These Hair Dryer Brushes Are the Secret to Perfect At-Home Blowouts Every Time (2024)

Christen says he personally uses this innovative hair dryer brush and enjoys that it offers a way to style all hair types with less heat damage and has multiple attachments for a variety of styles. This tool can be used as a standard hair dryer and comes with attachments to turn the tool into a hair dryer brush (round and paddle) and hair curling tool. It’s also editor-tested and approved.

“I absolutely love this hair dryer brush. Although an investment, it truly is an all-in-one product. It comes with two brushes that attach on the top of the hair dryer nozzle. It’s super sleek,” explains Prevention’s Deputy Editor, Emily Goldman. “One is a paddle attachment for a more straight, streamlined look. The other is a round brush for that at-home blowout that’ll look like you dropped major $$ at the hairdresser. This product has cut my getting ready time in half, and I love that it has a number of heat and air speed settings. Truly customizable and just all around a great product!”

While it’s important to note that this tool does not blow hot air, it’s great for extending your style and is perfect for those looking to work with dry or second-day hair. It has a ceramic barrel and a smart heat sensor for even heating, plus ionic technology that helps reduce the appearance of frizz and add loads of shine.

I have damaged hair and prefer not to place too much heat and tension on it while it’s wet to avoid further breakage, so using this tool is the perfect way for me to achieve a blowout-like look without worry. Plus, it allows me to style my long, thick hair in only about 20 minutes, and I love the way the bristles glide through my hair with no uncomfortable pulling sensation.

✔️Consider the material. Christen recommends looking at the composition of the barrel and bristles of the hair dryer brush before purchasing. He prefers the surface of the tool to be made of a material that promotes even heating, such as ceramic or gold plating, for faster styling and less damage. A multi-bristle tool is also preferable, Christen explains, noting that longer, smoother bristles with protective tips aid in detangling the hair, while shorter, tufted bristles (usually made from Boar hair) help grip and smooth strands.

✔️Go for adjustable heat. “I look for a variable heat setting. Too often we work too hot with our tools,” Christen explains. “Being able to adjust the heat settings is a plus.” Taking advantage of custom temperature control also aids with finding the best temperature for you, which may help decrease the chances of hair damage.

✔️Look for ionic technology. You may have heard of ionic technology before, and Christen explains that this feature is a major plus for hot tools, especially hair dryer brushes. “Ions are so beneficial in the styling process to prevent frizz and promote a smooth surface to the hair shaft,” he explains.

✔️Keep hair health in mind. To “minimize cumulative damage over time,” Dr. Luke recommends decreasing the frequency of use, using the lowest heat setting possible, detangling the hair before use, and holding the blow dryer farther away from the hair.

✔️Use the right products before styling. According to Dr. Luke, using a heat protectant before styling is another crucial step to avoid damage. Additionally, using a deep conditioner in the shower before adding heat can help strengthen the hair and aid with styling.

✔️Don’t begin with hair that’s too wet. Using a hair dryer brush with hair that is too wet, like when you’ve just gotten out of the shower, can be a bit overwhelming and can lead to misuse, explains Christen. “For these stylers, it’s a good idea to air dry the hair to a damp state before tackling the round brush feature. Then, it becomes a lot easier for the brush to go through the hair and create a good style.”

There are two ways that your hair can become damaged: Chemically (bleaching, dyeing, perming) and physically (friction, heat exposure), says Dr. Luke, who points to research that found an association with blow drying and damage to the hair, noting that damage increased with higher temperatures.

However, Christen notes that these two-in-one tools are usually better for maintaining hair health as they tend to create less tangling, but can still cause damage and breakage if overused or used incorrectly.

And while these types of tools are suitable for use on all hair types, “Those with curly or textured hair should make sure to thoroughly detangle their hair prior to using a blow-drying brush to avoid damage or breakage that may come if the hair gets caught in the bristles,” explains Dr. Luke.

We tested the Shark Beauty FlexStyle Hair Blow Dryer and the Drybar Curl Party Heated Curling Round Brush. We spoke with Shann Christen, celebrity hair stylist and trichologist based in Beverly Hills and Janiene Luke, M.D., board-certified dermatologist in Loma Linda, CA. We also sifted through countless product reviews to select the best hair dryer brushes available.

The Amika Hair Blow Dryer Brush 2.0 and Style Craft Hot Body Ionic 2-in-1 Blowout Hot Air Brush were tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab in their most recent test of hair dryer brushes.