There are certain beauty products that come to define a decade. The '00s, of course, were marked by butterfly clips and frosty glosses. The '10s saw the rise of highlighter and contour powders. And while I'm well-aware we've only scratched the surface of the '20s, in my humble opinion, blowout brushes are certainly in the running — a symbol of the pandemic-prompted boom in at-home devices meant to mimic the result you'd get from going to a salon.

The tools push heated air through a brush-head, effectively combining the best of a brush and hair-dryer in one. Some of them look more like paddle brushes (ideal for sleeker looks) while others resemble round brushes (which create more volume). Either way, they work best on slightly damp — not soaking wet — hair. To get the best results, "start at the root and work your way down to the ends without putting too much heat or tension on the hair," stylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew has previously told Allure.

Ah, heat. The frenemy of hair. And the reason why the new T3 Airebrush Duo is a necessary addition to the crowded world of blowout brushes. The brand set about creating a better-for-your-hair blowout brush about two years ago. The resulting tool has five heat settings, which allow for you to dial down — or up — the temperature. 

The paddle brush attachment on T3 Airebrush Duo helps create a sleek look.

"It really gives you that option to be able to customize based on your needs so that you're minimizing that exposure to heat," says Jade Simmons, director of brand and product marketing at T3. "If your hair is fine or damaged, you might sit somewhere between a one and a three. If you've got medium texture hair that is relatively healthy, try somewhere between a three and a four. Or if you have thicker, coarser hair or a curlier hair pattern, go ahead and try four to five." I found the first setting worked well for my slightly damaged (likely from using those other blowout brushes), ultra-fine hair.

Likewise, the tool has three air speed settings. The thicker your hair, the higher velocity of air required, says Simmons. who notes that those seeking volume should err on the conservative side. "The more air velocity you have, [the] tougher to maintain the body and the volume in your hair."

I used the round brush attachment on T3 Airebrush Duo to add volume at my roots.

The tool is also equipped with negative-ion technology (as is the brand's Best of Beauty award-winning hair-dryer), which Simmons says helps cut down on frizz and makes hair look sleeker. But you have the option to switch off that feature — and in turn, get more body — using the volume-booster button.

As for the brush-head itself, as its name implies, T3 Airebrush Duo comes with two that are easily interchangeable, allowing you to create whatever hair look your heart desires. As for me, I've been known to switch mine up mid-blowout: I use the paddle brush to smooth out my lengths and followed by the round brush to add volume along my roots. Here's to a blowout brush with a truly personal touch.

The T3 Airebrush Duo is available for $180 on t3micro.com beginning September 15.

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