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WIRED
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- WIRED
The Best Thermal Brush, Tested by a Blowout Addict
Skip to main content Jun 20, 2025 10:33 AM Curious about thermal brushes? Here's what they can and can't do for your hair, and which ones are worth buying. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. You've seen thermal brushes before, maybe touted as a blow-out brush or an infrared brush. The best thermal brush for you will recreate a blow-out type of look on your dry hair—different than a blow-dry brush, which is designed for wet hair but has a similar look. It reminds me of how I would use a curler in my youth to straighten while adding a little body to the roots and a little curl to the ends. If that's your preferred hairstyle too, then these are the devices for you. Thermal brushes use a different type of heat than your usual hair tools. Rather than blowing hot air or pressing heated plates onto your head, a thermal brush uses infrared heat to warm the hair from the inside out. That style of heat does a good job of locking in moisture compared to other tools, but it can give different results depending on your hair type. It can also be tricky to nail the motion with these devices to create blow-out volume. Even if you don't get the volume you hoped for on your first try, these brushes are great for smoothing out and controlling day-two hair while you learn the method. The best thermal brush I've tried is the Wavytalk Heatwave Pro ($80), which comes with three different heads you can switch out, allowing for the most styling flexibility. It has five heat temperature settings, too, making it easy to achieve your perfect brush size and heat level for your hair type and intended style. My personal favorite single brush is the Amika Blowout Babe Thermal Round Brush ($100), since I like the easy toggle control, but the Sutra Infrared Thermal Styling Brush ($110) is a good choice for a single brush with five heat options to choose from. Curious for more information about thermal brushes? Head down to the Frequently Asked Questions section below to learn how the technology works, how to get the best blow-out look with them, and more. Looking for more hair tools and tips? Check out our guides to the Best Blow-Dry Brushes, Best Hair Straighteners, Best Hair Dryers, and Best Heat Protectant Sprays. The best thermal brush I've tried is actually a set. The Wavytalk Heatwave Pro comes with three different thermal heads you can switch out to choose the best size for the hairstyle you want. There's a little digital screen on the handle, with a power button and temperature button that lets you toggle between the five temperature settings. It ranges from 300 degrees up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit, with most of the heat options in the 300 range. The thermal heads come in the following sizes: 1.2 inches, 1.5 inches, and 1.75 inches. Each one has different strengths. The smallest size is great if you want a curler effect, while the larger sizes are good for smoother blow-out waves or a clean C-shape to your hair. Even with shoulder-length hair, I've been able to take advantage of the different sizes to get the exact results I'm looking for. It's a great set, and it's often on sale on Amazon, often also including a carrying case and some extra accessories like a heat glove and hair clips. Settings Five heat settings between 300 and 420 degrees Fahrenheit What's included Brush base and three thermal heads (1.2 inches, 1.5 inches, and 1.75 inches). Amazon set comes with case and accessories Warranty One-year warranty 02 Sutra Infrared Thermal Round Brush Sutra's Infrared Thermal Styling Brush has a design similar to our top pick, the Wavytalk, but instead of having two buttons, there's a single power button that you can hold down to turn on and off, or tap to toggle between the five heat settings. The button is easy to tap while you're using it, but it won't change the heat settings right away, so it's not the worst thing if you find yourself accidentally pressing it. It reaches the highest heat level of the thermal brushes I've tested, making it a good choice for unruly hair that needs higher heat to corral it. It does a good job smoothing my frizzy, curly hair after I air dry it, or reviving my DIY blowout the day after I use a blow-dry brush. I would prefer better controls, but it's worked well for me for months. I have the 43-millimeter option (which is about 1.7 inches), which has been a nice oval size for a classic blowout look, but Sutra also has a smaller, rounded 32-mm brush ($110) if that's more your style. Settings Five heat settings between What's included One 1.7-inch thermal brush Warranty One-year warranty 03 Amika Blowout Babe Thermal Brush I love that the Amika Blowout Babe has a single switch to turn it on. There's two options with the switch: the first will turn on a red light, to tell you the thermal brush is heating up. Click