How to Curl Hair Using a Hot Air Brush

Co-authored by Steven Waldman

Last Updated: December 5, 2022 References

There are many ways to get big, bouncy curls, or to straighten your naturally curly locks. Some of these tools include curling irons, curlers, and perms. However, using a hot air brush is one of the fastest and healthiest ways to get curls or waves, as it doesn't damage your hair like some of the other methods do. A hot air brush is a great tool to add curls to your straight hair, or to transform your frizzy curls into silky waves.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Hair

1
Wash your hair with volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Curling your hair will be much easier if you prepare your hair by using volumizing products, especially if your hair is naturally straight.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 27 July 2021.} These products will give your hair a boost of volume and enhance your hair's texture.^{[2]
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2
Apply volumizing products to your hair. Adding volumizing products to your hair will help it hold the curl and bounce that you'll get from using a hot air brush. Texturizing spray, volumizing spray, and amplifying gel are all great options to create volume in your hair. Adding these products to your roots while your hair is still wet will allow the products to set while your hair dries.^{[3]
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- Spritz several pumps of hair product, being careful to distribute it evenly in your hair. To use a volumizing gel or mousse, start with a dime- or quarter-sized amount depending on the length of your hair. Rub it between your palms and then carefully distribute evenly throughout your hair.
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3
Let your hair air-dry. If your hair dries fairly quickly, or if you're not in a rush, allow your hair to air-dry until it's about 80% dry. Letting your hair air-dry is actually the healthiest method of drying your hair, as you're not applying unnecessary heat to it. While your hair air-dries, you can make your morning coffee, put on your make-up for the day, etc.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 27 July 2021.}
- Using a hot air brush works best if your hair is about 80% dry. Your hair should look fairly dry, but still feel damp.
4
Use a blowdryer. If you're in a hurry, or if you want to create additional volume by blow-drying your hair, then use a blowdryer. Flip your head upside-down when you blow-dry your hair, as this will add some lift to your roots. Don't blow-dry your hair completely, as it should be about 80% dry when you use your hot air brush. It should appear dry, but still feel a bit damp.^{[5]
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- If you use a blowdryer, consider applying a heat protectant to your hair to prevent possible heat damage.
5
Comb through your hair before you use the hot air brush. You'll want to detangle your hair before brushing through it, as knots will make the hot air brush much harder to use. Be sure to comb through each section of hair before you brush it with a hot air brush.^{[6]
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6
Plug in your hot air brush, and let it warm up. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes, but it's important that your brush is heated before you use it. If you use your hot air brush before it heats up, your hair will not curl.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 27 July 2021.}
7
Divide your hair into sections. Diving your hair into sections will make the curling process much easier. Divide your hair into a top half and bottom half, separating the sections at ear level. Pin or tie the top section of your hair out of the way so that you can start by curling the bottom section of your hair.
- Once you finish the bottom section of your hair, you'll move on to the top section of your hair.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Curling Long Hair with a Hot Air Brush

