Revlon's One-Step Hair Dryer Worked Magic on My Natural Hair

This past year has completely changed the way I think about my beauty routine. I’ve learned how to do my own eyelash extensions, I might never get a gel manicure in a salon again, and I even gave myself passion twists for a few weeks. As I coped with the "new normal," I stayed close to social media and my favorite publications to keep up with the latest at-home beauty trends.

All that said, tackling my natural hair without the help of my stylist was probably my biggest feat. I looked up and down for the best hair products and tools to help me style my hair. Naturally, I started getting served natural hair ads on Instagram and stumbled across a heated brush that dries and styles your hair simultaneously. I watched the girl in the video seamlessly brush through her curly hair with ease as her hair dried. My draw dropped to the floor when I checked YouTube to find that so many women were obsessed with the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler. I knew I had to try it for myself. Below find my honest review and everything you need to know about the product.

The Bottom Line:

The Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler easily dries, smooths, and styles even tight curls making it great for blow drying natural hair. 

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler $40.00

Shop

About My Hair: Thick and kinky

I have super thick, Type 4B hair that I’ve always struggled to manipulate. Even my mom complained that I had “too much hair,” as she worked it into the various ponytails and braid styles of a young Black girl. Because I couldn’t easily slick my hair into a cute low bun or wake up with salon-grade results, I’ve opted for protective styles since I transitioned and went natural in 2016. You’ll typically find me with sew-in, wigs, or braids.

The protective styles over the years have helped my hair grow longer and thicker. My hair is the healthiest it’s ever been. However, I still struggle to define, stretch, and hydrate my curls. Because my tightly-coiled hair has major shrinkage, it can take a lot of time and TLC to style. Being at home has given me that time and dedication to learn how to cherish my hair, but I needed a tool to help me finally straighten my hair at home by myself. 

The Feel: Just like brushing your hair

This tool is the easiest method of blowing out my hair that I’ve ever tried. In preparation for my blowout, I washed, conditioned, and deep-conditioned my hair. Because I was straightening it, I opted to avoid any other products, so not to weigh my hair down. To my surprise, my hair dried quickly without extra product on it. Next, I parted my hair into four sections and tied each up with a clip until I was ready for that section. Then, I sprayed each section with Tresemmé's Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray to protect against heat damage and applied a quarter-size amount of Chi's Silk Infusion Silk Reconstructing Complex.

 The One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler looks like an electronic paddle brush, where the hot air comes out through holes next to the bristles. It has three settings: cool, low, and high. For most of my head, I chose the low setting. To dry, I grabbed a small section of hair and simply brushed my hair with the paddle brush. To ensure I stretched my curls and straightened my roots as much as I could, I pulled the section close to the bottom of the hair, to create tension while brushing close to the root. The hot air and tension easily detangled and blew out my curls. I went over each section about three to five times with the brush. I would recommend adjusting how many passes you take with the brush based on the kinkiness of your hair and how straight you want it.

The dryer handle was surprisingly comfortable—however, the top of the handle near the brush head can get pretty hot, especially if you’re using the high setting. I recommend holding the dryer closer to the bottom of the handle or using a glove if you’re sensitive to heat. The dryer also features a six-foot swivel cord, which made it easy to maneuver the brush however I needed. 

The Before + After

The Results: Silky-straight hair without damage

I was going for a silky, straight blowout and I’m confident that this dryer is the best method I’ve tried to achieve that. It works through "ionic technology," which helps condition, smooth and make your hair shinier, while reducing frizz and static. I was able to easily brush through my hair in preparation for whatever style I was trying to do. I’m still shocked at how straight I was able to get my hair after just blow drying. Because my hair got so straight during the blow dry, I didn’t have to use as much heat or as many passes with my flat iron when I was ready to straighten it. That’s a huge win for me because I really wanted to avoid any heat damage. In the end, I was able to get the silky hair of my dreams that shocked both me and my roommates.  

The Value: Great results for an affordable price

I’m definitely the girl who will try anything known to give good results—but only if the price tag is budget-friendly. This dryer is easily the best hair tool I’ve purchased in a long time. It’s both effective and efficient, so, honestly, I can’t believe it’s so inexpensive.  

Similar Products: Other options can work depending on your hair and experience

Remington D3190 Damage Protection Hair Dryer ($20): Of course, there’s the traditional hair dryer. Most of us likely already have an old faithful that we’ve had for years. It’s gotten me through blow-drying my weaves and diffusing my natural hair, but it’s nearly impossible to blow out my hair as straight as the Revlon brush. Many people are able to successfully blow out their hair using a traditional blow dryer and a brush of some sort, but for my tight curls, it takes nearly three hours for decent results.

Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer ($60): This hair dryer is similar to the one I used, but opts for an oval brush instead of the paddle brush. The oval brush is meant to deliver volume while drying and smoothing. This dryer might be a good option for you if you dream of volume and prefer to use a round brush with your blowout.

Our Verdict: This is a game-changer

Overall, this heated brush has completely changed the way I perceive my hair. I feel more confident to try out new hairstyles now that I’ve found a tool that helps me style my hair.