I tested the viral Wavytalk thermal brush. I didn't love it, but here's why you might

CNN

15-05-2025

The Wavytalk Blowout Boost Thermal Brush has been a fixation on my social media lately, but it's been making waves on TikTok for a couple of years now. It's one of those viral beauty products that seems too good to be true, just because some of the hair transformations using the tool seem that unbelievable.
After stalking it on TikTok for a while, I was left with questions that I wanted answered. How is it different from a blowout brush? Can it curl my hair? Will it replace other styling tools in my routine? Here's what I found out once I got my hands on the thermal brush.
Wavytalk Blowout Boost Thermal Brush
This heated round brush smoothes and styles hair, giving you a blowout effect with minimal effort. The thermal brush has five heat settings and works on all hair types, although we found it most effective on textured hair. With thousands of TikTok videos of Blowout Boost hair transformations and tutorials on different hair types, it really seems like a miracle styling tool. One of the most convincing videos, which has 21.5 million views, shows a girl using it on her super-long, curly hair. The thermal brush glides through her hair with surprisingly little effort and you immediately see a difference with just one pass. With two passes, her hair is smooth and straight, with a bit of a curl at the ends. In other videos on straighter hair, it achieves bouncy volume and relaxed curls.
For $60, it's also relatively affordable, and you'll most likely find it on sale on Amazon, according to our price tracking.
Yes and no. After a month of testing, I think the Wavytalk Blowout Boost is a nice tool for smoothing and giving a bit of volume, but it's better suited for wavy and curly hair (types 2 and 3). Although it looks like a blow-dryer brush, it doesn't circulate hot air, instead simply heating up like a curling iron. This means you'll want to use it on dry hair only, and you can treat it like any other hot tool and prep your hair with heat protectant.
For naturally straight hair like mine, it was difficult to get enough tension to build up the curls. Most of the time, I ended up with a bit of a curl toward the ends only. My hair is also a mix of medium and thick strands, and I often struggle with getting curls to last. I used the Blowout Boost on the highest heat setting (it has five total, ranging from 300 to 420 degrees Fahrenheit), and my style would typically last most of the day but fall out within a few hours on humid days.
As someone who has tested a bunch of blowout brushes, it was easy to use the same technique with the Wavytalk thermal brush. I also like that it is lightweight, heats up within a minute and has dual voltage for traveling. The placement of the buttons on the handle is a bit annoying, however, and I found myself accidentally changing the heat settings often during my styling.
Since I wasn't totally convinced that it was worth the hype, I asked my colleague and associate testing writer Carolina Gazal to try it on her plentiful curls. Seeing it in action on her hair was a different story. Similar to that mega-viral video, the Blowout Boost required a couple of passes on each section of Gazal's curly hair but smoothed it out surprisingly well. With the tool on the highest heat setting, it took her about a little over half an hour to style all her hair. She was left with plenty of volume and a classic blowout effect. Gazal said she was impressed with the tool and thought it was worth the hype.
While the Blowout Boost might not be the best fit for my hair, I have plenty of other recommendations for hair styling tools that can achieve a similar effect. Here are five tools I've personally tried for an at-home blowout.
Revlon One-Step Volumizer Plus 2.0
Revlon's original blow-dryer brush, along with this newer model, are both CNN Underscored favorites for fast and effective blowouts at home. The oval-shaped brush dries and styles hair simultaneously. With the newer version, you get less high-heat exposure, a slimmer handle and a detachable head for a slightly upgraded experience. Plus, it's often on sale for the same price as the original.Read our review
Shark SmoothStyle Heated Comb and Blow-Dryer Brush
A heated brush that does a bit more, Shark's SmoothStyle tool has settings for wet and dry hair. I recommend it for curly hair types since you can use the blow-dry setting to start the smoothing process and then follow with the heated comb mode to really set your hair in a sleek blowout. The heated comb setting is also great for touch-ups between wash days.
Wavytalk Cool Curl Airflow Styler
For naturally straight hair like mine, I would go with Wavytalk's Cool Curl over the Blowout Boost. Since straight hair doesn't need a lot of extra smoothing action, the styling is really in the curl when it comes to the blowout effect. With this curler, you can create a range of volumized styles and have a bit more control than with the Blowout Boost.
T3 AireBrush Round Hair Dryer Brush
Many blow-dryer brushes have oval-shaped heads, but this one is round, making it a closer comparison to the Wavytalk Blowout Boost. The wet-to-dry styler has a larger 2.5-inch round brush and gives a similar bouncy, voluminous effect.
Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long
The multi-styler that every other brand has tried to compete with, Dyson's Airwrap is truly at the top of its class. It's a hair dryer, blowout brush and curling iron in one, giving you the most range for achievable styles. Read our review If you're after a beginner-friendly styling tool that won't break the bank, Wavytalk's Blowout Boost is a great option, especially for wavy and curly hair types. The magic of this tool seems to be in its smoothing power, which was evident when Gazal put it to the test on her curls. You won't get as dramatic of a transformation if you have straight hair, but it will still give you a blowout effect.
Can I use a Wavytalk thermal brush on wet hair?
Can I use a Wavytalk thermal brush on wet hair?
No, it is not a wet-to-dry styling tool like a blow-dryer brush. It should only be used on dry hair.
How hot does the Wavytalk thermal brush get?
How hot does the Wavytalk thermal brush get?
The thermal brush's highest heat setting is 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does the Wavytalk Thermal Brush turn off automatically?
Does the Wavytalk Thermal Brush turn off automatically?
No, it does not have auto-shutoff.
CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when applicable to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this story, beauty and fashion editor Sophie Shaw tested the viral Wavytalk Thermal Brush and enlisted the help of associate testing writer Carolina Gazal to see how well it works on different hair types.