21-03-2025
As Someone Who Doesn't Know Much About Styling Their Hair, I Use This Thermal Brush To Fake A Perfect Blowout
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Style
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Doing my hair is not my strong suit — but this brush makes it look like it is.
When it comes to hair products, it seems like there's a new, must-have tool every month — like Dyson AirWrap, Shar FlexStyler, or BondiBoost AirStyler. (And of course, we've tried them all.)
As someone with thick, frizzy hair that tends to have a slight wave, I set out to buy a hair tool at the beginning of this year. I was honestly overwhelmed with all the tools that were being shoved down my throat through my social media algorithms, so I had no idea which one to buy.
BuzzFeed
Since I was mostly interested in achieving the "blowout" look with the occasional curly 'do, I knew I didn't need a complex tool with a thousand different attachments. I also already have a conventional blowdryer so I wasn't necessarily looking to add another drying tool to my collection.
After doing some research, I decided I wanted a thermal brush, which can give you a "blowout" look without any of the hassle. Once I saw this video from Danielle Athena (@danielleathena), I knew exactly which tool I was going to buy.
In the video, Danielle uses the WavyTalk HeatWave Pro Thermal Brush to smooth out her curly hair, and the results were stunning.
My hair isn't quite as long or curly as Danielle's, so I figured if the tool can do wonders on her hair, it would definitely be able to work its magic on mine.
So, I decided to put it to the test. I purchased the Heatwave Pro Set ($99) which comes with three brush heads of varying sizes (1.2", 1.5", and 1.75"), a heat-safe glove, two hair clips, and a convenient travel case. With the different brush heads, the Heatwave Pro can give you a bunch of different looks including a bouncy blowout, tighter curls, and sleek volume.
Jen Adams
There are also options for those who want the tool without any extra brush heads. WavyTalk sells the Blowout Boost ($59) and the Heatwave Pro ($69) which gives you the blowout look, but I decided to get the set because I was interested in experimenting with curly and sleek looks.
After about 3 months of testing it out, I feel like I've gotten the hang of everything and I'm ready to share my thoughts. I've detailed my process for a bouncy-blowout look with "c-curls", below:
I'll preface that I'm definitely not a pro at using the tool and still have a lot of room for improvement. But for the most part, I'm able to get the look that I want from this tool despite my lack of technique.
This is how my hair looks when I first wake up. It's thick, pretty frizzy, and has a slight wave to it.
Jen Adams
I know most people style their hair right after taking a shower but realistically, that's not happening for me. I've been styling it on dry hair (with the help of a couple of products) and I think it has turned out just fine.
The first thing I do is spray Lush's Super Milk conditioning hair primer ($22) all over my hair and brush out any tangles. I absolutely love this stuff. It smells so good and moisturizes my hair really well.
After my hair is tangle-free, I use about a quarter-sized amount of Creme of Nature's argan oil heat protectant ($7) and run it through my hair.
Then, I split my hair into four sections (top right, bottom right, top left, bottom left), using hair ties and clips to pin each section away from my face. I like to begin styling on one of my bottom sides.
Then, I turn on the brush and set it to 360° degrees. For this look, I used the 1.2 inch brushhead.
Jen Adams
The tool also has four other temperature modes (300 °, 330 °, 390 °, and 420 ° degrees), but I've found 360 ° degrees is the lowest heat setting that makes the style last the longest.
Basically, the idea is, for whichever side I'm styling, I'll use the opposite hand to hold the tool. For example, in this photo, I'm styling the right side, so I'm using the left to hold the base of the brush. The glove goes on the hand not holding the tool, which in this case, is my right hand.
After grabbing a small section of hair, I place the brush underneath the hair and comb through my strands halfway, not letting it brush through my hair completely. Then, I twirl my wrist to let my hair wrap around the bristles, brushing my hair out partially and repeating this process until there's about 2 inches of space from the root of my hair.
The result is a slight curl at the bottom of my hair, as pictured.
I repeat this entire process for the rest of my right side. Section by section, I do the same twirling motion with the tool to create the subtle curl at the end of my hair.
Jen Adams
For the other side of my hair, it's pretty similar, only I switch hands – since I'm styling the left side, I hold the tool with my right and wear the glove on my other hand. The idea is to create subtle curls that flip in toward my face.
Lastly, I take the front pieces and place the brush on the outside of the hair, rolling it up opposite the direction of how it naturally grows. After waiting a few seconds, I brush it through.
This time, the curls flip outward to create an extra bouncy look.
This is the end result – a flippy, bouncy look!
It looks super exaggerated at first but with each day that passes the curl will slowly fade and look more natural.
Jen Adams
For those curious, this whole process takes me about 35-40 minutes, but I have very thick hair, so I think that's pretty standard.
Overall, I really love this brush. Ever since I started using it, I've gotten a ton of compliments about how bouncy and shiny my hair looks, and I feel super glamorous! It does take a few times to get the hang of, but once you learn how to use it, the hair styling possibilities are endless. Most of all, I love how forgiving it is. I still make mistakes and don't create "perfect" curls every time. Despite my amateur technique, this brush still gives me super bouncy, frizz-free hair.
PROS:
• Affordable: For the price ($99), this set is completely worth the money. Three different brush heads, a heat-safe glove, two hair clips, and travel case are included in the set.
• Easy for Beginners: If you're just beginning your hair styling journey like me, this is the perfect way catch-all styling tool that can both straighten and curl your hair. By the third time I used it, I felt comfortable enough to go out in public with the results.
• De-Frizzes Hair: This brush really does get rid of my frizz. It's incredible.
• Heats Quickly: This brush takes about 3-4 minutes to heat up to 360 degrees.
• Style Holds For Up to 4 Days: When I use this brush, my hair looks amazing for days. The curl fades slightly with each day that passes, but even on Day 4, it still looks much better than if I had done nothing to it at all.
CONS:
• Minor Button Issue: When twirling the tool, there have been a few times when I've accidentally pressed the temperature button and changed the heat setting. It's not a huge deal because it's not like the heat turns completely off, it just switches to the hotter setting (420 degrees) which can be quickly fixed. Still annoying though.
If you're looking for a relatively affordable, basic tool that can give you a hassle-free blowout look, I would highly recommend the WavyTalk Heatwave Pro Set. It has truly been a game changer for my hair!
Get the products:
• WavyTalk HeatWave Pro Thermal Brush Set ($99)
• Lush's Super Milk conditioning hair primer ($22)
• Creme of Nature's argan oil heat protectant ($7)
What do you use to style your hair? Let me know in the comments!
