Revlon Blowout Showdown: Original 1.0 vs One Step Plus 2.0

The Rough-Dry-Then-Style Timing: The 80 Percent Rule

The rough-dry-then-style technique is never explained with real timing, so here it is. The 80 percent rule: dry the hair to about 80 percent with rough drying, using fingers or the brush with tension but no precision, before beginning the styled brushing. The test is touch: the hair should feel dry on the surface but still cool and slightly damp underneath. Starting the smoothing pass too wet wastes time and bakes in frizz; starting too dry means the style has nothing to set.

With the One Step brush, the rough-dry phase uses the brush's lower heat setting with quick passes, and the styling phase switches to the higher setting with slow, tensioned strokes. The Plus 2.0's extra settings earn their keep here: the medium options let you fine-tune the transition between phases. Total timing for medium hair is typically six to ten minutes, split roughly half and half between phases.

Short Hair and Pixie Cuts: Brush Technique

Dryers for very short hair get no coverage, and hot air brushes need specific technique at short lengths. On pixie cuts, use the brush's slimmer profile, the Plus 2.0's 2.4 inch brush suits short hair better than the original's larger oval, and work in the direction of the cut rather than lifting for volume the length cannot support. Keep the brush moving constantly; short hair heats through in seconds and the scalp burns easily.

The concentrator-style precision of a brush beats a round brush plus dryer for short hair because it is genuinely one-handed. For pixie styling, low heat is usually sufficient; high heat on short hair mainly risks the scalp. If the cut is very short, consider whether a brush is needed at all versus a simple dryer with a concentrator nozzle. Our main best hair dryers buyer guide covers nozzle technique for short styles.

One-Handed Drying: The Limited-Mobility Case

Drying with an arm injury or limited mobility is never addressed, yet the hot air brush is the category's best answer to it. A traditional dryer plus round brush demands two coordinated hands; the One Step collapses the job into one tool in one hand, which is why it suits anyone with a shoulder injury, wrist weakness, or simply no styling stamina.

The technique adjustments: work in larger sections than tutorials suggest, since precision sectioning needs two hands; let the brush's design do the smoothing rather than forcing tension; and use the lower heat settings, which are more forgiving of the slower pace. A dryer stand or hands-free mount is the alternative for traditional dryers, but the brush format removes the need entirely. For air-styler alternatives in the same one-tool spirit, our best air hair styler picks for fast, damage-free styling covers the category.

The Cold Shot: Where It Fits the Sequence

The cold shot button is never explained properly, so here is its actual job. Cool air sets the hydrogen bonds in the hair in their styled position; heat reshapes, cold locks. Use it at the very end of each section, after the smoothing pass, holding the cool airflow on the section for five to ten seconds. The Plus 2.0's cool option makes this a one-tool step rather than a separate blast of cold air.

What the cold shot does not do: repair damage, add shine beyond what smoothing achieved, or substitute for proper heat technique. It is a finishing step, not a rescue step. Skipping it costs some longevity of the style; using it mid-dry on wet hair just extends drying time. The sequence is always heat-style first, cold-set last, section by section. For pro setting sequences, our Babyliss Pro Rapido guide on speed, settings, and styling tips details the full order.