it one level higher and the light will turn green, telling you the negative ion generator is on, which gives smoother and shinier results, but means there's less volume. I did see less volume when switching between the two, but I also saw less frizz. I only use heat protectant in my tests, but in the future I'll probably skip the ion generator and just add a serum to corral the frizz (my go-to has been this one from Davines ever since I had postpartum flyaways a few years ago). There's no heat adjustments with this one, unlike the two models above. It switches on to the set 356 degrees Fahrenheit when you turn it on. There's also no indicator of when it's finished heating up, though Amika says to wait a few minutes for it to reach Settings One heat setting (356 degrees Fahrenheit) and a negative ion generator option What's included One 1.5-inch thermal brush Warranty One-year warranty BondiBoost Infrared Thermal Bounce Brush ($98): This is a popular thermal brush that you'll find recommended all over TikTok. It's a solid thermal brush, with easy controls to turn it on and to adjust the heat level, which has eight settings that range from 275 degrees to 450. It's one of the biggest temperature range options you'll find among these brushes; most only offer around five, while some offer no adjustments at all. It delivers nice results, but there are many reports and reviews that mention the device breaking, and BondiBoost primarily only offers a 30-day return window. There are mentions in comments about a one-year warranty, but BondiBoost's site doesn't confirm any warranty beyond the return window. It's no longer available on Amazon, and hasn't been for a few months now. It takes a long time to ship too. This is a popular thermal brush that you'll find recommended all over TikTok. It's a solid thermal brush, with easy controls to turn it on and to adjust the heat level, which has eight settings that range from 275 degrees to 450. It's one of the biggest temperature range options you'll find among these brushes; most only offer around five, while some offer no adjustments at all. It delivers nice results, but there are many reports and reviews that mention the device breaking, and BondiBoost primarily only offers a 30-day return window. There are mentions in comments about a one-year warranty, but BondiBoost's site doesn't confirm any warranty beyond the return window. It's no longer available on Amazon, and hasn't been for a few months now. It takes a long time to ship too. FoxyBae Hottie Hot Round Brush for $45: Though this brand is well-known for its tools and styling aids appearing in subscription beauty boxes like FabFitFun and Ipsy, most FoxyBae items are also available à la carte at Amazon. Though it looks like a blow-dry brush, this tool is advertised as both a curler and a straightener—'get a blowout without the hot air,' the website copy says. The fact it heats up to 430 degrees Fahrenheit was also promising. I have 3a curls that I regularly blow dry and straighten with a flat iron, so I wondered if a heated brush with a ceramic barrel might in fact be quicker and less harsh on my hair than a flat iron. I'd like to say definitively whether or not this was the case, but the weirdly stiff nylon bristles of this brush got so tangled in my hair that I wasn't even able to complete one pass. You might have better luck if you have only slightly wavy or even straight hair that you're looking to curl, but if you're looking to go from curly to straight, this is not the way. —Kat Merck Frequently Asked Questions How Do Thermal Brushes Work? AccordionItemContainerButton Thermal brushes might look like a blow-dry brush, but they work differently. Instead of blowing hot air, thermal brushes use infrared heat to style dry hair. Infrared heat is also different than your usual hot tools. Instead of just heating the surface of your hair to style and control, infrared will heat the hair from the inside out rather than outside in. I interviewed a handful of hair stylists and beauty experts, and nearly all of them confirmed that this style of heat is gentler on your hair. 'Infrared heat works differently than traditional hot tools. Instead of heating just the surface, it penetrates the hair shaft, styling from the inside out. That means better moisture retention, less frizz, and way less damage over time,' says Vito Esposito, founder of Vito Esposito Salon in Beverly Hills. Are Thermal Brushes and Blow-Dry Brushes The Same? AccordionItemContainerButton You might have seen two different kinds of brushes while shopping that promise blowout results. While the thermal brushes are designed for dry hair, there's also blow-dry brushes that are designed for wet hair. These aren't interchangeable devices, since they use different types of heat and are designed for different states of your hair. If you're looking for a device to both dry and style wet hair, check out our guide to the Best Blow-Dry Brushes. What's the Best Way to Use a Thermal