Best brush to use with dyson hair dryer

A hair dryer brush is, in my experience, pretty much the only way to get that post-haircut volume from an at-home blowout. Most of us don’t have the dexterity to handle a round brush and blow dryer with the panache—never mind the arm strength—hairstylists learn at cosmetology school and from hours upon hours of practice. Attempting the same moves on your own head is not relaxing; it can be frustrating and practically impossible to do in certain spots without calling for help. That’s where this useful tool comes in: The best hair dryer brushes are thoughtfully designed and give the assist you need to achieve salon-style shine, volume and smoothness.

We've rounded up the best hair dryer brushes to achieve that fresh-from-the-salon shine, volume and ... [+] smoothness.

T3

Whether flat or round, most good-quality blow dryer brushes pull warm, dry hair in rather than blowing it out the way a standard hair dryer does. That creates the tension you need to pull sections of your hair up and out while gently heating them. It’s the easiest way for people of all hair types to get the straight and sleek, wavy or polished-curl look they want, plus long-lasting lift and fullness. Below are the best hair dryer brushes for every hair type.

  • Best Hair Dryer Brush Overall: Amika Blow Dryer Brush 2.0
  • Best Hair Dryer Brush For Fine Or Thinning Hair: Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete
  • Best Affordable Hair Dryer Brush: Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer
  • Best Hair Dryer Brush For Novices: DryBar The Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer Brush
  • Best Hair Dryer Brush For Short Hair: Revlon One-Step 1.5-Inch Root Booster Round Brush Dryer And Styler
  • Best Hair Dryer Brush For Thick Hair: Easy Blo by Trademark Beauty
  • Best Hair Dryer Brush For Curly Hair: T3 AireBrush Duo
  • Best Hair Dryer Brush For Volume: Chi 4-in-1 Volumizer Blowout Brush

Best Hair Dryer Brush Overall

A Pro-Favorite Blow Dryer Brush

Amika

Amika Hair Blow Dryer Brush 2.0

“The best blow dryer brush out there hands down is made by Amika,” says Shayna Gertman, aka The Ambitious Blonde, a hairstylist based at Sola Salon Studios in Delray Beach, Florida. “It’s great for all hair types. It gets hot, brush is sturdy, it’s good quality, and it’s lightweight.” It has an oval-shaped tourmaline-coated barrel, short nylon-ball-tipped bristles and three heat/speed settings (with a stylist-approved max of 240 degrees F).


Best Hair Dryer Brush For Fine Or Thinning Hair

A Beloved Styling Brush That Adds Just The Right Volume

MOST POPULAR

Dyson

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete

In addition to smoothing and flattening frizz, a good hair dryer brush can give texture and body—especially helpful for those with fine hair. The tools that come with this cult favorite Dyson brush allow you to do pretty much everything. “The Dyson Airwrap has many attachments for whatever hairstyle you want: smooth, waves, curls, bouncy, straight,” says Hauss. “It’s definitely worth the price.”

The newly launched iteration may be the most versatile one out there, with newly redesigned versions catering specifically to long hair and coily or curly hair as well. “This little machine can do it all,” says Renegar. “It takes very little skill since it creates a wind vortex and does most of the work for you. It’s also very gentle, and has three heat settings.”

Atlanta hairstylist Steve Hightower, who specializes in working with fine hair, adds that the Airwrap can comes with a learning curve—his clients are about 50/50 on it. “You have to take the time to learn how to use it,” he says.


Best Affordable Hair Dryer Brush

A Longtime Favorite Styling Tool

Revlon

Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer

This Revlon blow dry brush is a longtime favorite because it dries and styles at the same time and can produce the same salon-worthy look as some of its more expensive counterparts. Plus, it’s often on sale from an already affordable price, currently marked down to $41. It has three heat and speed settings but lacks attachments, making it less versatile than some others listed here.


Best Hair Dryer Brush For Novices

A Round Brush With A Straightforward Design

DryBar

Drybar The Double Shot Oval Blow-Dryer Brush

LA and D.C.–based celebrity hairstylist Cody Renegar recommends this easy-to-use round brush. It has three heat settings, nylon and tufted bristles and ion technology to seal the hair’s cuticle for frizz-free shine. It has a more straightforward design than its competitors. “It’s lightweight and a little smaller but still easy to work with, and its bristles are far apart and a little thicker so there’s less chance for it to get tangled in your hair,” says Renegar.


