Lazy Girl Approved: Hot Tools Signature Series One-Step Blowout Volumizer

Lazy Girl Approved highlights long-lasting, goof-proof, fuss-free products that can fit into the most minimalist of regimens. If you consider yourself a low-maintenance beauty lover, these product reviews are for you!

Has anyone else noticed changes to their hair texture as they've gotten older? My hair used to be a lot straighter and smoother in my 20s, but these days it seems curlier and frizzier all over. That's why a couple months ago I purchased the Revlon Pro Collection Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer ($64.99 on sale for $51.99 at London Drugs) after reading hundreds of rave reviews online. I LOVED how fast and easy the Revlon brush was and how much it cut down on frizz, but then at the recent #LDBeauty event I was introduced to the near-identical Hot Tools Signature Series One-Step Blowout Volumizer ($89.99 exclusively at London Drugs). How did this new tool stack up against the OG Revlon styling brush? Is the Hot Tools version worth the higher price tag? All the details after the jump!

What it is: Like the Revlon one-step brush, the Hot Tools one-step is equal parts blow dryer and oversize styling brush. It boasts high heat, good air flow, and three different settings (high, low, and cool). The brush's oval barrel can mimic a round brush or a large paddle brush depending on how you angle the tool, while ceramic ion technology helps de-frizz and smooth. The brush is also infused with activated charcoal, which is supposedly good for refreshing second-day hair. A blend of boar and ball-tipped plastic bristles detangles as it combs through and helps grip large sections of hair.

How to use it: Right out of the shower, I work a dollop of anti-frizz or smoothing product into the ends of towel-dried hair and let it air-dry for up to 30 minutes, just until my hair is damp. Then I put it half up, half down, securing the "half up" part into a messy top-knot with a claw clip. I turn the Hot Tools hair styler on to high heat and brush the underside of a section and blow-dry it smooth. It usually takes 4-7 slow passes until one section is completely dry before I move on to another, and the brush is so big that I can do my entire head in 4 sections. Once I've done all the hair that's down, I twist the dial to cool and brush over the top of all the sections. The cool air seals the hair cuticle for extra smoothness and shine, and tamps down any lingering frizz. I undo the top-knot and let down the next 1" wide section of hair all around and repeat the process until I get to the topmost sections.

You can experiment with fancy flicks of the wrist or rolling the styling tool to achieve volume or make your hair fall a certain way. You can also use blow-dry clips to section your hair off better. But even if you use my "zero skill, minimal effort" technique, you will get great-looking results.

How it compares to Revlon: The two hair tools seem practically identical on paper. Both have ceramic ion technology; both have a mix of bristle types and a large oval-shaped brush barrel; both have high, low, and cool heat settings on a dial. The size and weight and dimensions are similar. Even the voltage safety information stamped on the handles is the same! The most noticeable differences between the two brushes are the colour scheme (the purple and gold finish comes across as more luxe than black and pink), and the fact that the Hot Tools brush has activated charcoal technology (a gimmick that didn't work for my hair or scalp, sadly).

I went back and forth on this as I tested one and then the other, trying to see if one brush delivered a better blowout than the other and if the Hot Tools version is worth the extra money. The results were very close. Ultimately though, I think the Hot Tools brush did slightly better and delivered a smoother, shinier, softer finish with an "I just left the salon" look and feel. By contrast, the Revlon brush's finish is more like "I just happen to be having a good hair day."

Final verdict? If you're watching your budget the Revlon brush is an excellent choice and you really can't go wrong, but for a little bit more money you'll get a better-looking blowout with Hot Tools.

Lazy girls will like it because: More good hair days with less effort and less time. I miss the days of having groomed, smooth, shiny-looking locks with minimal effort, but not so much that I'm willing to spend up to an hour blow drying and straightening my hair after every wash. With the Hot Tools styler (and before that, the Revlon one), I only need 15 minutes. What's more, I'm not fussing with multiple tools, damaging my locks with a double dose of high heat, or trying to juggle a brush while my arms get tired.