Brush? AccordionItemContainerButton The trick with thermal brushes is to take the time to brush the hair in a way to create volume. There's no air flying out of this device to create volume like a blow-dry brush, and instead you need to manually create the volume by teasing the root of your hair up as you style it. I usually find I need a few passes of these brushes over a section of hair to smooth it out and style it as I intended. Make sure to start with a heat protectant first. There's a lot of videos with tutorials on how to use these brushes that can show you the popular motion to use with these brushes. Personally, my hair is shorter than most folks who make a demo video, so I find it easier to flip my hair out than to curl and twist it in while using these brushes. You should play around with your new tool and your hair to figure out what works best for you. The infrared heat is also good at helping your hair retain moisture, but that also means folks with oily or finer hair (like me!) might find that their day-two hair (or three or four, whatever wash day schedule is working for you) feels a little slick after using a thermal brush. I like to add a pinch of Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-Powder ($34), my favorite dry shampoo, on those days to keep my roots from getting too oily. Do You Still Need Heat Protectant? AccordionItemContainerButton Short answer: yes! Even though thermal brushes heat your hair from within, you still need to treat the exterior of your hair with a heat protectant of some kind to protect your hair. You can shop our guide to the Best Heat Protectants if you're looking for one. I test every thermal brush on both air-dried curls and a day-two blowout to see how well it can recreate a blowout look on my hair. I usually test on the highest setting for the most consistent results, since some thermal brushes don't have adjustment features. I also always use heat protectant—I use the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil ($25), which is our top pick in our best heat protectants guide—and I have found that using a heat protectant helps make my hair a little more malleable to a thermal brush.
Sustainability Times
07-06-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Humans Can Finally See in the Dark': This Stunning Scientific Breakthrough Just Changed the Future of Night Vision Forever
IN A NUTSHELL 🌙 Chinese researchers have developed innovative contact lenses that allow humans to see in the dark by converting infrared light into visible light. have developed innovative contact lenses that allow humans to see in the dark by converting infrared light into visible light. 🧪 These lenses incorporate nanoparticles and are made from biocompatible polymers , requiring no external power source. and are made from , requiring no external power source. 🔬 Tests on mice and humans show the lenses can detect infrared signals and even improve vision when eyes are closed. and even improve vision when eyes are closed. 🌟 Potential applications include surgery, encryption, counterfeit detection, and aiding individuals with color blindness. Have you ever imagined seeing in the dark without the aid of a flashlight or night vision goggles? This long-standing human fantasy might soon become a reality, thanks to a groundbreaking invention by Chinese researchers. Scientists from Hefei University of Science and Technology have developed contact lenses that enable night vision by converting infrared light into visible light. Although these lenses are not yet available for public use, the potential applications are vast and transformative. In this article, we explore the science behind this innovation, its potential applications, and the current limitations that need to be overcome. The Science Behind Seeing in the Dark The ability to see in the dark has long been the province of certain animals and fictional characters. For humans, it is typically an impossible feat without specialized equipment like infrared goggles. The human eye can only detect light within a narrow spectrum of approximately 400 to 700 nanometers, known as visible light. Infrared light, on the other hand, falls between 800 and 1,600 nanometers, making it invisible to the naked eye. To bridge this gap, Hefei University researchers have developed contact lenses incorporating nanoparticles capable of absorbing near-infrared light and converting it into visible light. These lenses are crafted from soft, biocompatible polymers, similar to commercial contact lenses, and they do not require any external energy source. This innovation allows the wearer to see in the dark seamlessly, transforming the invisible into the visible. 