Hot air brush vs curling tongs

How each tool makes a curl

Hair holds a new shape when the hydrogen bonds inside it are broken by water or heat and then re-form as the hair cools in the new position. Curling tongs do this with a hot barrel: you wrap a section of dry hair around it, wait a few seconds and release. The heat is direct and the curl is tight and defined.

A hot air brush does it with warm air and tension. The bristles grip the hair, the warm air dries and softens it, and rolling the brush puts a bend into the ends. The result is softer: flicks, bounce and loose waves rather than ringlets. Air stylers with Coanda barrels sit in between, wrapping hair around a barrel with airflow rather than a hot surface.

Side by side

Which suits your hair

If you want curls without hot plates, look at air stylers in our best Airwrap-style multi-stylers guide. For long hair specifically, see multi-stylers for long hair.

• Fine hair that drops curls: tongs give the most hold; a hot air brush gives lift at the root. Many people use both.
• Thick hair: tongs for defined curls; a hot air brush helps tame volume during the blow-dry.
• Short hair: small barrel tongs or a small hot air brush; most air styler barrels need more length.
• Natural curls: neither is ideal for defining existing curls; use a diffuser on a dryer.
• Fragile or bleached hair: air-based tools at a low setting are usually the gentler start.

Getting curls to last with either tool

Cooling is the step most people skip. Hair sets as it cools, so moving a warm curl undoes much of the work. If curls from an air styler drop quickly, see our guide to why an Airwrap is not curling.

1. 1

   Start with hair that is fully dry for tongs, or about 80% dry for a hot air brush.

2. 2

   Use smaller sections: thin sections heat through evenly and hold better.

3. 3

   Let each curl cool in shape before touching it. Use a cool shot on air tools, or pin the curl while it cools after tongs.

4. 4

   Use a light hold product suited to heat styling if your hair drops curls.

5. 5

   Brush out or rake through with fingers only once everything has cooled.

Heat and safety

Curling tongs can reach high surface temperatures, and touching skin, ears or the neck can burn. Choose tongs with adjustable temperature and start low, especially on fine or coloured hair. Air tools still heat hair, but spread the heat through moving air rather than a hot surface.

Whatever you use, keep the tool moving, avoid holding heat on one section for long and put tools down on a heat-resistant mat. Unplug when finished and let them cool before storing.

Note:Keep hot barrels away from skin and out of reach of children. Never leave a heated tool switched on and unattended.

Frequently asked questions

Is a hot air brush less damaging than tongs? It applies heat through air rather than direct contact, which is usually gentler, but repeated heat on the same section can still dry hair. Use the lowest effective setting.

Can a hot air brush make proper curls? It makes bends, flicks and soft waves. For tighter curls, an air styler with curling barrels or tongs works better.

Do I need to use tongs on dry hair? Yes. Using tongs on damp hair can make water boil inside the hair and cause damage. Dry hair fully first.

Which is quicker? Tongs are faster per curl, but you need to dry your hair first. A hot air brush dries and styles together, so the total time can be similar.