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This Babyliss hot brush takes my hair from limp to voluminous

Are you ready to up your hair game?

Olivia Perl
Friday 31 May 2024 10:15 EDT
(The Independent)

Achieving a bouncy blowdry at home can take time. But it’s also a skill that takes a while to get right. The tools you use can make all the difference though, especially if you struggle to juggle a round brush and a hairdryer.

A brand steeped in hair history is Babyliss – it was founded by French hairstylists Rene Lelievre and Roger Lemoine in the Sixties who innovated on the curling tong and sold its tools to other professionals. As the brand has grown, it’s branched out into other offerings, including straighteners, hair dryers and hot brushes and it’s well known for being a go-to for affordable products that don’t skimp on quality.

Designed to do it all, the four-in-one hair dryer brush carries on this tradition, using advanced plasma technology and a moisture-balancing dual ionic system to tame hair and give the appearance of a salon fresh blow-dry without all the faff. But is it too good to be true? I put it to the test to find out.

How I tested the Babyliss hair dryer brush

I used the tool on my fringe to see whether it could give it some added oomph – and it delivered
I used the tool on my fringe to see whether it could give it some added oomph – and it delivered (Olivia Perl)

As someone with naturally wavy, verging on frizzy hair (especially in certain weather), who struggles with the hand-eye co-ordination of blowdrying my hair with a round brush and hair dryer, my main priority was to test how easy the hair dryer brush was to use. Outside of that, I noted whether the brush attachments caught on my hair, if I saw a reduction in frizz and whether I got those salon results that have always alluded me at home. I assessed how quickly it took my locks from damp to styled and also used it on small sections to see if it could give it some added oomph, such as my fringe.

Babyliss hydro fusion four-in-one hair dryer brush

babyliss hot brush review indybest.png
  • Attachments: Four – smoothing brush, straightening brush, volumising brush and a regular hair dryer
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight
    • Easy to use
    • Controls frizz
    • Cuts down styling time

As the name suggests, the Babyliss hydro fusion four-in-one hair dryer brush comes with four attachments – a smoothing brush, straightening brush, volumising brush and a regular hair dryer that’s shaped more like a dehumidifier than your regular run-of-the-mill blow dryer.

After washing my hair, I used the dryer attachment to get my hair around 80 per cent dry, noticing how easily it clipped into the body of the tool. Because I was only rough drying, I didn’t take too much care when it came to keeping frizz to a minimum, knowing I was about to style it with a different attachment.

Once my hair was about 80 per cent dry, I switched over to the volumising attachment which has a round brush head with spikey bristles that pick up and style each strand. Sectioning off the top section of my hair, I rolled the tool underneath the bottom layer from the hairline to the ends and repeated this around the rest of my head, finishing the bottom layer and working my way up to the top section. All in all, it took around 10 minutes to style using the volumising attachment.

Read more: Shark’s new hair dryer impressed us - here’s why you need it

I was seriously impressed with how lightweight and manoeuvrable the hair dryer brush was, and I loved how the round brush head wasn’t too big, meaning I got more defined volume and was even able to create a few soft curls by twisting the brush down and through my hair.

The dual ionic technology, where positive and negative ions work together to reduce frizz and keep hair hydrated, was evident up to a point, but my hair needed a little oil afterwards to keep it all looking smooth and in place.

The next time I used the tool I tried the smoothing brush and I was just as impressed with the sleek shiny finish of my hair afterwards.

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The verdict: Babyliss four-in-one hair dryer brush

The Babyliss hydro fusion four-in-one hair dryer brush has changed my hair styling game upgrading my look from limp to A-list without needing to become a pro at blowdrying my hair. The tool is lightweight and easy to use and the brush attachments don’t tug on my hair, plus they give my hair a different finish, from sleek to voluminous which is perfect for packing in a suitcase and taking on holiday.

If you also want to give your hair some extra oomph without too much extra effort, the four-in-one styler needs to be added to your basket, pronto.

Looking for more hair recommendations? Read our review of the Dyson supersonic nural hair dryer

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