Are you looking to upgrade or replace the Revlon brush? There have been a lot of commenters asking about this, so I though I’d do a little roundup. The answer may not be what you’d expect!
First, let’s rewind — the Revlon brush (technically the Revlon One-Step Volumizer) first became really popular right before the pandemic. I tried it on my unruly curly hair and was totally amazed — a lot of people felt the same, and approximately one billion dupes have hit the market, both less expensive and more expensive.
So what are the options? If you want to see the full discussions, here’s one from March, one from February, and one from October, and another one from August, and one from March 2025…
TL;DR: Just want the answer? I’d get this one.
If you’re looking for more talk about office hairstyles, we’ve discussed how long do you spend on your hair for work, how to make a blowout last for days, your favorite dry shampoo, easy office updos, how to style long hair for job interviews, and lots more about office hairstyles in general!
What the Revlon Brush Does
Before we start talking about upgrades, let’s review what the Revlon styler does:
can be used on wet hair (although most would tell you it should be at least 80% dry)
is a roundbrush, allowing you to add some curl and volume
is all one piece (no attachments or pieces to lose)
is generally under $50
Why Upgrade the Revlon Brush?
The number one CON to the Revlon brush that readers noted is the high heat — a lot of people felt like they were frying their hair if they used it regularly.
Here are some of the requests readers made to kick off discussions…
I’m a longtime user of the Revlon dryer brush and am looking to upgrade. I’m overwhelmed by the multitude of options that Dyson and Shark offer. I’m thinking of getting the $400 Dyson bundle with brush and air styler. Are the more expensive options worth it?
and this one:
My beloved Revlon brush is dying (the ubiquitous hot brush, one step volumizer thing). It revolutionized my hair, which is long and thick, but fine strands and uneven waves. I only use it for the last 2% of hair drying and styling… I’m certain there is something better out there since I’ve had this brush and previous versions for the better part of 8 years. But.. what is it? I don’t think I’d maximize a Dyson air wrap, which I feel like I’d need to do to justify the cost, and I’ve also heard mixed reviews. Any recs?
The Revlon brush is still available, though, and a lot of readers have been of the opinion that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
How to Upgrade the Revlon Brush
L’Ange
A number of readers liked the L’Ange version, which is a new brand to me. One reader compared it to both Revlon and Shark: “When my Revlon died, I switched to a L’Ange and I’m very happy with it. I tried my daughter’s Shark Flex Style and I didn’t care for it. I found it awkward to use and my hair kept getting caught at the connection point.”
Pros: Affordable, works well
As one reader put it, “I like the L’ange, it’s a little bit more than the Revlon but not nearly as pricey as Dyson.”
You can find it at Target, Ulta, or Amazon for $50-$99.
Drybar Brush
The Drybar brush has been a big hit with readers and was (at least as far as I can recall) one of the earliest upgrades to become popular. Some readers preferred this one to the Dyson!
Pro: Can often find on sale in the Amazon Prime sale, TJ Maxx, etcCon: Just one piece, not removable/interchangeable
Comments from readers about the Doubleshot:
“I have the Dyson, but I also have the Drybar one (the double shot) and I really prefer the Drybar one for just the final drying and styling.”
“Unless you know you want at least some of the various attachments (I could never get the curl attachment to work for me), I’d just get the Dry Bar blow dry brush. It’s a huge upgrade from the Revlon and I don’t need all the other bells and whistles.”
You can find it at Amazon, Nordstrom, and other retailers for $116-$155. It’s often included in the Amazon Prime sales, and readers have reported finding it at their local TJ Maxx.
Shark FlexStyle
One of the biggest problems with the Shark is that there are several similar products:
Shark FlexStyle ($299) (pictured above)
Shark FlexFusion ($379)
SharkGlossi 2-in-1 Hot Tool and Air Glosser ($179)
The FlexFusion has more heat settings and speed settings, and gets a bit hotter than the FlexStyle; both have a lot of different attachments that go on top of what is, essentially, a hair dryer, including a diffuser, roundbrush, curling iron barrel, flat iron, and more. The SharkGlossi is the closest thing to the Revlon brush in appearance and is a bit more affordable at $179. If you only want some attachments and not others, you can buy them individually or “build your own” at the Shark website.
(I have an older version of the Shark dryer that I love for my curly hair… it does have a styling brush but I haven’t used it much! I definitely agree with whoever noted that Sharks can be really loud; I do try to use earplugs to protect my hearing while blowdrying my hair.)
Readers seem to like the FlexStyle the most, which is a slightly more affordable option/older than the FlexFusion. (Readers will also say “whatever Costco has,” which at the moment is all three!)
Pros: Longer lasting stye, gentler than the RevlonCons: Can be tricky to use; some users report hair getting caught at the connection point. Smaller brush. Confusing deciding between options; FlexStyle has a smaller brush compared to Revlon. Can be loud!
Comments from readers about the Shark:
“I mostly use the hair dryer (to get to about 80% dry) and then the round brush attachment, but I’ve played around with the wrap style and it is fun, just takes longer.”
“The Revlon fried my hair. So did the Dyson, the Shark is just right. I like the flex style with the round brush – I rough dry 90% and then finish with the brush. Perfect blowout every day.”
“I got the shark flex style and so far love it. I just wish the brush was as big as the revlon.”
“Loved Revlon, had to replace and went to the Shark, whatever version Costco sells. I do like it quite a bit, agree it’s more gentle but still effective. I use none of the attachments. I can’t see jumping up to the Dyson; I just don’t see what the value add could be.”
“I just upgraded from the Shark flex style to the Shark FlexFusion and I love it. I’m not sure what the new technology is but it gives me much smoother results than the flex style. I don’t really use the curling attachments (and don’t notice a difference between them and the flex style curling attachments) but the dryer itself, the round brush (which has a wet and dry option), and the frizz fighter finishing tool are all amazing. I actually bought it for the wet-to-dry straightening attachment but haven’t used it much yet because the round brush is so awesome and gives me such a good blowout.”
Dyson Airwrap
The Dyson, surprisingly, didn’t win a TON of accolades. Readers thought that it was gentler than the Revlon, but many felt like it didn’t get hot enough and did not like the roundbrush attachment. The pricing is also, obviously, a big downside.
Pros: not hot enough to style or keep the styleCons: $500
Reader comments about the Dyson:
The Dyson Airwrap is what I use on a daily basis and I like that its much less hot and gentle on my hair. Drybar is a good happy medium of not $500 but not quite as harsh on hair, and feels very similar to use to the Revlon, but when I received the Dyson as a Christmas gift, I did much prefer it so I use that one.
Yes, the $400 Dyson bundle is the way to go. Just did this exact update approximately 8 months ago. So totally worth it.
If your hair requires a lot of heat to style, don’t get the the airwrap. I have it and can’t use it because no matter what I do it doesn’t get hot enough to set my hair, so the styling falls out within 30 minutes.
Same type of hair as yours and I would not recommend the Dyson Airwrap. The round brush creates too much tension and is not large enough to get through my hair as quickly as the Revlon, which I miss terribly. I do like the Airwrap’s paddle brush, but I I do not get the curled under ends I got with Revlon. I am eyeing the T3 Aire because I have liked every other T3 product. And I have seen the Shark recommended plenty.
I have such an old version of the Shark that there may be an upgrade in my future… I think I’m going to get the Shark FlexStyle or the FlexFusion. How about you, readers?
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