An Honest Review of GHD’s Duet Blowdry Styling Brush by a Beauty Editor With Curly Hair | Who What Wear

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Whether for a trim, a silk press or a simple blowdry and straighten, I love a trip to the hairdresser. As someone with curly hair (a mix of 3C and 4A, to be exact), I find that when I try to wash and style my hair at home, it just doesn’t have the same effect.

This means I’ve spent a lot of time and money trying to find those perfect hair tools to give me a salon-like finish, and I think I may have finally found one that does the job. Enter the GHD Duet Blowdry Brush (£379), which promises to give "effortlessly sleek and bouncy blowdries in the comfort of your own home, using a unique aerodynamic system to avoid heat damage."

As someone who has used way too much heat on my hair over the years, I was very excited to try this out.

The Duet Blowdry Brush is a follow-on from the brand’s Duet Styler, which launched in 2023. Unlike other blowdry brushes (also known as hot brushes), it promises to dry the hair in two different ways: first with hot air flow at a controlled temperature of 120°C, and second via the brush's ceramic bristles, which heat to speed up the drying and styling process.

The tool also claims to leave the hair with three times more volume and 50% shinier. I would also note that, unlike most other hair tools that advise use on slightly damp hair after air or towel-drying, GHD claims you can use this one straight away on wet hair. This is something I was initially sceptical about as I'm usually left with a lot of frizz when I use a drying tool without slightly drying my hair first, so I was eager to put it to the test.

I used the hot brush straight after washing my hair with my usual Olaplex No.4 Shampoo and No.5 Conditioner (£56). I added a couple of drops of the No.7 Bonding Oil (£28) before blowing out my hair. The first thing I noticed was that the tool is very noisy—noticeably louder than other hot brushes I've used. However, I instantly picked up on how easy it is to use. I timed myself, and it took 12 minutes to fully dry and style my hair with the brush, which is much quicker than a regular drying tool. Usually, by the end of my hair routine, my hands are aching from holding up the tools for so long, but the Duet made the process faster without compromising on results.

I was so impressed with how my hair looked and felt after using the hot brush. Firstly, it actually dried and smoothed out my roots; something I find difficult to achieve with bulkier hair-drying tools. My hair was also smooth, voluminous and super shiny. Usually after using a hot brush, I would go in with a pair of straighteners to get rid of additional frizz and further smooth out my hair, but this means adding even more heat. However, with this tool, I genuinely didn't need to. It's obviously not quite as smooth as an actual salon blowout, but considering that the Duet uses significantly less heat and only takes 12 minutes, I was very impressed.

At almost £400, the GHD Duet Blowdry Brush is significantly more expensive than other hot brushes on the market. However, if you're able to justify the price, I'd definitely recommend doing so, because I feel like it gives me a smooth and shiny blowout without the heat damage that other tools impart. I'll still be popping into the salon for the odd visit for special occasions, but this is for sure a tool I’ll be using regularly.

Pros:- Easy to use - Doesn’t take long to dry and style hair- Dries the roots, unlike a lot of other blowdry brushes - Leaves hair smooth and shiny- Snag-free bristles mean it can suit all hair types.

Cons:- Expensive - Rather noisy - Hard to clean.

Temperature: 120°C (One setting)Can it be used on wet hair?: Yes Standout review: "I love this low-sound two-in-one hair dryer brush that dries and shapes simultaneously, creating fast, professionally done hair right at home. Snag-free bristles move effortlessly through the hair without tugging or breaking. It’s a great investment just like all the GHD products. In addition, they include a carrying case as well as a small brush/pick tool to help clean the bristles off."

Temperature: Two heat settings (90°C and 130°C) plus a cool settingCan it be used on wet hair?: Yes Standout review: "I have type 4 hair and this hair dryer has been on my list for a while. All the coily/curly-haired girls rave about this and I understand why. You can get a very good blow-dried look [in] minimal time."

Temperature: Two heat settings plus a cool settingCan it be used on wet hair?: Best on damp hair as opposed to wetStandout review: "I find it's best to blast dry the hair first or leave it to air-dry a bit, as it would take ages to dry with just this, but this is a great tool for speedy styling and finishing off at the same time. You can really leave the brush at home, and for someone with reduced mobility in both shoulders, you can use one hand with this. Does get quite hot after a while. Really glad I purchased it and have been using it a lot."

Temperature: Five heat settingsCan it be used on wet hair?: Use on slightly damp hairStandout review: "I have tried many styling brushes over the years. Cheap ones used to break quickly and damaged my fine hair. This product is expensive but very well made. The brush has a good grip and allows you to create tension and salon-like sleek hair with volume. It is rather heavy but I got used to it. It uses low temperature so you have to air-dry your hair a bit before you use it. Otherwise, it will take ages to style your hair."

Temperature: Three temperature settings Can it be used on wet hair?: Yes Standout review: "Super happy with it! Does a fantastic job, my hair has never been nicer! Just like I went to the hairdresser. Top salon-quality and very easy to use. Looked huge at first before using it for the first time then got used to it in a minute. I don’t mind the colour (grey with yellow) as the result is perfect every time in no time. Wow. Top. Strongly recommend if you’re after bouncy, healthy and beautiful blow-dried hair. (I have chin-length hair)."

Temperature: 180°C (one setting)Can it be used on wet hair?: NoStandout review: "Just received my Amika Blowout Babe brush and I love it already after just one use. So easy to use. My hair is a short bob just below my chin and I achieved the most amazing blowout look. I was actually able to create a gentle curl throughout my hair which I could have left, but I was going for the brushed-out, voluminous look. It's a super-comfortable tool to use. Honestly, I'm so happy to have it."

Temperature: Three temperature settingsCan it be used on wet hair?: Yes Standout review: "This two-in-one hot air brush has turned me from 'I’ll just give my hair a quick blast with the hair dryer' to being able to dry and style my hair in a fraction of the time it takes with a hair dryer and straightening iron. I wanted a new hot air brush because my previous (ancient) brush gave me a concussion each time I used it, it was so heavy and had hard, inflexible bristles. I made the right choice with Mark Hill product!"

See for yourself.

By Allyson Payer

And she's not the only one.

By Eliza Huber

Level up your winter flats.

By Natalie Munro