Customer Review
- Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2020PROS: Creates glossy, silky. smooth hair styles best for long, thick hair. Removes unwanted waves and curls. Dries and styles very quickly.
CONS: Really too big for shoulder length or shorter, and layered styles. Straightens hair, removes body.
I have layered, slightly longer than shoulder length hair that is fine textured but thick. As hair classifications go, it is "2A" or as I used to call it, "wavy-straight." I color it and it tends to be dry, especially at the ends. I usually style it by blowing it dry with a 2" round brush, which creates waves and lots of long lasting body.
This Revlon One Step dryer-brush has gotten lots of hype and I was curious to see how it would work for my hair.
I searched it out in retail beauty stores. I've held it in my hand and was concerned that the brush head, which is 4.25", would be too large a surface for my layered, mid length hair. It's a big and fairly heavy device and felt clunky. I was also concerned about the heat burning my hair.
When Amazon Prime Day came, I fell for the super duper price and bought the One Step.
The brush head is a flattened oval with bristles. The hair is supported well by the bristles which keeps the hair close to the openings in the brush. There is no knotting or catching of the hair which is able to run smoothly through and around the bristles as it dries.
There are three heat settings: "Hot," "Warm," and "Cool." The controls are at the end of the brush handle, and while well marked, are nearly impossible to change while using the device. I'm used to a hand held pistol-shaped dryer that allows one to switch temperatures, air strength, or from hot to cool on the go...with one hand. I have yet to be able to do this with the One Step.
You divide your hair into manageable sections and run the brush repeatedly through the hair from roots to ends until it is dry and styled. If you place the shorter end of the oval close to the scalp, you will get some lift. If you place the wider sides of the oval close to the scalp, you will straighten and flatten your hair. If it is long enough, you can wrap your hair around the brush as it dries. If you place the short end of the oval at your ends and hold the brush for a few seconds, you'll get a small wave or flip.
I found that the One Step dried my thick hair very quickly, faster than with a round bristled brush. My hair was very smooth, glossy, and close to my head. I would have preferred more "root-lift" especially at the crown, but I have had professional blow outs that looked similar to what I got with the One Step. All in all, the results were surprisingly good...even for such a large brush head.
Instructions warn that if you have fine or dry hair to only use the "Warm" and not the "Hot" setting. This is very good advice and it should be followed. Only use the "Hot" setting if you have very thick, wavy, curly coarse hair.
NOTE:
If you check out the product page, you will notice that Revlon has a comparison picture of this "One Step 4.25" Head" brush and a smaller headed brush device which it recommends for shorter or layered or wavier hair styles. This smaller device is called "The Titanium Max, 2.4" head."
Before I purchased this "One Step 4.25 head," I went in search of the 2.4" version. A large box store that starts with a "C" and ends with an "O" has an exclusive on this item, and of course, it was completely sold out. This smaller headed item was not on the Revlon web site. I contacted Helen of Troy (who makes these items for Revlon) Customer Service. The CS rep seemed to know nothing about the "Titanium Max" but told me, incorrectly that the "One Step" on Amazon had a 2.4" head. She also told me that a 1.5" headed brush dryer might be released by around the end of December. So, Revlon knows a good thing when it sees one and is expanding the line, but has yet to update it's Customer Service department with any correct or meaningful information.
NOTE: I revisited the C****O web site and was able to purchase a single "Revlon One Step Titanium Max 2.4" Head" dryer brush. It should arrive in about five days. I'll review it on the bottom of this review after I play around with it a bit.
NOTE 11/5/2020: C****O cancelled my order for the Titanium Max 2.4 Head. Sigh.
After a bit of research I discovered that the Hot Tools brand is also owned by Helen of Troy and has a One-Step brush drier in the smaller 2.4" size virtually identical to the one described (but unavailable) from Revlon.
I settled on the Hot Tools Professional Black Gold One-Step 2.4" which I purchased from Amazon for twice the price of the Revlon One Step. I selected the Black Gold because it had a ceramic coating that is supposedly best for fine, easily damaged hair. The head is also removable and can be exchanged with a 4.2" head, should I wish to purchase one separately. I like having that option. I'm going to try out the new Hot Tools for several weeks and will review it then.
