I'm terrible at doing my own hair, but this $130 hot tool is easy to use and makes me look like I just got a salon blowout
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- I have never been able to do an at-home blowout. Whenever necessary, I'd gladly fork over high salon fees to avoid the inconvenience.
- The T3 1.75-inch BodyWaver ($129) is my solution. It requires minimal effort, but it gives me the shine, body, and loose waves of a professional blowout from home.
- If you're looking for a curling iron, don't buy this. If you're looking for a "blowout with a big round brush" look in 30 minutes without a hair dryer, you'll probably love it.
My battle with thick, frizzy hair is a well-documented one on the internet. Before I built an arsenal of airtight products over the course of my early 20s, my signature hairstyle was a sheepish, please-don't-look-at-me bun that was good at covering the sins of an imperfect genetic lottery. Stylists would go into salon appointments optimistic and then fall back, calling in reinforcements of - at a personal record - three other pairs of expert hands to get the job finished in time.
In high school, I got my hair cut every two months, motivated by the manageability of frequent blowouts more than healthy ends. In New York, where great haircuts can run a much higher tab than those in Minneapolis suburbs, this is no longer a sustainable solution. Instead, I got the T3 1.75-inch BodyWaver for $129 - which is about the price of two NYC DryBar blowouts with tip.
I get that some magical people can manipulate a round brush and a hair dryer at home and like the result. They do not need this tool. I, however, am not one of them. And while I'm sure I could master the technique if I really tried, I just don't want to. Given all the other skills I could hone with that time instead, this is one I'm willing to cut corners on.
To be honest, I'd rather just buy something - and that's what led me to the T3 1.75-inch BodyWaver. It gives me the same shiny, bouncy loose waves of a salon blowout - but without the blowdryer or inconvenience.
Even for a hot tool, it's simple to use: the handle is ergonomic, a nine-foot 360-degree swivel cord moves with you, and T3's signature Tourmaline SinglePass radial technology means there's always even and consistent heat, which also means the process is faster and requires fewer damaging second passes on sections. The T3 Tourmaline and ceramic seal the cuticle to produce that salon-level shine, and five heat settings adjust for any hair type or condition. And there's both a cool tip and a one-hour auto-off for safety. I've been using mine without issue for a year, but Sephora notes a two-year warranty.
Instead of an ongoing salon fee, a permanent bun, or battling through a Youtube tutorial on using a round brush at home, I trade 30 minutes in for polished hair. And there's no roar of a blowdryer, so the time is usually maximized by watching a show or listening to a podcast anyway. Every time I use it, friends and coworkers ask if I got my hair cut. Given my prior track record, I assign all the credit to the BodyWaver.
Having said that, you shouldn't buy it if you're looking for a traditional curling iron, or if your hair is so short that a 1.75-inch tool won't make much of a difference. But if you're looking for a life hack that lets you skip the blow dryer and salon for the volume and wave of a blowout look in 30 minutes, then you'll probably love it. It's worth noting though that some Amazon reviews note receiving a BodyWaver that didn't turn on once plugged in, though one possible explanation is that the BodyWaver is turned on by twisting the power and temperature dial and not immediately once it's plugged in for the first time. When it's on, the indicator light will flash during heat up and then turn solid when the barrel reaches the temperature you set.
All in all, the T3 has been a lifesaver. It helps me save money on unnecessary salon visits without compromising on frizzy hair or an at-home chore I dread. The T3 SinglePass tech means less damage to my hair, and the exchange of 30 minutes at home for the look of a professional blowout is pretty unbeatable.