Thermal Brush Guide: Ceramic Rounds, Hot Brushes and Blowout Sprays

Thermal Brush Guide: Ceramic Rounds, Hot Brushes and Blowout Sprays

A thermal brush is a ceramic-barrel round brush that holds heat and shapes hair as you dry it. These are the round and paddle brushes, heated brushes and blowout sprays I would pick, plus how to match barrel size to your hair length.

The blowout became its own category in February 2010, when Drybar opened its first shop in Brentwood, Los Angeles, offering a wash and a blow-dry and nothing else. The Los Angeles Times covered it that year as a styling-only salon concept. The tool behind that bouncy, smooth finish is a round brush, and a thermal brush is the version with a ceramic barrel that heats as your dryer blows over it. That is the thing I would learn first if you want a blowout at home.

Grid one is all round and paddle brushes. Mane BRB 1.7 inch Ceramic Round Hair Brush is the lead here: the brand says the barrel is ceramic coated, heats evenly, adds shine and withstands up to 482 degrees, and that the size suits hair that is shoulder length or longer. The 1.3 inch BRB is the smaller sibling. Drybar Half Pint is a small round brush for curls and volume in short to medium hair, and the Full Pint 2.25 inch is for medium to long hair. amika Blowout Babe is a thermal round brush that emits far-infrared heat, and BaBylissPRO The Thermal Round Brush has five heat settings up to 430 degrees. Moroccanoil Ionic Ceramic Thermal Brush at 55 millimeters and the Ceramic Paddle Brush both use ionic and ceramic properties.

A quick test: pick the barrel by hair length. If a brush will not turn once through your ends without tangling, it is too small.

Big numbers collage for Thermal Brush: six products from Mane, Drybar, BondiBoost, amika and Living Proof, each set beside a large numeral
Thermal Brush

Thermal round and paddle brushes

Hot brushes and dryer brushes

Heated brushes take the dryer out of the picture, or put it inside the brush. BondiBoost Infrared Heated Thermal Hot Round Brush uses infrared technology for volume and bounce, and the Long Barrel version is made to heat hair gently for sleek, voluminous styles. Mane Get Ur Sleek On is a heated straightening brush with preset temperatures from 200 to 450 degrees. ghd Rise Volumizing Thermal Hot Brush lifts roots and creates body, while ghd Glide Smoothing Hot Brush is made for taming dry hair and second day styling.

If you want a dryer and a brush in one, Drybar The Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush combines hot air with the structure of a round brush. amika Hair Blow Dryer Brush 2.0 is a new version that the brand says gives two times the shine, and Moroccanoil 4-in-1 Blow-Dryer Brush combines a round brush, blow-dryer, straightener and curler.

Pairing tip: work in small sections and let each one cool in the curve of the brush before you release it. That cooling moment is what sets the bounce.

What I would skip: a heated brush on wet hair. Dry it about 80 percent first, then finish with the brush.

Heated brushes and blow-dryer brushes

Sprays and creams that finish the blowout

A thermal brush works better with something on the hair. Living Proof Full Dry Volume and Texture Spray adds volume or texture, and it lists heat protection among its benefits. amika Brooklyn Bombshell Blowout Spray is a lightweight blowout-priming spray with a crunch-free finish. Olaplex Volumizing Hair Heat Protective Weightless Blowout Mist is a reparative blow-dry mist for lasting body and bounce. JVN Complete Blowout Styling Milk is a lightweight, heat-activated styling cream that adds smoothness and style memory.

For smoothing, Living Proof No Frizz Smooth Styling Cream is silicone free and made for medium hair types. Virtue 6-in-1 Vitamin E Hair Smoothing Styler primes hair and protects from heat, and Gisou Honey Milk 5-in-1 Styling Cream gives heat protection up to 450 degrees with flexible hold. Crown Affair The Smoothing Air Dry Hair Styling Cream is a multitasking cream for medium and thick hair that defines natural texture and reduces frizz.

How I use them: a spray at the roots for lift, a cream through the ends for smoothness, never both in a heavy layer.

What I would skip: a thick cream on fine hair before a round brush. It will go flat, so choose a spray like Living Proof Full Dry or amika Brooklyn Bombshell.

Blowout sprays and styling creams

Picking the right size and heat

Match the barrel to your length. A smaller brush like Drybar Half Pint suits short to medium hair, while a 1.7 inch or 2.25 inch barrel suits longer lengths. Start at a lower heat setting and go up only if your hair is not holding the shape. Add a heat protectant every time, and dry most of the way before the brush touches your hair. A thermal brush is a small tool that pays you back in bounce, so give it a few tries before you decide it is not for you.