In my opinion, when it comes to hair styling, ghd reigns supreme. They changed the game with their iconic hair straighteners back in 2001, and I still use the ghd Chronos hair straighteners most days. But I know that all that regular blowdrying and straightening isn’t great for the health of my hair – so when I recently had a call with the ghd research and development team about the launch of the new ghd Duet Blow Dry, I was intrigued, to say the least.

The ghd Duet Blow Dry is the brand’s first ever 2-in-1 hair dryer brush that’s designed to take hair from wet to blow-dried in one simple styling session. It aims to negate the need for other heat styling tools – as it essentially combines everything you need in one. And while hot brushes do already exist, they’re often clunky, hard to use, heavy, and struggle to leave your hair with that smooth, salon-worthy finish. Plus, if you’ve ever had your hair caught in the bristles of a blowdry brush – you’ll know that it’s enough to put you off for life. 

So as someone who struggles with at-home blow dries, I was eager to give this a try. For context: my hair is naturally curly, but I straighten it most days. After 15 years of bleaching, I also battle a halo of frizz that must be smoothed out with heat. 

Start by brushing your hair through with the Duet Blow Dry until it’s about 80% dry. Once your hair is mostly dry, section it and use the Duet Blow Dry to smooth over sections, curling the brush at an angle to create volume and bounce. Depending on your styling technique, you can create a variety of styles with this tool. Twist the barrel away from your face for beachy waves or mimic rollers by pulling the hair upwards and rotating the brush.

Keep sectioning and styling until your entire head of hair is complete. The tool doesn’t have a cool shot button (which I find surprising), so if your hair tends to drop, use a hairspray to cool and set your style in place.

After just one use, I was hooked. It’s easy to use and truly eliminates the need for multiple styling tools, making it a great travel option. The snag-free bristles don’t tangle in your hair (something I’ve found with other blow dry brushes), and the elliptical-shaped heated barrel makes it easy to get right into the root for volume and lift. It also leaves your hair smooth and sleek, and the low temperature helps minimise heat styling damage.

One thing to note – the ghd Duet Blow Dry tool works best when your hair is already 70-80% dry. I tried using it on dripping wet hair once, and while it did work, it took much longer and left my arm aching by the end.

At £379 it’s an investment. But if you’re someone who regularly uses two or more heat styling products in your hair rotation, this might be a good way to streamline your styling. 

If you’re someone who’s short on time in the morning, a blowdry brush might be just what you need to cut your styling time in half. Here are the best blowdry brushes that the Stylist beauty team really rate…

Main image: @chloeburcham, courtesy of brands