Some products show up everywhere — subway ads, Instagram, celeb endorsements. With this series, we're testing such products to conclude one thing: Does it live up to the hype?
What’s everyone talking about?
The Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush, a 2-in-1 hair-drying and -styling device.
What’s the buzz about?
Hot air dryers may not be new, but their easy 2-in-1 functionality is nothing short of a novel concept. Even though the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush launched back in 2016, the hype around this hair tool hasn't slowed since.
Where’s all the hype coming from?
- Years of coverage and reviews from sites like Wirecutter, Byrdie, and CNN Underscored
- Tons of tutorials and hacks from TikTok's fan base
- Word of mouth ... chances are, someone you know has tried it for themselves!
So does it live up to the hype?
How’d we come to this conclusion?
The Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush claims to give fresh-from-the-salon-chair volume, and scores of search results and social media videos constantly reaffirm this as reviewers with various hair types and textures test it out on camera. I've owned this device since 2019, and while it does have some limitations, it makes hair drying and styling at the same time incredibly easy.
➥ How It Works
A quick rundown on the device itself: The Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush is 13 inches long and weighs just over a pound. Its dryer brush has plastic spokes, as well as shorter fibrous bristles, and the brush head is a wide oval shape.
It has three blow settings that you can toggle between: high, low, and cool. As with any type of hair dryer or hot tool, it's a good idea to prep your hair with a heat protectant before you use it. When switched on, the dryer blows through the brush head, and you can brush your hair through with it, twirling the device continuously in place until the section is dry.
➥ How We Use It
You can use the Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush to blow-dry wet hair, but to be honest, I don't do this very often. When I go from wet to dry with this dryer brush, I feel like it dries out my ends while leaving my scalp somewhat damp. Instead, I use it to revitalize day-old hair that's been bent out of shape by bedhead.
To use it, I spritz my dry hair generously with water, clip up the top half, and then use the dryer brush on the “cool” setting until my strands are dry and sleek. I continue to brush through each section of my hair, spraying certain top sections with a little more water and heat to better frame my face. My hair texture is currently a straight-ish 1b, and my blow-out styling (wet or dry) is done in just 9 minutes with this device.
Two of my colleagues are also long-time Revlon Hot Air Brush users, and they have their own tricks for tailoring the device to their needs. Our art production manager Bridget Clegg started using it over a year ago and mainly uses it to style her 1c-texture hair for special occasions. She says, “If I let my wavy hair air dry for about 15 minutes and section it off properly, it takes roughly 12 minutes to dry and style. The brush itself is fairly bulky with a wide diameter, so I find it tough to get the roots completely dry. I’ve only really mastered the curling-under technique, but I love how bouncy it makes my ends!”
Parenting editor Cat Bowen has gone from a 3a/3b texture to a slightly less coiled 2c, but she says that the Revlon Dryer Brush still does its job. She says, “I have naturally curly hair, and it’s one of the few products that smooths and shapes my hair without fuss. I also recently bleached my hair, and that really changed the texture of my strands, so I’ve been relying on the styler more than ever.”
➥ Quirks and Limitations
Revlon's One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush isn't completely without its flaws. The device itself is slightly bulky and can be a bit tricky to store. Also, if you have hair that's shoulder-length or shorter, the brush may not grab onto your hair as easily as it can with longer strands, so a traditional blow dryer may be less of a hassle for you to use. Our aforementioned editor Cat also pointed out that she never uses the Dryer Brush’s high heat setting, saying, “I only use it on low or cool settings because it’s hotter than the surface of the sun.”
And while the Revlon’s “One-Step” moniker may be true for people with straight or fine textures who can dry and style their hair in one fell swoop, beauty reviewers with curly or natural hair have noted that the Revlon Dryer Brush actually doesn't have the capability to straighten their hair in the same way. It can still work great as a hairdryer alternative for those with coily hair, but ultimately, a flat iron would be needed to provide that straightened finish that this dryer brush promises.
What’s the bottom line?
The Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hot Air Brush isn't perfect, but it makes for a pretty great hair dryer alternative for a wide range of hair types. However, its bulky brush head, minimal heat settings, and limitations on styling different hair textures prevent it from being a universal, holy-grail product.
Compared to other dryer brushes on the market, though, Revlon's is on the more affordable end, and the device seems to be on sale frequently throughout the year. If you are willing to work through the quirks of this product and follow up with additional styling tools if needed, we still think it's one of the most unique and fun-to-use hair products you can buy on a budget.
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