'Earth Is Not Unique Anymore': Harvard Scientists Reveal Countless Earth-Like Planets Lurking in Distant Galaxies A Promising Yet Imperfect Technology Testing of these innovative lenses has been conducted on both mice and humans. In mice, the pupils contracted in response to infrared light, and brain activity was noted in visual processing areas. Human participants wearing the lenses could detect blinking infrared signals and discern the direction of incoming infrared light. Interestingly, infrared vision improved when participants closed their eyes, as infrared light penetrates eyelids more effectively than visible light. Despite these promising results, the technology remains imperfect. Currently, the prototypes excel at detecting intense infrared light but struggle with detailed vision. This limitation arises from the proximity of the lens to the retina, which also explains why traditional infrared goggles currently provide superior results. 'Einstein Was Right All Along': This Atomic Clock on the ISS Is Putting General Relativity to Its Ultimate Test Potential Applications Across Various Fields Researchers are actively working to enhance their technology, particularly in improving the sensitivity of the nanoparticles. These lenses could benefit diverse fields such as surgical interventions, encryption and cryptography, and even counterfeit detection. They hold promise for assisting individuals with color blindness by converting certain infrared wavelengths into visible colors, potentially improving color perception. The possibilities are indeed exciting. Imagine surgeons performing intricate procedures in low-light environments or security personnel detecting hidden threats in the dark. The technology could also revolutionize the way we perceive the world, offering a new dimension to visual experiences. 'A Tower of Death Rose From the Sea': This 43-Foot Wave in 2020 Shattered Physics and Terrorized the Scientific World Challenges and the Road Ahead While the potential of these lenses is vast, significant challenges remain. The current prototypes need further refinement to enhance detail detection and reduce blurriness. Researchers aim to improve the nanoparticle sensitivity to expand the range of detectable infrared light and facilitate clearer vision. Despite these hurdles, the progress made so far is encouraging. Continued research and development could soon lead to a commercially viable product that may change how we interact with our surroundings. As the world waits for these lenses to become available, the question remains: What other transformative innovations could be on the horizon in the realm of human vision? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (24)
Reuters
06-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Airbus wins contract to provide infrared protection on German Air Force aircraft
June 6 (Reuters) - Airbus ( opens new tab has signed a contract to install infrared protection systems on 23 German Air Force A400M transport aircraft, the planemaker said on Friday. The deal with Germany's procurement agency BAAINBw will equip the military planes with Directed Infrared Counter Measures technology to defend against heat-seeking missiles during operations, Airbus said.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Scientists create contact lenses that can help us see in the dark
A team of scientists from China have created contact lenses that can help people to see in the new lenses allow people to see infrared light, which is normally invisible to the human technology has been around for a while, in the form of things like night-vision goggles, however, these are quite heavy and need power to Tian Xue, a scientist at the University of Science and Technology of China, said their work could help to inspire a range of contact lenses, glasses and other wearable devices that give people "super-vision", as well as helping people with optical conditions like colour blindness. Why can we see some things and not others? There are seven types of electromagnetic (EM) waves, made of light, sound and radiation, which are part of something called the Electromagnetic can only see 'visible light', but there are lots of other types like radio waves, ultraviolet light and infrared light, which we cannot scientists have developed technology like sonar which helps us to see sound, and night-vision cameras which help us to see infrared light using temperature. How do the infrared contact lenses work? The team of scientists created contact lenses that have engineered nanoparticles in are tiny microscopic structures that are made up of a few engineered nanoparticles absorb and change near infrared light into blue, green and red light, which is visible to the human experiments to test out the lenses, people said they could see signals flashed from an infrared light, and could tell what direction the light came well as this, people said their infrared vision improved when they closed their could be because our eyelids help to block visible light more than infrared, so there was less visible light to the scientists have said that the lenses are not quite sensitive enough to see low levels of infrared light, so they do not give complete thermal vision yet, but the team hope that future work can help to improve the technology.
