How to Use a Hot Air Brush for That Runway Look

how to use a hot air brush

Using a hot air brush or hot air styler can help you achieve flawlessly styled hair without needing a team of people or a myriad of hair styling tools. Hot air brushes can smoothen, straighten, and curl your hair – all in one device while also adding shine and volume. They eliminate the need for other hair tools like curling or straightening irons and minimises the need to blow dry your tresses as well. With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder people are choosing to add them to their hair care routine.

This article explains how to use a hot air brush like the pros so you can start styling your hair quickly and efficiently every time. Whether you want curls or straight hair, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn all about hot air brushes and how to make them work for your specific type of hair.

What Is a Hot Air Brush?


A hot air brush is similar to a regular hairbrush, but it has heated bristles and metal plates or a blow dryer-type feature built into the design.

How do hot air brushes work? They function just like a blow dryer, a straightener, and a hairbrush combined but with some added versatility. This allows you to style your hair in a variety of ways using just one tool.

The two main designs you will find for a hot air brush are the paddle type and the round brush. The round style brushes often have the ability to rotate – which makes them easier to use. A rotating option is also great for making curls. The paddle-style brush is ideal for straightening your hair.

You may be able to find a cordless hot brush, especially with newer models. But for the most part, they tend to be corded.

Set Yourself up for Success


Before you begin using your hot brush, there are a couple of things you can do to prepare for the process, especially if you are using a heated air brush for the first time.

First, start by taking a look at the user manual. They tend to offer helpful tips pertaining to their specific brush model. You can also find troubleshooting tips in the event you run into any issues.

Second, familiarise yourself with the temperature settings and any other mode options on the brush. Most hot brushes have multiple heat settings and a cool setting, just like you see on blow dryers.

How to Use Your Hot Air Brush Like a Professional: A Step by Step Tutorial

The following instructions are divided into five sections: preparing your hair, the basic procedure, straightening, curling, and finishing touches for whichever styling method you choose. Ideally, this will allow you to easily reference the parts you need and skip the ones you don’t.

Getting Your Hair Ready for the Hot Air Brush

Before you turn your heated hairbrush on, follow these steps to ensure your hair is ready and in the best condition for heat styling.

Step 1: Wash or Wet Your Hair

a woman holding a towelDamp hair provides the best results when it comes to using hot air stylers. To get your hair ready, start by washing or, at the very least, wetting your hair.

Can you use a heated air brush on dry hair? In short, yes. They can be used as a tool for touch-ups or finishing purposes, but hot air styling brushes are nowhere near as effective on dry hair. They are also more likely to damage dry hair or overly wet hair.

Step 2: Dry About 80% of Your Hair

Towel dry your wet hair well. You can either wait a few moments after towel drying or, if you’re in a hurry, use a hairdryer to blow dry your hair for a short time. Just make sure not to over-dry it if you opt for this route. You’re most likely to get the best results if it is about 80% dry.

Step 3: Protect Your Hair With a Specially Designed Haircare Product

Use a heat protection spray to prepare your hair for the hot brush. Many of these types of spray are designed for specific hair types, making them more effective. Choose one that suits your hair type and apply it completely – hair, roots and all.

Step 4: Remove Any Tangles in Your Hair

To ensure your hot brush runs through your mane smoothly, use a regular brush or comb to remove any tangles from your hair that may have developed while washing.

Step 5: Clip Your Hair Into Manageable Sections

This step is optional but needed to achieve the best results. Part and clip your hair into larger sections. We like doing four sections, one on the top or crown of your head, one on each side, and at the back. This makes it easier to get all pieces of your hair with the hot air brush and prevents pulling and possible breakage as well.

The Basic Hot Air Brush Method:

Step 1: Plug Your Hot Air Brush and Give It Sufficient Time to Heat Up

Plug your hot air brush in and select the desired temperature setting. Thick hair may benefit from a higher heat setting, and thin or short hair is better off with a lower temperature level. After you turn your hot air brush on, give it enough time to reach the setting you chose in order to create a more uniform look in the end. A few minutes should suffice.

Step 2: Drape a Small Section of Hair Over the Brush Bristles

Starting with the bottom layers of hair, lift a small piece (about one or two inches in width) out of the larger section you divided and lay it over the brush.

Step 3: Slowly Pull the Brush Through Your Hair

Starting near the roots, pull your hot air brush down slowly while the hair is taut. Pay special attention to the ends and how you pull the brush through. Take extra care, especially on short hair, as you can easily curl or flip the ends unintentionally, depending on how you position your hand.

Step 4: Repeat on All Sections of Hair

Repeat steps #2 and #3 until the entire portion of your hair have been run through the hot air brush, then move on to the next sectioned off portion. Lastly, unpin and style the top section of your hair. With the top section, make sure to start at the root and, instead of pulling down, pull up to add volume.

Note: The previous steps will provide you with the primary advantages a hot air brush has to offer. However, if you wish to straighten or curl your hair, you have a couple more steps to go. If you are satisfied with the appearance after these initial procedures, feel free to skip ahead to the finishing steps.

How to Straighten Your Hair With a Hot Air Brush

Hot brushes make great hair straighteners. The method for straightening your hair is the same as the one described above, except it involves going over each portion of hair for an extra time or two with the styling brush. This will help to make your hair as straight as possible. Straightening is best done with an air paddle brush but can be accomplished with a round brush as well. However, the result is not as satisfying as a paddle brush.

Curly hair is also achievable using your hot air brush, regardless of hair type. To get curls, a rotating round brush or curling brush is ideal, but it requires some manoeuvring. However, it is possible to utilise paddle hair brushes as well.

Using the same method from above, pull the brush through a section of hair until you reach the bottom but stop right before the end. Then, roll the brush back up your hair to either the roots or the point you want your curls to start. With your hair curled around the brush, wait for 10 seconds or possibly longer for thinner, finer hair that tends to resist curling. Lastly, unwind the curl by pulling it down and out gently.

Finishing Touches

Step 1: Set Your Style by Helping It Cool

Allow your hair to cool from the heat of the brush. This cooling step is important because it helps your hair to lock in place. We recommend using the cool setting on your brush to set straight hair in place.

Step 2: Turn off and Unplug Your Hot Air Brush

Always remember to turn off and unplug your hot air brush. Do not put it in a cabinet or store it until it is completely cool to prevent accidents.

Step 3: Apply a Finishing Hair Product for a Longer-Lasting Hairstyle

Lastly, finish up your hairstyle by applying a bit of hairspray or finishing serum. This will help your hairstyle to stay all day, especially with finer and thinner hair that tends to resist styling.

Hot Air Brush Maintenance

As with any electrical appliance or tool, cleaning your hot air brush is essential to keep it running smoothly for as long as possible. This is particularly true if you use a good amount of hair dressing products. Try wiping it down with a damp cloth each time or every couple of uses to make cleaning it as easy as possible. Always make sure to unplug and let the hot air brush cool completely before attempting to clean it to avoid any possible accidents.

Will You Try It for Yourself?

You can now confidently say that you know how to use a hot air brush. We are aware that it may seem like a lot at first. But once you get started, you’ll see it is actually pretty easy. Just remember that when using a hot air brush, you should apply it on damp hair for the best results. Hence, make sure to dry your hair well with a towel or blow dry it with a hair dryer for just a short time before reaching for your hot air brush. Also, use a heat protection spray and a finishing hair care product to keep your crowning glory fashionably in place.

Let us know what you think about our styling tips and how using a hot air brush goes for you in the comments below.

To learn more about cleaning your hot air brush, you can check out other maintenance tips online or read our helpful article about keeping these tools in top condition.

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