I switched out my Dyson Airwrap for a $155 thermal brush, here’s how it went

Recreating a ’90s-style blowout at home.

Without a doubt, my hair is the biggest part of my visual identity. Growing up, sitting in the chair of whichever hairdresser my mum would take me to for a haircut, I would always hear “You have so much hair, you’re going to be so thankful one day”. What felt like a burden throughout my childhood is now one of my favourite assets.

Because of just how much hair I have, purchasing a Dyson Airwrap in 2021 literally took the weight off my shoulders. Although I forked out $799 at the time (sorry, it’s gone up in price since!) I went from spending over an hour and a half with a hairdryer and round brush to perfect my blowout, to achieving the same result in 10 minutes. I love any kind of beauty routine that looks high maintenance but is actually low effort. Naturally, the Airwrap was perfect.

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Up until a couple of months ago, the Airwrap was all I needed when styling my hair. I would wash and blowdry my entire head once a week and be ready to go, throwing it up into a beloved slick-back ponytail on those final days of the cycle. However, a recent post-breakup hair appointment found me cutting more layers into my hair than I knew what to do with.

Obsessed with the way my hairdresser styled my hair but unable to recreate it with just enough ‘flick’ at home, I was very luckily sent the Bondi Boost Infrared Bounce Brush in the same week. After selling out in just a matter of weeks after its launch, the $155 TikTok-viral hair tool was exactly what I needed to revive my hair just a little bit more.

What is the Bondi Boost Infrared Bounce Brush?

Selling out in weeks after its launch in the Australian, European and North American markets, Bondi Boost’s Infrared Bounce Brush is a thermal brush designed as a gentler alternative to heat styling with a straightener or curling wand. The tool claims to “harness the power of infrared technology that evenly and gently heats the hair from within, which causes less damage when you use it”. Featuring a heated round brush, it’s shaped to create the effortless, voluminous ’90s blowout look that’s been trending for the last couple of years.

What are the differences between it and the Dyson Airwrap?

Although they look similar and can ultimately yield the same results, the Dyson Airwrap and the Bondi Boost Infrared Bounce Brush have completely different uses. While the Airwrap and other blowout brush tools are used on wet, clean hair, the Bounce Brush is a thermal brush and should be used on dry hair only. This makes it ideal for styling hair that’s already been dried or touching up a blowout throughout the week.

Putting it to the test

After years of practice with round brushes and the corresponding attachment on the Airwrap, luckily there wasn’t really a learning curve when first giving the Bounce Brush a go. My first impressions using the brush were on hair that had been styled into a ’90s blowout the day before, so I got the hang of the movement on hair that had the ‘flick’ already established. I immediately noticed how lightweight the brush was and its ‘cool tip’ feature on the top of the barrel, both of which contributed to having more overall control of the hair and smoother movements.

It took me a few tries to discover how large the sections of hair should be and how long you should be styling for. Eventually, I found that around 10 seconds of twisting under was the perfect amount of time for my hair type to create my desired look. Once I got the hang of it, I discovered I could style my entire head in about 10 minutes. One silly thing I do appreciate is when the bounce brush is on, the entire barrel lights up red. It does not affect the outcome of your hair (as far as I’m aware) but it’s a lifesaver when you’re leaving the house and need to double-check that your hot tool is unplugged.

One of the most compelling features of this brush for fans of heat tools is its claim for less heat damage. Only a few weeks of use is not long enough to properly test this claim, but personally, just adding the Bounce Brush into my routine is applying significantly more heat than I was previously. There are so many factors that change constantly that affect the health of your hair, from the products and treatments you’re using to how often you dye or bleach.

I have to preface my review with the fact that I have naturally straight hair that’s perfect for the use of the Bounce Brush, so I can’t speak to whether it smooths and styles in the same way that a blowout brush like the Dyson Airwrap does. If you’re working with curlier, more textured hair, you might want to do a little more internet trawling before settling on the Bounce Brush.

Ultimately, as much as I’ve loved the Bounce Brush for additional volume and mid-week touch-ups, I won’t ever replace my Airwrap purely out of convenience – I can never go back to waiting so long for my hair to dry! That being said, do I think you can get the same look at a more cost-effective level with a basic hairdryer and the Bounce Brush? Probably.

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