Let’s face it. Blow-drying natural hair is an extreme sport. Blowdrying type 4 natural hair is an even bigger challenge. But it doesn’t have to be.
For most of my natural hair journey, I’ve avoided using a blow-dryer for many reasons. It’s not because I’m terrified of heat damage; it’s more so because of the tediousness of blowdrying.
I mean, think about it, you’re trying to hold a blow dryer (comb attachment or not) with one hand while simultaneously stretching your hair out or brushing it out with a comb. You have no real grip of either one, and you’re just winging it.
On the rare occasions that I did blowdry my hair, I counted it as my arm workout for the entire month. No, really, my arms were always sore, and my hair was never as stretched as I would have liked it to be. Don’t get me started on the level of breakage that always came with trying to comb out damp hair while blowdrying.
For most naturals with looser textures, blowdrying may not be a big deal; however, for 4C-Z girls like me, it’s a bit more delicate. Mostly because this hair type is more fragile than others, its tight and coily nature make it more prone to breakage and excessive manipulation is a no-no.
THE DRYER BRUSH
So how do we find a sweet spot between actually getting dry, stretched hair with minimal breakage and avoiding a workout altogether? This is where the DRYER BRUSH comes in (not to be confused with the straightener brush)
The advent of the blowdrying brush has revolutionized hair stretching, particularly for us coily girls. Not only do we not have to wait forever for our hair to dry, but we can actually get a blowout right at home! Bye-bye hair appointments!
When I started considering a stretching tool, I was more interested in a brush blowdryer and not a brush straightener because my primary concern was getting my hair dry and stretched for easy manipulation, not necessarily bone-straight. Also, I wanted something that actually got the job done and didn’t take all day because nobody has that kind of time.
Like most people, I was skeptical about buying this hair tool. I was convinced that it’d do the same thing as my regular blowdryer, and it’d be money down the drain. The fact that it was everywhere on social media with endless promises of cutting my blowdrying time in half and guaranteeing smooth, sleek hair made me even more doubtful.
But I’m here to tell you that I WAS SO WRONG! This stuff works and I have proof!
Now, your results may depend on the brand you buy; however, I decided to purchase the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Styler. I bought mine here on Amazon for around $37, but you can find it across various other retailers.
PRODUCT FEAUTURES
- Large Paddle Brush Design
- Spaced-out detangling bristles
- Long Cord for attachment
- 3 Dryer/heat settings (I’d describe these as Cool/Low intensity, Cool/medium intensity, Hot/High intensity)
*Intensity meaning how fast and hard the air comes out of the tool*
I spent a full week researching this tool, reading reviews upon reviews, and watching as many videos as I could find until I was convinced it was safe to buy. It had great reviews, and my skeptical mind tried to convince me that this was a red flag, but I bought it anyway and I do not regret that decision!
I could write long epistles about this being THE tool for blow-drying natural hair, or I could let you see for yourself. Below are the before and after pictures of using the Revlon one-step “brush dryer” for just 15 seconds!
NOTE: I achieved this stretch using the low (second) setting on this tool, and as I said, it only took 15 seconds. I didn’t try to get my hair too straight because, again, my goal was dry/stretched hair, not super straight hair.
This tool has a couple of features, and while it does a great job with both drying and stretching, there are some pros and cons that may be a deal-breaker for some.
PROS
- The bristle/paddle design – This pretty much mimics a Denman brush, but with more spaced-out bristles. If you know anything about a Denman, you know it’s great for detangling. However, I would definitely recommend detangling before blow-drying your natural hair with this tool, just to minimize the risk of breakage. I mean, as great as this dryer brush is, it can’t outright dissolve all the knots in your hair; you need to give it something to work with.
- Lightweight: For a dryer/brush combo, it’s surprisingly lightweight, and I don’t feel like I’m holding something heavy against my hair.
- 360° Swivel cord – Eliminates the need to constantly turn the cord as you use the tool
- Fast – As I mentioned above, it took me only about 15 secs to completely dry that section of hair.
CONS
- Handle design – The brush handle is a little on the thicker side, and since the entire tool is straight, you can also only hold it one way – with your entire palm wrapped around the handle. For some, this may be very uncomfortable to hold.
Also, a rubber grip handle would have been a great addition. However, it’s possible that it was left out of the design due to a melting risk since the handle is pretty close to the head (motor) of the tool. - No temperature indicator – Although there are 3 speed/temperature settings, there is no indication of the tool’s actual temperature. This means that you pretty much have to gauge the heat and guess what setting would be the safest for your hair.
- Loud: This tool is pretty loud (almost vacuum-level, not kidding). The third and last setting, which is the hottest, is also the loudest.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The proof is in the pudding, and the pictures speak for themselves. The One-Step Dryer/Styler is easy to use and definitely cuts drying time when blow-drying my natural hair. It’s also very affordable and gives my hair a good stretch.
Another huge plus is that it keeps my workouts to a minimum. Now, I can stick to the work out of wash day alone, without worrying about the drying/stretching part.
Although some modifications would make this tool even better, I’m willing to work with the features it currently offers because the results are worth it.
Need more convincing? Go back and look at that 15-second result!