Revlon hair dryer brush review: Our beauty writer puts the viral One-Step Volumizer to the test

Building a cult following online, this viral Revlon hair dryer brush has not only amassed 592 million views on TikTok but has become an Amazon beauty best-seller. So, naturally, our beauty writer tried and tested the popular tool to see whether it was actually worth the hype...

Acting as the best hair dryer and styling brush in one, the Revlon One-Step Volumiser promises to deliver the ultimate bouncy blow-dry, equipped with a boost of volume and a smooth finish - just minus the pricey trip to the salon. Amassed a huge 25,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, shoppers dub this affordable tool as one of the best Dyson Airwrap alternatives (which is quite a big statement, if you ask us). So, with my intrigue piqued, I made it my mission to compare this styler to the popular luxe buy, which costs close to £500, to see whether it really lives up to its hype.

Promising to suit any hair type, from curly hairstyles to those styling straight hair, I was curious to see how it fares on my poker-straight hair - spoiler, just one glance at my before and after photos proves this hair dryer brush can really work some magic. So, of course, I had to get my hands on the highly sought-after device, putting it to the test to see whether it's worth adding to your hair tools assortment. Detailing how easy the model is to use to the all-important results, here's how I got on with the fan-favourite tool...

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Annie Milroy

Annie Milroy is woman&home's Beauty Writer and has also assisted on numerous fashion & beauty shoots during her career. She's also interviewed the likes of Claudia Winkleman, Nadia Hussain and Rochelle Humes, as well as the industry’s finest experts in skincare, make-up, hair, body and health.

Our beauty writer's Revlon hair dryer brush review

Revlon One-Step Volumizer design

When it comes to design, the Revlon One-Step Volumizer differs somewhat from other hot brushes. Many other models, such as the BaByliss Big Hair Blow Dry Brush, boast a rotating cylindrical brush head, which are designed to replicate the pull-and-wrap technique of a salon hairstylist. But, I must admit, this device is a lot simpler and easier to use - both major ticks in my book.

While the brush head is on the larger side, with its diameter measuring at a sizeable 7cm, it actually allows you to work through each section of hair, styling at a fairly rapid pace - which is especially useful if you have a long hairstyle or particularly thick strands. Its non-moving, oval-shaped head helps you achieve smoothness via the flat side, while the gently rounded edges offer that signature volume and flick you'd get from a traditional blowout.

As for the bristles, they're made from a mixture of nylon pins to help detangle and tufted bristles that smooth the hair. It's worth noting that these did an excellent job at passing through my locks, without knotting and resulting in a tangled mess. The brush also boasts a cool tip at the end, meaning you have ultimate styling control and gain the maximum tension on the strands with each pass. Of course, we have to mention the colourways which arrive in teal, mint and classic pink, all of which add a more uplifting element to your hair dryer stand than your average black or grey dryer.

How well does it perform?

Design is all well and good but how the tool actually performs is the most crucial part of the review. Upon first impressions, I found the hair dryer to be slightly bulky which caused me concern thanks to my little to no upper arm strength.

Much to my surprise, despite its weighty design, the tool was easy to use and manoeuvre. I started by sectioning off my damp hair and added lashings of my best heat protection spray before getting to work twisting my hair around the brush. After just 12 minutes (yes, I timed it) I was left with a respectable blowout, boasting silky smooth strands and the highly-desired classic blow dry flicks that you'd expect from a salon visit.

Cutting my usual drying and styling time in half, this clever 2-in-1 brush was both quick and easy to use. I tend to avoid washing and styling my locks in the morning, postponing the hefty task until the evenings, in order to get more beauty sleep but this tool means I can completely style my hair within 15 minutes. While it may not be that quick for everyone – like I said, I have fine, straight hair – it will save most people from using numerous tools and shave time off your morning routine.

Does it come with any attachments?

In terms of extra attachments, the Revlon One-Step Volumizer doesn’t come with any fancy nozzles or diffusers. The box simply arrives with the brush itself and a handy instruction booklet, and while I appreciate its simplicity, this could be a negative if you like your hairdryer to offer styling versatility through snazzy gadgetry, like the Dyson Airwrap Styler or Shark FlexStyle.

On a more positive note, the Revlon hair dryer brush already comes equipped with everything you need for achieving a smooth, salon-worthy blowout. Its non-detachable brush head means there’s no wondering around which nozzle to use, no time wasted swapping accessories over and no panic because you’ve misplaced the volumising attachment.

How does it compare to the Dyson Airwrap?

Let's face it, nowadays most people want to know how any hair tool compares to the Dyson Airwrap. On a surface level, this tool doesn't bear any resemblance to the luxe tool, due to the lack of styling attachments and innovative drying technology, however I do believe it can produce similar results to using the straight, round volumising and smoothing brush heads of the Airwrap.

The design is definitely something worth considering if you're comparing these two tools. The Revlon is louder, bulkier, gets hotter and is also not as versatile. However, if you're simply looking to replicate a straight salon blow dry then, with certain brush head attachments, both the Revlon and the Dyson will create similar sleek results.

While the Revlon hair dryer brush isn't going to create bouncy Hollywood curls or smaller defined ringlets, if you're looking for a smoothing and volume-boosting effect (without the eye-watering price tag) this is a great option.

What’s not good about the Revlon Hair Dryer Brush?

Boasting 1100-watt power, the One Step Volumiser certainly packs a punch but with that comes a fair bit of noise – so if you’re used to the whisper of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer you may find this slightly jarring. When testing I noticed that it blows out a fair bit of hot air, which, when right next to your face, can be quite uncomfortable - side note, I'd recommend using it before applying any makeup. When using on the highest heat setting, this brush can also get very warm, so rosy-cheeked girls (like me) will emerge looking like they’ve just sat in a sauna for half an hour.

As for the settings, they can be operated using a twistable ring around the base of the dryer, which makes styling a bit of a faff as it means you can't style with one hand, having to turn the tool around to try and change the settings when using it. As previously mentioned, this brush is on the bulky side and feels quite heavy compared to other styling tools I've tested – but when you consider that it’s a hairdryer and styler in one, it’s completely understandable. Speaking of, I can imagine it would take up a lot of space and weight in a suitcase if travelling, which is worth bearing in mind if you're planning to take the tool away with you.

Revlon hair dryer brush review: Our verdict

As someone with low-maintenance fine and straight hair, this hair tool was always going to produce decent results, but even I was impressed by its powerful ability. I tend to get overwhelmed by the abundance of curling tongs and luxury stylers that are available on the market, but I appreciated how straightforward this tool was to use and how easy it was to achieve results. Let's put it this way, if I can produce salon-worthy hair, then literally anybody can.

I loved the fact that this is a two-in-one dryer and styler, meaning you not only cut your styling time in half but also get more bang for your buck. I can't stress how easy it is to use, and I haven’t heard of anyone not being able to master this or having anything negative to say about the results, either. While it’s not going to give you glamorous red carpet-ready curls, it will give you your best-looking hair and yields similar slick results to those achieved with the straight brush of the Dyson Airwrap (for about an 8th of the price). It's a brilliant alternative for this attachment, but admittedly not as versatile or glam-looking.

Considering the price and its guaranteed results, I can’t think of any reason not to purchase this hair tool. Echoing the thousands of reviews online that claim it's one of the best hair tools on the market, I can vouch for the transformative powers of this dryer and styler. So if you’re after effortlessly styled, salon-worthy tresses, this absolute gem promises to have your back. I think it's most definitely one of the best hair dryer brushes around and absolutely worth the hype.