# How to use a hot air brush for a smooth blowout

Source: https://airandbarrel.com/blog/how-to-use-a-hot-air-brush
Published: 2026-10-10
Publisher: Air & Barrel

**Short answer:** Towel dry and detangle, then rough dry your hair until it is mostly dry. Clip it into sections, place the brush under each section at the root, and pull it slowly down to the ends with steady tension, rolling under or out at the tips. Use low to medium heat for fine hair and medium to high for thick hair, then finish each section on the cool setting so the shape sets.

A hot air brush, also called a blow dryer brush, combines a dryer and a round or oval brush in one tool. It is easier than juggling a dryer in one hand and a round brush in the other, but it still takes some technique to get a smooth result instead of a puffy one. This guide is for anyone who has just bought a brush like the Drybar Double Shot, T3 AireBrush Duo or ghd Duet Blowdry, or who owns one and is not happy with the finish. It covers prep, how dry your hair should be, sectioning, the motion itself, heat and airflow settings, and the mistakes that cause frizz, tangles and flat roots.

## What a hot air brush does and does not do

A hot air brush blows heated air out through vents in the barrel while the bristles grip and stretch the hair. The tension from the bristles smooths each section, the warm air dries it, and the barrel shape decides how much bend you get at the ends. An oval barrel like the 2.4 in Drybar Double Shot gives body and a soft bevel. A round barrel like the 1.5 in Drybar Half Shot makes tighter bends and curls at the ends.

Most hot air brushes have much less airflow than a full-size hair dryer, so they dry slowly from soaking wet. That is why most makers tell you to towel dry or rough dry first. One exception is the [ghd Duet Blowdry](https://airandbarrel.com/best/best-blow-dryer-brush), which ghd lists as designed for wet hair and as working at a consistent low temperature of 248 F. Check your own brush's manual before you skip the rough dry step.

[See the best blow dryer brushes](https://airandbarrel.com/best/best-blow-dryer-brush)

## Prep: how dry should your hair be?

For most hot air brushes, start with hair that is about 70 to 80 percent dry. Wet hair is heavy, it takes many passes to dry, and the bristles tend to snag on it. Very dry hair is the opposite problem: it no longer takes a new shape easily, so the blowout will not look as smooth.

The quickest route is to rough dry with a regular hair dryer on medium heat and high airflow, using your fingers to move the hair around, until it no longer feels wet at the roots. If you do not own a separate dryer, towel blot well and give the hair some time to air dry before you start. Apply your usual styling or heat protection product to damp hair and comb it through so every section is detangled before the brush touches it.

Note: Detangle before you brush. Pulling a hot air brush through knots is a common cause of snagging.

## Step by step: a basic smooth blowout

These steps work for straight to wavy hair of shoulder length or longer. Shorter hair uses the same motion with a smaller barrel and smaller sections.

1. Rough dry until hair is about 80 percent dry, then detangle with a wide-tooth comb.
2. Split the hair into four to six sections and clip them up. Start at the nape, where hair is thickest and dries last.
3. Take a section no wider than the barrel and about 1 to 2 in deep.
4. Place the brush under the section at the root, bristles into the hair, and hold it there for two to three seconds to lift the root.
5. Pull the brush slowly down toward the ends while keeping light, even tension. Slower passes smooth better than fast ones.
6. At the ends, rotate the brush under for a bevel or outward for a flip.
7. Repeat two or three passes until the section feels dry and smooth all the way through.
8. Switch to the cool setting and make one last pass, or hold the brush at the ends for a few seconds, to set the shape.
9. Move up section by section, finishing with the crown and the front pieces.

## Heat and airflow settings by hair type

Use the lowest heat that still dries and smooths your hair in a reasonable number of passes. The table below is typical guidance used by stylists and in maker manuals, not a rule. Our [heat setting guide](https://airandbarrel.com/tools/heat-setting-guide) gives a band for your hair type and whether it is color treated.

Most brushes in our guides have three to five heat settings plus a cool option. The Drybar Single Shot and Half Shot list three heat settings plus cool airflow, and the T3 AireBrush Duo lists five heat and three speed settings.

| Hair type | Heat | Airflow | Section size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fine or thin | Low to medium | Low to medium | Medium sections |
| Medium | Medium | Medium to high | Barrel width |
| Thick or coarse | Medium to high | High | Smaller sections |
| Color treated or lightened | One step lower than usual | Medium | Barrel width |
| Curly, for a stretched blowout | Medium | Medium | Small sections, more tension |

Typical starting settings for a hot air brush

## Getting volume instead of a flat finish

Flat roots usually come from starting the brush halfway down the section. For lift, start right at the scalp, hold the brush under the root and angle the section up toward the ceiling while the air warms it. Let it cool in that lifted position before you pull through.

An oval or larger round barrel gives the most body on medium and long hair. Smaller barrels give more bend at the ends but less lift. For more detail, see [how to get root volume with a hair dryer](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/how-to-get-volume-with-a-hair-dryer) and the [hot air brush size guide](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/hot-air-brush-size-guide).

## Common mistakes and quick fixes

If the finish still looks rough, compare your brush with a dryer and round brush setup in [blow dryer brush vs blow dryer](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/blow-dryer-brush-vs-blow-dryer). Some people get a sleeker result with a dryer and concentrator, covered in [how to blow dry hair straight](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/how-to-blow-dry-hair-straight).

- Frizzy finish: hair was still too wet, or the passes were too fast. Rough dry more first and slow down.
- Snagging: hair was not detangled, or sections are too big. Comb first and use sections no wider than the barrel.
- Puffy ends: the brush is twisting at the ends. Keep tension to the very tips before you roll.
- Shape falls by lunchtime: you skipped the cool setting. Let each section cool on the barrel before releasing.
- Arm fatigue: section the whole head first so you are not holding the tool while you sort hair.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can you use a hot air brush on wet hair?** Most makers recommend damp or rough dried hair because the airflow is lower than a full dryer. A few tools, such as the ghd Duet Blowdry, are listed for wet hair. See [hot air brush on wet hair](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/hot-air-brush-on-wet-hair) for details.

**How long does a hot air brush blowout take?** It depends on length, thickness and how dry the hair is when you start. Rough drying first with a regular dryer is the easiest way to shorten it.

**Should I use the cool setting?** Yes, a short cool pass at the end of each section helps the shape set as the hair cools. Read [what the cool shot button does](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/cool-shot-button-explained) for more.

**Does a hot air brush work on short hair?** It can, with a small barrel and small sections. The hair needs enough length to wrap at least partly around the barrel. See [hot air brush on short hair](https://airandbarrel.com/blog/hot-air-brush-on-short-hair).

## Buying guides for this topic

- https://airandbarrel.com/best/best-blow-dryer-brush
- https://airandbarrel.com/best/best-drybar-hair-tools
- https://airandbarrel.com/best/best-ghd-hair-dryer