Best Hair Dryer Brush For Short Hair

A Budget-Friendly Option For Cropped Cuts

ULTA Beauty

Revlon One-Step 1.5-Inch Root Booster Round Brush Dryer And Styler

The shorter your hair, the smaller the barrel you should use, says Fantashia Hauss, a hairstylist at Paul Rehder Salon in Chicago. “Revlon makes a very affordable, easy-to-use brush,” she says. This 1.5-inch brush, a slimmer version of our other Revlon pick on this list, is designed for hair that’s collarbone length and up.


Best Hair Dryer Brush For Thick Hair

A Lightweight Option That Packs A Punch

Trademark Beauty

Easy Blo Dryer

“If your hair’s on the thicker, coarser side, I suggest buying a hair dryer that has titanium plates,” says Stephanie Angelone, master stylist at RPZL Hair Extension & Blowout Bar in New York. “It’s more powerful, dries hair faster and is usually a little lighter in weight, so it won’t be harsh on your arms if you have a lot of hair that takes longer to style.” The Easy Blo brush is nearly 20 percent lighter than other dryer brushes, which is great if you have a lot of hair. Plus, the dual bristles detangle and smooth in a single pass.


Best Hair Dryer Brush For Curly Hair

A Flat Iron Alternative

Hauss, who trained with Deva Curl and specializes in curly haircare, says this T3 brush is great for smoothing curly hair because it comes with a flat brush attachment and is infused with negative ions. “A flat brush attachment is key for smooth, sleek hair, and the negative ions help eliminate frizz and add shine,” she says. It also has 15 heat and speed options, so you can customize it to your hair and comfort level.


Best Hair Dryer Brush For Volume

Chi 4-in-1 Volumizer Blowout Brush

CHI

Chi Volumizer 4-in-1 Blowout Brush

This ceramic, ionic option is from Chi—maker of the flat iron one of my best friends has sworn by for more than 15 years (she lives in New Orleans, so she knows humidity). It comes with all the attachments you need to smooth, volumize, curl or blow out your hair. The nylon and tufted bristles also help grip hair securely for good tension. “Even though it only has a 100-watt DC motor, it has plenty of power to give you the complete blowout you desire,” says Renegar. “Plus, it has a very long cord.”

I like that Chi also specifies the heat it puts out with each attachment and on both the high and low heat settings. At its maximum—on high heat with the most intensely focused attachment, the nozzle—this tool reaches 245 degrees F, still well under what’s recommended for at-home use.


​​What To Look For In A Hair Dryer Brush

Shopping for a blow dryer brush is similar to shopping for a standard hair dryer or any other hot tool. You’ll find that the price range varies in a similar way, from drugstore prices around $30 to over $500 for high-end options. No matter what your budget is, you’ll want to look for certain features to make sure that it’s user-friendly and durable, and won’t damage your hair.

Temperature Settings

You shouldn’t use any hot tool that goes over 250 degrees at home, according to Hightower. Overheating your hair can not only damage the cuticle, causing split ends and drying it out all over, but it also causes expensive highlights or salon color to turn brassy or fade faster. You want a brush that tells you its maximum heat levels or offers more than one heat setting, so you can use the one that is best for your hair. And as with your regular hair dryer, a shot of cold air helps set your style, according to several experts.

Materials

For the barrel, look for one that’s made of ceramic, tourmaline or titanium, says Hauss. In general, “these are the best because they get hotter and spread the heat more evenly and safely on your hair,” she says.

If you want to get even more specific, titanium plates tend to work best on thicker hair, while ceramic is best for fine hair, according to Angelone. “Titanium is stronger powered and dries hair faster. It’s also usually a little lighter in weight so won’t be harsh on your arms if you have a lot of hair that takes longer to style,” she says. Meanwhile, ceramic plates “create shine and fullness with heat evenly distributed.”

Features

For all hair types, make sure that the barrel is infused with negative ions to help with smoothing and protecting hair.

Bristle-wise, look for sturdy nylon-coated ones with durable tips. Just as with a regular hair brush, the tips can wear down over time—in fact, heat speeds up the wear and tear. Exposed metal tips get extremely hot; you don’t want to be raking those through your ’do every day.