Sustainability Times
27-05-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
See in Total Darkness: Infrared Contact Lenses Let Humans Detect Night Vision Even With Eyes Fully Shut
IN A NUTSHELL 👁️ Researchers have developed innovative contact lenses that allow humans to perceive infrared light , enhancing vision capabilities. , enhancing vision capabilities. 🐭 Initial tests on mice and humans showed successful infrared detection , with improved signal interpretation when eyes are closed. , with improved signal interpretation when eyes are closed. 🔬 The lenses use nanoparticle technology to convert near-infrared wavelengths into visible light, opening up new visual possibilities. to convert near-infrared wavelengths into visible light, opening up new visual possibilities. 🔒 Potential applications span security, accessibility for the visually impaired, and communication, offering transformative benefits across various domains. The realm of human vision is on the brink of a revolutionary breakthrough, thanks to the development of innovative contact lenses that allow humans to perceive infrared light. These lenses, requiring no external power source, promise to unlock a world previously unseen by the naked eye. As researchers push the boundaries of wearable technology, these lenses may soon become a staple for various applications, ranging from security enhancements to aiding the visually impaired. This groundbreaking technology offers a glimpse into a future where human capabilities are enhanced beyond current limitations. Mice, Morse Code, and Multi-Color IR Detection In the quest to create superhuman vision, researchers have successfully tested their infrared-detecting contact lenses on both mice and humans. The lenses allowed mice to perceive infrared light, prompting behavioral changes such as avoiding illuminated zones, a clear indicator of infrared perception. When applied to human trials, participants could decipher Morse-code-like signals from infrared LED sources, judging the direction of incoming signals accurately. Notably, participants experienced improved infrared vision when they closed their eyes, as near-infrared (NIR) light penetrates the eyelid more effectively than visible light. This fascinating development underscores the potential of these lenses to enhance human perception in unique ways. By fine-tuning the nanoparticles within the lenses, researchers enabled users to distinguish between different NIR wavelengths, effectively adding a color-coding capability to the technology. This ability to perceive color variations in infrared light opens up new possibilities for communication and information transmission, making these lenses a versatile tool in numerous fields. 'Mach 6 From a Runway': US Unveils Hypersonic Jet Engine That Could Redefine Military Airpower and Global Strike Speed Looking Ahead: Better Resolution and Broader Applications While the development of infrared contact lenses marks a significant leap forward, challenges remain. The proximity of the lenses to the retina causes light scattering, which reduces image sharpness. To address this, researchers have also developed a goggle-style wearable using the same nanoparticle technology, which offers enhanced resolution. This alternative form factor could prove valuable for tasks requiring more precise visual acuity. The current iteration of lenses is limited to detecting strong NIR emissions from LED sources. Enhancing their sensitivity to ambient infrared radiation in natural environments is a key focus for future research. Collaborations with materials scientists and optical experts aim to create contact lenses with improved spatial resolution and heightened sensitivity, paving the way for even broader applications. 'Mind-Controlled Roaches Are Real': Scientists Use UV Helmets to Wirelessly Command Cockroach Cyborgs in Chilling New Experiment Nanoparticle Technology: The Engine Behind Super Vision At the heart of these groundbreaking contact lenses lies the sophisticated use of nanoparticles. These specialized particles are embedded into soft contact lenses, where they convert NIR wavelengths into visible light. Emitting light in the 400–700 nm range, these particles enable wearers to perceive infrared sources as distinct visual signals. This conversion process is what allows the lenses to transform invisible infrared light into something visible to the human eye. The versatility of nanoparticle technology extends beyond just infrared detection. By converting red visible light into green, this technology could also assist individuals with color blindness, making previously indistinguishable hues visible. The potential applications of these lenses are vast, and as the technology matures, it may offer solutions to a range of visual impairments and challenges. UK Unleashes Instant Drug Scanner: New High-Tech Street Weapon Can Detect Narcotics Before They're Even Consumed Potential Applications: Security, Accessibility, and Beyond The implications of infrared contact lenses are profound, offering transformative benefits across multiple domains. In security and rescue operations, the ability to perceive flickering infrared signals could facilitate covert communication and information transmission. Encryption and anti-counterfeiting measures could also benefit from the unique capabilities of these lenses. For the visually impaired, the lenses may provide a novel form of assistance, enabling them to perceive visual cues that were previously inaccessible. As the technology evolves, its applications are likely to expand, offering enhanced vision to a wider audience. The lenses represent a significant step toward non-invasive wearable devices that bestow superhuman capabilities, enriching our interaction with the world around us. As the development of infrared contact lenses continues to advance, the possibilities for enhancing human vision seem boundless. With ongoing research and collaboration, these lenses could soon become a ubiquitous tool, reshaping how we perceive and interact with our environment. What other breakthroughs in wearable technology might lie on the horizon, waiting to change the way we experience the world? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (21)
