From flat irons to blow-dryers, hair tools are a tricky topic. The category encompasses so many varieties of the same handful of products, yet people’s allegiances to specific ones are deep-seated and unwavering. (It can be hard to veer from our go-to hairstyles and the tools that get us there.) But there’s one tool out there right now that we’ve heard tons of IRL and internet chatter about that seems to be a universal crowd-pleaser: the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush. We had to investigate.
Making (and taking) hair tool recommendations is tough to do since hair type, hair health concerns, and styling goals all weigh so heavily on our choices. All this is to say that whenever we hear about an affordable hair tool garnering seemingly universal acclaim, we pay close attention. According to the ravenous Twitter fandom, and even the early adopting die-hard fan base here at Who What Wear HQ, this round blow-dryer brush combination is supposed to deliver fast, easy, professional-looking blowouts. Hmm.
As much as we love a deep dive into online reviews (there are currently 291,757 and counting on Amazon), we’re a hands-on team that likes to put the buzziest products to the test ourselves. Ahead, check out what seven Who What Wear staffers (of all different hair types!) had to say about the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush.
Describes her hair as kinky, coarse, thick, dry
“It typically takes me about 40 minutes to blow-dry my hair. My go-to tool is a traditional blow-dryer with a comb attachment that allows me to concentrate heat at my curly roots to really get them straightened and adequately dry before flat-ironing. I’d heard a lot of my co-workers rave about the famous Revlon blow-dryer brush, but none of them have the same hair texture as I do, so I was super skeptical about this thing being able to do anything for my 4b natural hair. My first impression was that the bristles would be too soft to make an impact, but I was wrong about that. The brush moved easily through my coils. While the round-brush design didn’t do as much for me as it might for those seeking more volume from their blow-drying session (or those who simply blow-dry and don’t need to go over it with a flat iron afterward), I was surprised at how quickly and effectively I was able to dry my hair from root to tip. I also felt like the softer bristles put a lot less tension on my hair, so that’s a positive. The tool itself is pretty large and not the easiest to handle, so I think it’ll take some more practice before I feel like I’m able to get the best out of this tool. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it and would absolutely recommend to my natural queens who heat-style their hair.”
Describes her hair as straight, fine
“I love this brush! I wouldn’t say that it cuts down on my blow-drying time by much, but it does make it a lot easier to blow out. It’s easier on my hands and wrists since I’m only using one tool, and it gives me more control, which results in a better blowout. I love the simplicity of it. I’ve found that the best way to style using this brush is to let my hair air-dry for a few minutes while I’m doing my makeup and then blow-dry last. It’s a total breeze, and it leaves my hair looking and feeling soft and silky smooth. I wish I would’ve gotten this brush sooner. Now I actually look forward to doing my hair!”
Describes her hair as wavy, oily
“I’m the laziest (and most challenged) person when it comes to hair. Seriously. So at first, I was totally skeptical that this blow-dryer brush (which is fairly large!) would actually be quick and easy to use since I have long hair. But I’m still shook by how fast it is to complete my entire head—less than 20 minutes—and how professional it looks! It doesn’t give me that much volume, and it can be hard to get the back of my head, but as long as I put my hair in small sections, I’m able to manage. I also get very, very warm toward the end, but there’s a ‘cool’ temperature that I can switch to. Aside from that, literally no complaints.”
Describes her hair as curly, fine
“I love that it works quickly and is easy to use. I have a deep fear of my hair getting stuck in the brush and being sucked into a massive knot, but that never happens with this brush. It is perfect if you want to look coiffed and pulled-together. It makes the ends of your layers bend Jennifer Aniston–style. The con is that you definitely won’t get an undone or relaxed look with this brush. Also, it gets super hot, so you really need to watch it to make sure you don’t burn your hair off. If you have fine hair, it’s not as effective in regard to the volume and curl compared to some of my thicker-haired friends.”
Describes her hair as curly
“Wow—this brush definitely eased the struggle of blow-drying my curly hair! (No tired arms here!) It was super easy to use, even for someone who isn’t that great at doing her own blowouts. (You really can’t beat that brush feature.) It got the majority of hair pretty straight, but I did have a little trouble reaching the roots. At the end, I had to go over the top of my head with a flat iron, which I didn’t really mind. Next time I think I’ll go in smaller sections and see if I can get the whole thing done in one fell swoop.”
Describes her hair as thick, wavy, frizzy, damaged
“I wash my hair once a week because drying it is such a pain. My hair is so thick and unruly. I’ve never been able to use a round brush while blow-drying my hair, and this Revlon dryer is an absolute game changer. My hair feels sleek and bouncy after 15 minutes. I purchased a Dyson Supersonic a while back, naïvely thinking it would make my hair look like it had been blown out by a celeb stylist. It didn’t. I discovered this Revlon dryer and have converted nearly 10 friends now. It cuts my dry time in half and makes me feel like I’ve just left the salon. I sold my Dyson and haven’t looked back.”
Describes her hair as straight, frizzy, oily, slightly wavy, post-baby hair
“If I had to boil it down to the two things I love the most in this world (not counting my husband and my daughter), they’d be a pair of white pumps and a fresh blowout. They just soothe my soul like no other and make me feel like I actually have my shit together. But I’ve struggled with actually styling my own hair my entire life (I can’t be trusted with a barrel brush), so I would frequent Drybar more times than I am proud to admit. This is why I’m eternally grateful to my co-worker Paulina for introducing me to the Revlon Blow Dryer Brush because I now feel like I have my shit together every single day. It’s extremely easy to use, even for the at-home blowout challenged like myself. The tool is light, so your arm doesn’t get tired when you’re styling your hair, and honestly, the temperature isn’t that unbearable. I find that when I section my hair off and angle the brush toward my face, I get nice volume at the roots and a slight face-framing curve that still feels slightly undone thanks to the oval barrel. It’s also a great tool to use for dry styling. The one and only downside of this brush is that it’s very loud when on the high setting, but I truly do not care about that because of how life-changing it is. I’ve recommended this product to anyone who will listen to me rave about it. Coming from an unnecessarily picky shopper, this tool is an absolute must-have.”
