lift small sections of your curls, cupping them with a diffuser. Disturbing the curls as little as possible will give your hair maximum definition without frizz, explains Harbinger.

Try: T3 Bespoke Diffuser II, $30

When coloring curly hair, as with every other step of your hair-care regimen, be gentle. "Most curly hair is naturally dry, and coloring hair can dry it out even more," says Harbinger. Go easy on the chemicals, and don't overlap bleach or use high-intensity color," she warns.

Highlighting curly hair can bring dimension to the individual curls, framing your face in an angelic way. It also breaks up your color so that your hair doesn't look like a solid block of coils. For curly hair, Harbinger recommends painted-on highlights, which keep the integrity of the hair intact and is completely customizable, so your stylist can accentuate your individual curl pattern. Using a semi-permanent at-home color that delivers multi-tonal results is an even easier way to add instant dimension to your hair, says Shorter.

After-care for colored, curly hair is just as important. Use a pH balanced and moisturizing cleansing conditioner to lock in moisture and rebalance the scalp.

Try: John Frieda Precision Foam Colour, $12.99, which is easy to use and has built-in highlights.

Some stylists will try to convince you that using a razor to "bring out texture" is a good cutting technique for curly hair. False. Razors, like hair brushes, strip the strands, causing breakage and frizz. Plus, you already have plenty of texture in your hair.

Instead, your stylist should work on defining your cut with layers to enhance your curls. The best technique for breaking up your curls so they fall better and don't look like one solid triangular mass, is to get a "good cut with elevations at the crown. This will help give curls maximum volume and definition," says Harbinger.

To pull off the classic ponytail without destroying delicate curls, use a gentle hair tie instead of a hair elastic, says Harbinger, and don't pull it taut. She also advises against hot tools, like curling irons and straighteners, which stretch out the hair and can ruin the natural curl.

Try: Anthropologie Wood-Stitched Turban Headband, $38

Every woman with curly hair has gone to bed with beautiful curls and arisen with a true natural disaster on her head. A cotton pillowcase sticks to your hair, so every time you toss or turn in your sleep, you're tangling your hair, risking breakage and frizz.

The key to avoiding this fiasco is using a silk or satin pillowcase while you sleep to keep your curls intact. The slippery fabric won't disturb your hair, and you'll wake up looking just as amazing as you did yesterday. Harbinger pleads curly-haired women to "be gentle and treat your hair as if it is a fine silk or cashmere, not polyester."

Try: Target Scent-Sation Charmeuse II Satin Pillow Case, $11.35

Photo courtesy of: Xtreme Shears