1
Grab the first small section of your hair. Each section of hair should be about 1 inch thick. If you grab too much hair at once, the hot air brush will not be as effective. Brush each section of hair with a regular brush before using the hot air brush to avoid knots. Take your small handful of hair and place the hot air brush underneath it, near the roots.
2
Wrap your first section of hair around your hot air brush to curl it. Pull the brush outwards towards the ends of your hair, while slowly turning the brush inward. As you turn the brush inward, guide your hair so that it curls under and around the hot brush.
3
Curl your hair with the hot air brush. Roll the brush, with your hair curling around it, upward toward your roots. Once you reach your roots, hold the hot air brush in place for 10 seconds. Finally, pull the brush outwards towards the ends of your hair, and let your curl fall from the hot air brush.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 27 July 2021.}
- If your hair gets caught, gently untangle it from the brush. Then, brush through it with a regular brush before attempting to use the hot air brush again.
- Add a spritz of flexible hold hairspray to each curl as you finish curling it.
4
Apply smoothing serum to your hair if you want to smooth out your natural curls. Squirt a nickel sized amount of smoothing serum into your hands, and rub your palms together. Then, run your hands through your hair. Take extra care to ensure that your smoothing serum is applied to all of your hair. The smoothing serum will help eliminate the frizz from your hair.
5
Brush your hair with a hot hair brush to smoothen your natural curls. If you're looking to tame your natural, frizzy curls into waves, the hot air brush should be used differently. Instead of curling each small section of hair, you can simply brush through each section with the hot air brush. The heated brush will leave your hair looking silky and smooth.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 27 July 2021.}
- Brush from the underside of your hair, and begin at the roots. Brush your hair slowly to allow the hot air brush to smooth your hair.
6
Repeat this process until you have finished all of your hair. Finish working on the bottom section of your hair before moving to the top section of your hair. When it comes time to use the hot air brush on the top section of your hair, take down one small piece of hair at a time. Curl (or straighten) each piece individually before letting down the next piece of hair.^{[10]
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7
Add finishing touches to your hair. After you've finished all of your hair, you should give it a final brush-through and a layer of flexible hairspray. Let your hair cool completely before brushing through it with a regular brush or comb. If you want to add a final boost of volume, flip your hair upside-down and spray the roots with hairspray.
- If you used the hot air brush to tame your curls, you should finish with a sheen spray to enhance your smooth and silky new locks.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Curling Short Hair with a Hot Air Brush

1
Separate your hair into sections. With short hair, it can be more difficult to divide your hair into sections because of the different lengths. You may have to divide your hair into 3-4 sections as opposed to just 2. Hold each section in place with pins or a hair tie until it is time to use the hot air brush on each section.
- As with long hair, you should still use the hot air brush on small sections of hair (roughly 1 inch) at a time.
2
Start with the bottom section of your hair. Using a hot air brush on short hair is a bit different than using it on long hair. Lift up your first piece of hair and place the hot air brush underneath it, near the roots. With your brush hand, twirl the hot air brush outwards while keeping it against your roots. With your free hand, hold the section of hair down on top of the twirling hot air brush with your palm. Each section should be brushed for 15 seconds.^{[11]
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- With short hair, the hot air brush will give you waves and volume as opposed to curls.
3
Use the hot air brush on the remaining sections of your hair. Curl the remaining sections of your hair with your hot air brush, working on one section at a time. After you use the hot air brush on each piece of hair, give it a light spritz with flexible hair spray.
4
Use a hot air brush to style short hair. Hot air brushes are great tools to use when styling short hair. Twirl your hair with the hot air brush to easily create volume and hair flips. Take small sections of hair at a time, wrap them around the hot air brush, and twirl the hot air brush for 15 seconds. Repeat this until you've styled all of your hair.
- Use hairspray to hold these styles in place.
5
Use a hot air brush to dry your hair. Using a hot air brush to dry your hair will dry it and style it at the same time. Dry one small section of hair at a time, and apply smoothing and volumizing serums. Brush each section in a twirling method as if you were simply styling it. Brush each section until it is fully dry. Your hair will look similar to how it looks after getting a blowout.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is a hot air brush used for?

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Steven Waldman is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Director of Technical Training at Hair Cuttery. Steven uses his creative insight and extensive experience to drive educational programming and motivates facilitators and learners to communicate effectively, create and execute strategies to maximize potential, and achieve success. He uses unexpected sources such as art genres, architecture, and cooking to inspire shape, color, and cuts.

Steven Waldman

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

A hot brush can dry and style your hair at the same time. It's more efficient than a blow dryer, which can dry your hair into the wrong shape.
Question

Can you use a hot air brush on wet hair?

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Steven Waldman is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Director of Technical Training at Hair Cuttery. Steven uses his creative insight and extensive experience to drive educational programming and motivates facilitators and learners to communicate effectively, create and execute strategies to maximize potential, and achieve success. He uses unexpected sources such as art genres, architecture, and cooking to inspire shape, color, and cuts.

Steven Waldman

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

It's better to wait until your hair is just damp, or about 75% dry. Your hair shouldn't be soaking wet, but it should still be cool to the touch.
Question

How can I hold it in place?

Carolyn Barratt

Community Answer

Keep a firm grip on the handle of the brush, and slowly move it through the hair.