Blowout Brush 101: Our Honest Reviews on the Most Popular Brushes on the Market

drybar The Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer Brush ($155)

“A fan of all-things drybar, I was excited to give this brush a shot. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t let me down. It’s super lightweight so it doesn’t feel like an arm workout, its unique oval barrel gives you a barely there cool-girl bend instead of a serious “flip,” it has strategically placed vents for maximum airflow (aka a quicker blowout, and I appreciate the larger-than-usual safety spot to hold onto for support without any risk of burning yourself.”

—Danielle Fontana Dooley, associate director, digital content

GHD Glide and Rise Hot Brush ($189)

“Doing my own hair involves a lot of blood, sweat and tears. It’s either an air-dry, slicked-back bun or a blow-dry that someone else does—there is no in-between. I love the sleek, but not stick-straight, look the GHD gives. It sort of reminds me of the ‘90s blowout everyone is talking about, which I definitely could never achieve in real time (aka, high school).”

—Liz Ritter, executive editor

Beachwaver Blow Brush ($189)

“Sarah Potempa knows how to perfect an at-home blowout, so I was anxiously awaiting the launch of her first blowout brush. This salon-worthy Blow Brush comes with four attachments to suit all styling needs: an oval nozzle preps my hair for styling, a diffuser all you curly gals (I also use this sometimes on my natural waves), a round brush for voluminous blowouts, and a smoothing brush for those times when sleek strands are the look I’m going for. I don’t typically wear my hair straight, but when I use this, it gives my ends a more polished look than using a standard blowdryer and flat brush combo. It’s also a 2023 NewBeauty Award Winner, and our editors can’t get enough!”

—Brittany Burhop Fallon, director of beauty

Shark FlexStyle ($300)

“I’m notoriously terrible at styling my own hair, so I went into this reluctant. And while it was a little intimidating to use at first, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I got the hang of it. I got very similar results to my Dyson. It never got too hot yet it quickly dried and styled my hair. I would definitely recommend this among the brushes out there.”

—Steffanie Attenberg, chief brand & content officer 

Amika Double Agent 2-in-1 Blow Dryer + Straightening Brush ($150)

“If I don’t blow out my hair properly—the real deal with the round brush, aching wrist, etc—and sleep on damp strands, my hair takes on a weird wave pattern that I don’t even like leaving the house with unless it’s tucked back in a ponytail. That was until I tried amika’s new two-in-one brush. It tames my weird waves in a way that makes my style look beachy-chic and intentional. I love that you can use it as a blowdryer with a built-in brush, or just as a thermal brush for straightening and a little quick-polish action. Another perk: It uses far infrared heat to minimize damage, and a negative ion generator to curb frizz and amp up the shine. It’s such a versatile tool to have in my arsenal, especially for effortless summer hair.” 

—Brittany Burhop Fallon, director of beauty

Revlon One-Step Volumizer PLUS 2.0 ($70)

“Both Revlon and I are coming to the blowout brush game a little wiser this time around. I know now from my prior experience with its original incarnation back in 2018 that I have to dry my roots first before I ever attempt to incorporate the brush dryer—it’s more of a styler than a true dryer. And like me, Revlon has also made some adjustments in this second-version brush. This one has a smaller oval-shaped brush, a more slender and workable handle, and a new medium-heat setting. They’ve also kept heat damage in mind with a ceramic titanium barrel. The activated charcoal bristle type helped comb through my thin, fine hair without leaving a bunch behind on the brush. This one gets a gold star for most improved and my blowout feels healthier, too.”

—Tatiana Bido, features editor  

Dyson Airwrap Styler ($600)

“There’s a reason this do-it-all dryer-meets-styler is always sold out, even with its steep price tag. Its many attachments—the complete set comes with six heads—make it a jack of all trades and allow you to rough dry, create a smooth blow-dry or nail those salon-worthy curls you’ve seen online, all with one tool.

My usual routine consists of a gentle, pre-style dry (it’s recommended to dry your hair about 80-percent through before reaching for a styler) a smoothing pass with the round volumizing brush, then a soft curl with the star of the show: the barrels. While they do take some practice, the curls and bombshell waves the barrels are able to produce make it worthwhile. The bottom line: If you already style your hair at home regularly, consider upgrading your toolkit with this gold-standard of celebrity stylist–approved brushes.”

–Danielle Fontana Dooley, associate director, digital content

T3 AireBrush Duo ($190)

“Don’t get me wrong, I am lucky to have thick, full strands, but sometimes, when combined with my 2C curls, it’s not the best mix when I’m in a rush. When this blowdry duo—it features an easy-to-attach round brush and straight brush—walked into my life, I was skeptical about its abilities (as I am with all blowdry brushes that promise to put these unruly strands in their rightful place) but I was proved wrong. This dryer specifically targets frizz for bouncy hair that looks like it’s been ripped out of a magazine spread. It also features different heat and speed combinations for a customizable, damage-free approach to sleek strands. If I had to take away one star, it would be in the speed category—I wish it dried my hair as fast as some of the brand’s other models—but its ultra-smoothing abilities are enough to win me over time and time again.”

—Olivia Wohlner, editorial assistant

Trademark Beauty Easy Blo ($49)

“As someone who is generally averse to drying my hair with tools, I was apprehensive about blow drying brushes. Whenever I tried to do a blowout before the Trademark Beauty Easy Blo, it never quite came out anywhere close to salon-quality. The Easy Blo isn’t a NewBeauty award winner for no reason—it revolutionized my hair routine. Within 15 minutes, my hair is dry, frizz-free and has a healthy sheen to it. Without having to juggle two different tools, it’s easy to create different looks like a soft wave or, my favorite, flipped-in ends for the Rachel Green look.”

—Allie Hogan, associate beauty editor