The diffusion cloth is a white, semi-permeable fabric that forms the front of the softbox. Its main purpose is to diffuse and soften the light that comes from a source such as a flash or a permanent light placed inside. Without this cloth, the light beam would be direct, harsh and create sharp, clearly defined shadows. By passing through the diffusion fabric, the light is evenly distributed over its entire surface. This turns a small, intense source into a large, softly illuminated area. The resulting light is softer, the shadows have smooth transitions and appear more natural and flattering on the subject or person. Some softboxes are equipped with two diffusion screens. The inner one, the smaller one, is used to diffuse the light initially and eliminate the so-called "hot spot", i.e. an overly bright centre. The outer, main screen then softens and unifies the light over the entire surface.