I Tried the REVLON One-Step Hair Dryer—And I’ll Never Use Another Styling Tool
Updated: Mar. 14, 2024
I haven't plugged in my hair straightener or blow dryer since I got the REVLON one-step hair dryer last summer. Here's my review.
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Confession time: I’ve never mastered blowing out my hair with a round brush. I know, I know. Perfecting the art of the at-home blow-dry is a money and time saver. Doing it right delivers smooth, polished, and shiny hair with tons of volume. But my arms just get sore, and the round brush gets caught in my hair.
I usually give up and blow it out straight, or just let nature do its thing and air dry after shampooing. Blown out hair is something I thought I could only get by spending time and (too much) money at the hair salon. UNTIL! I went on vacation with a friend and she lent me her REVLON one-step hair dryer.
Reader, I’m not exaggerating when I say this hair tool changed my life. I hopped over to Amazon and saw it has almost 30,000 ratings and a $50 price tag. You might also want to learn about this $8 frizzy hair product with nearly perfect reviews, too.
REVLON one-step hair dryer review
Before you assume that I love the REVLON one-step hair dryer because I already have easy to manage and super healthy hair, let me set you straight. I color treat my hair, and it has an unruly wave pattern in the back of my head that I can never tame with a hair straightener. My hair also does not like to hold a curl—even with copious amounts of hairspray. Women of color have also reported success using the REVLON one-step hair dryer. It works on tight curls, too.
The beauty of the REVLON one-step hair dryer is that the large oval-shaped barrel holds hundreds of long, plastic-tipped bristles and then thousands of tiny imitation “boar” bristles at the base of the barrel. Heat holes under the bristles allow for hot or cold air to blast through as you pull and brush your hair—which is gripped and held in place by the different bristle lengths. It smooths and reduces frizz in all sorts of hair types, lengths, and textures. Before you start on your hair dryer journey, you’ll want to stop doing things to your hair that a stylist wouldn’t.
I haven’t plugged in my hair straightener or regular blow dryer since I got the REVLON one-step hair dryer last summer. This tool is truly one step.
How to use the REVLON one-step hair dryer
First things first. Yes, the REVLON one-step hair dryer is a drying tool. But, you don’t want to use it on soaking wet hair. Let your hair dry to about 80 percent for best results. If you attempt to use the tool on very wet hair, the process will take a long time and you could damage the cuticle. You’re applying heat, so be sure to apply a heat protectant to your hair first. We like Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil—it doesn’t have denatured alcohol which is drying.
Then, depending on the thickness of your hair section it off. I divide my hair into top and bottom sections, pinning the top half of the hair on my head. Turn on the dryer to the low or high setting and get to work. Simply run the REVLON one-step hair dryer down the hair shaft as if you’re slowly brushing your hair. Keep a fair amount of tension, and flip the ends out, up, or in a curl if you like that look. For more volume hold the REVLON one-step hair dryer for a beat longer at the root. Learn about the common hair myths that are ruining your hair.
Once the section is dry, leave it to naturally cool and move on to the rest of your head. I save the front face-framing pieces for last. Users with bangs usually apply the most volume and curl to their fringe. My hair is just below my shoulders in length, and pretty thick. I can dry and style my entire head with the REVLON one-step hair dryer in about 10 minutes.
How to finish styling hair with the REVLON one-step hair dryer
Finish with a shot of dry shampoo at the roots for texture and volume, and run some high-quality argan or hair oil (The Ordinary makes a high-quality organic argan oil for $7) on the ends for shine. And, done! You’ll seriously look like you stepped out of a salon with smooth hair that has tons of movement. I can’t keep my hands out of my hair after I dry and style it with the REVLON one-step hair dryer.
Where to buy the REVLON one-step hair dryer
The REVLON one-step hair dryer is available at multiple retailers, both in stores and online. It comes in a bunch of different colors, like pink, blue, red, and turquoise. However! It does sell out—especially when it goes on sale. This thing has gone viral on TikTok, after all. We’ve found it on Amazon, Target, Walmart, Ulta, and Kohl’s. The price ranges from $40 to $60, depending on the color and how many are in stock. The median price seems to be $50. Read about hair slugging, too—another beauty trend that has gone viral on TikTok.
REVLON one-step hair dryer pros:
- Easy to use. If you can brush your hair, you can master the REVLON one-step hair dryer.
- Dries hair and provides volume and lift at the root. Can also flip or slightly curl ends for a finished look.
- Plastic knob at the top stays cool, so you can use safely use two hands (no fatigue).
- Works fast. Many users can style their entire head in 10 minutes.
- Use the cool setting to set the style.
- Extra long cord is just plain convenient.
- It’s one step, people! No more drying your hair with a blow dryer, then going back in with a hair straightener.
- At around $50, it’s pretty affordable for a high-quality hair styling tool.
REVLON one-step hair dryer cons:
- It’s a hair dryer, and adding any heat to your hair is damaging. (Make sure you apply heat protectant first).
- Don’t expect barrel curls. This tool adds volume and can lift and flip ends, but you’ll need a curling wand for serious curl definition.
- The REVLON one-step hair dryer is large, which is ideal for drying hair quickly but the barrel might not fit shorter bangs.
- There are only cool, low, and high heat settings. If you want more precise heat control, you won’t find it here.
Best verified REVLON one-step hair dryer Amazon user reviews
Like I said, I’m not the first person to fall in love with the REVLON one-step hair dryer. It’s all over social media, on YouTube, and featured across beauty websites. Amazon buyers love it too. Here are our favorite verified REVLON one-step hair dryer Amazon user reviews.
Britni: “I have a cosmetology and hair dressing background. I owned the original version of this product (included in pictures) and it was terrible. I honestly think it was a design flaw. I have been seeing people RAVE about this and I had to give it a shot. I literally just got it delivered like 15 minutes ago and I unboxed it and used it on my damp and very wavy hair. Brilliant!!! The design made it ridiculously easy to use and I did my whole head in like 5 minutes. It’s the best blowout I may have ever received. No salon (in the 20+ years I’ve been getting my hair done) has managed to give me what this little device just did!”
Jennifer G: “This dryer has been a game-changer for my hair. I have a lot of hair and the strands are thick. I’ve been a flat iron user for many, many years but decided to try this on the recommendation of a friend. Not only is it easy to use, it gives my hair the closest thing to a professional blowout at home. There are tutorials online for maximizing the benefits of this dryer. “
Gina Helm: “Wow! I read all the reviews and was thinking of skipping this superb product. I had to check it out myself and I’m glad I did. The high setting is just what it is: high and hot, but the low setting is perfect. You can always push it to high for a few to get it really hot, then back to low. I blow dry my entire head in low and I have thick, coarse, and long hair. I’m so happy with this purchase and I bought this weeks ago. I used it on my sister and her friend’s hair as well. Now they both want one. The size of this brush blow dryer was surprising. It’s large, but perfect for making your hair look like you had a blow out without the blow bar price.”
REVLON One-Step Hair Dryer
$50 on Amazon
Next, check out this hair straightener comb that has more than 20,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.
Originally Published: February 01, 2021