Ease Of Use

Avoid any unnecessary bells and whistles. I’m sure some people are great at using these and love them, but in my experience rotating hair tools are giant knots waiting to happen. Between the hot air sucking in while trying to manipulate the brush around your own head, there’s plenty going on already. It’s best to keep it simple. I didn’t hear from any hairstylists who recommend a rotating brush.


How To Use A Blow Dryer Brush

It may seem intuitive, but what’s actually the best way to use a hair dryer brush? We asked the pros for their expert tips and advice.

Prep Your Hair

Hightower emphasizes that haircare is just as important as the tools you use. First, don’t skip conditioner. You may have been told that it’ll weigh your hair down–exactly the opposite of what you’re going for with the brush, I know—but it’s necessary for healthy hair. “Just use it from the ears down,” he says.

Hightower also works frequently with clients who are going through chemotherapy and working with changing and thinning hair. A skillful blowout can give you more of the volume you’re missing. In addition to Nutrafol supplements to nourish the hair and scalp from the inside out, he suggests trying the Surface Awaken line: The shampoo has capsicum (a natural extract derived from nightshade vegetables like peppers) and menthol to stimulate the scalp.

Air Dry First

Blow dryer brushes may promise that they can take your hair straight from the shower to a salon-style finish, but it’s better to start with hair that’s mostly dry to reduce the amount of heat you’re putting on your hair (our experts specify between 50 to 80% dry). In reality I know it all depends on how much time you have, but the less time you’re exposing your hair to high heat, the better.

Always Use A Heat Protectant

Speaking of heat, you want to use a heat-protecting product with these dryers, just the same as you would with any other hot tool. Think of it more like using a curling iron or flat iron than a hair dryer. You’re applying the same kind of direct heat more slowly, in fact. That makes it even more crucial to use a heat protectant, be it a spray or a cream.

I know you got into this whole search to fix your hair faster in the morning, but trust me, it’s worth it to take the time for this extra step. To use it correctly, dispense or spray a small amount into your palm, rub gently to work it onto your hands and comb through damp hair with your fingers and palms from root to tip. You want to coat the entire strand.

Both Renegar and Hauss recommend Dr. Yates Hair Care Resuscitating Oil. It’s a hydrating blend of Moroccan argan oil, olive oil, vitamin E and macadamia seed oil.

Section Your Hair

I know this takes an extra minute too, but (again) it’s worth it. Heat moves more evenly and consistently through smaller amounts of hair. You wouldn’t try to wrap the entire bottom layer of your hair around a curling iron barrel at one time, would you? The same goes for a hair dryer brush. “Always go section by section to create bounce and evenly distributed heat, so you won’t get frizz or denting,” says Angelone.

You don’t have to be a total perfectionist about it. You can just pick up small sections one at a time if you’re going for a loose, wavy look. Want super smoothness or defined curls? Clip sections back as you work.

Keep It Moving

The key to using a hair dryer brush effectively is “in the movement,” says Renegar. “You want to twist the dryer brush and keep it in motion as you style.”

Cool Down

A little patience yields success here. If you’re using a curling attachment, like the Dyson Airwrap’s wand accessories, you want to let the shape set in your hair so that it lasts. If you’re finding that your hair is falling flat faster than you’d like, you might be using your hair dryer brush in too much of a hurry.

Renegar also recommends hitting each section of your hair with a shot of cool air to set the style, be it curly, wavy or sleek. “Blow cold air from the scalp to the ends to close the hair cuticle and set your style with bounce and shine.” He also likes to spritz on Aveda Air Control Light Hold Hairspray, saying “It sets your style while still moving freely, and is extremely touchable.”

Which Dyson hair brush is best?

Best Overall: Dyson Airwrap Styler Since then, the brand has made beauty waves with its hair straightener and this multi-use styler that can dry, curl, wave, or smooth your hair. This hot air brush is also a favorite of Ghamari, who says it's the best in terms of quality and versatility.

Does Dyson have a brush attachment?

Dyson-designed Paddle brush Or use it to smooth your hair before styling with the Dyson Corrale™ straightener.

Which hair dryer brush is least damaging?

Our experts generally preferr brushes with a combination of nylon and tufted bristles, which they say help create the best tension and control for styling most hair types. Ceramic bristles are also a good option as they help distribute heat evenly to prevent excess heat damage to hair.