How about the thermal brush?
You may have seen two types of brushes while shopping. In this guide, the term blow dry brush is used only for devices that blow hot air from the hair and blow it off into wet hair to dry and style it. Dry hair devices, on the other hand, are called infrared or thermal brushes, as they use infrared heat to style their hair with a smooth blow-off. Broad Drip Brush is intended only for wet hair, while thermal brushes only mean dry hair.
Thermal brushes may resemble an outer blow dry brush, but they behave differently. They use different kinds of heat – surface heat within the range rather than hot air, and are intended for dry hair rather than wet. Infrared rays are different from regular hot tools. This is because infrared rays heat your hair from the inside rather than from the outside. I interviewed a handful of hair stylists and beauty experts. “Infrared heat works differently than traditional hot tools. Instead of heating only the surface, it penetrates the hair shaft and styles it from the inside. That means it retains moisture, less frizz and less damage over time.
I have tried several different thermal brushes, but there has not been much difference in the results so far. It takes a while to get used to my favorites a little Wavytalk HeatwavePro ($80) Comes with a set of three different thermal heads, so you can choose the perfect size for the hairstyle you want to achieve that day.
Honorable mention
BeachWaver Blow Brush is $189: If you are discussing buying a blow dryer brush or diffuser for curly hair days, I have the answer for you. The Beachwaver Blow Brush is one of the only sets of blow dry brushes with a Diffuser attachment, allowing you to choose freely between blowouts or curly days without the need for multiple gadgets. When I used Beachwaver compared to Drybar and T3, my blow-off looked frizzy, but not as frizzy as anyone other than me noticed. This can also be resolved by smoothing or frizz-controlled products that we didn’t use in the test for accurate results, but are usually used by ourselves. Paddle brush and concentrator attachment are also included.
BondiBoost Blutout Brush Pro 75 mm $70: Bondiboost (6/10, Wired Review) delivered results for half the price, at the same price as Drybar and T3. That’s amazing, isn’t it? The only problem is that online users reported a BondiBoost break after months of use. If you’re willing to roll the dice, the results are great. They may not last forever.
$77 Chi Volumizer 4-in-1 Blowout Brush: This set comes with four attachments, including an oval brush, a small diffuser, a paddle brush and a nozzle. The set works fine, but gives it more frizz than the other options and the hardware feels cheaper. If you need all these attachments on a budget, it’s a great, affordable set.
$155 for a Drybar half shot: This is the round version of the double shot above. I like it, but I preferred the low temperature of the T3 with a small brush. Also, half shots have a more heated touch than double shots, and I occasionally scribbled my forehead while I was banging.
T3 Aire360 Ceramic Air Styler $300: This set is gorgeous, but the ceramics make it heavy, so compared to the lighter, cheaper picks, I didn’t see much different results.
$600 Dyson Air Wrap: The Dyson AirWrap set (8/10, Wired beconess) was fantastic and was my first introduction to Blow Dribrasia Touchment. However, especially considering the price, it is better than just a blow dryer brush than other blow dryers. Check out our guide to the best hair dryers for more advice.
FAQ
How wet do your hair need?
While your hair is wet, you will be tempted to use a blow dry brush, but it is best to wait until your hair is almost dry. Alanna Safarik-Ashby (also known as @FollicleFatale), hair stylists and co-owners at Ivy & Luna Studio in Carlsbad, California, recommend waiting until hair is 90% dry to protect it. “Your hair is the most vulnerable when it’s wet,” she says. “Think about it when you pull on a pre-cooked spaghetti. Is it very elastic and fragile? Wet hair is the same.
How do you use a blow dry brush?
Like any other styling tool, it is best to style your hair by separating it into three or four sections. Using one section at a time, you start from the root with a blow dry brush and pass through to the edge. I do this at least once on both the top and bottom of the section. Create a good volume, if not twice on each side, and dry your hair completely. Julie Chung, co-founder of T3, also shared some tips on getting the best volume at your blowout.
Play with your hair and choice brushes and figure out how you want to see your purpose. With my shoulder length hair, I can see that the edges are the easiest to flip, but you need to try your own hair length and brush shape to see what’s best for you. Whether you choose an oval or round brush can also affect how this works.
How to Test Broad Dry Brush
I use each pick at least 5 wash days. This can take place over two weeks. I try both high and low settings to see how it differs in my hair and how much the results change. I also record the results in the same sweatshirt and my bathroom spots, and compare them briefly how well the blowout went. I’ll track how I can see how each blow dry brush affected the look of my final blowout. I use a heat protectant every time, and mostly Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil ($25)Top picks from the guide to the best heat protectant spray. In addition to protecting hair from heat damage, heat protecting agents have proven to help give smoother results.
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