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Unsolicited fun fact: if I had to use just one hair tool for the rest of my life, it would be my Shark blow-dry brush — yup, the one you’ve seen all over TikTok. The buzzy multistyling tool has single-handedly transformed my hair routine, making styling my thick and wavy hair significantly easier. It cuts down on styling time, smooths my frizz, and gives my hair so much volume that it looks like I just got a professional blowout.
Admittedly, though, the Shark dryer wasn’t the tool that put me onto the trend in the first place; it was the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer, a more affordable (yet equally sensationalized) hot-air brush with thousands of five-star reviews across the board. Having used (and loved) both, there are certainly pros and cons to each that I’ll dive into in a bit. The good news is that both can reap selfie-worthy results when used correctly.
What does “correctly” mean, exactly? Well, one of the biggest mistakes people make using hot-air brushes is using them on soaking-wet hair, celebrity hairstylist Glenn Ellis tells PS. Before grabbing your blow-dry brush, he says, you should detangle your wet hair with a brush and apply heat protectant to reduce damage. Then, “rough-dry your hair 70 percent of the way” with a traditional blow dryer. (Hot-air brushes are meant to be used on damp, not sopping-wet, hair.)
As for your technique, the pro recommends blow-drying your hair in sections “the same size as the diameter of the round brush.” He says this will ensure your hair gets thoroughly dry and, thus, make the process as efficient as possible. Once it’s sectioned, brush the tool from your roots straight down to the ends for a sleek and smooth look, and be sure not to rush the process as you glide it down your hair. You can also twist away from your face for bouncy waves or flip your ends à la the ’70s. (Don’t worry, there are approximately a zillion YouTube and TikTok videos to help guide you.)
Keep scrolling to find out what blow-dry brushes PS editors love and why, along with details about what makes each unique.
