The last time I used a hairdryer and round brush to style my hair, Corona was just a beer and you sent your pet to quarantine before you moved abroad. Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but since the first Dyson Air Wrap was released in 2018 and the hair tool category exploded, with the likes of the Babyliss Air Wand, ghd Duet Blowdry and Shark Flexstyler quickly following suit, I have opted for one of these machines over a traditional round brush blow dry if I want to create volume or style my hair.
So when I received a hair brush claiming to add volume to my blow dry, it almost looked archaic. Where was its app connection? Did it have a power switch? How could a simple hairbrush compete in a market saturated with the latest technology? Then I noticed the name on the box. Four-time British Hairdresser of the Year, and someone I have worked with in the past, Angelo Seminara. He doesn’t put his name to just anything, so I was immediately intrigued.
Seminara may not be a household name like some, but if you mention him in the fashion, beauty or film industry, the response will always be of the highest esteem. Regarded as one of the greatest hairdressers of a generation, he started his career in the UK at Trevor Sorbie and has continued to wow the industry ever since. Known for his artistry and attention to detail, he has created some of the most incredible hair looks, so impressive that the images have ended up in art galleries. He has also styled and cut the hair of the rich and famous, including supermodels Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Gisele and Natalia Vodianova, and Hollywood stars including Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman.
And he’s a perfectionist. You can bet every detail of these hair brushes has been meticulously checked to ensure it’s the best quality to give you proper results.
Without further hesitation, I dug out my old Parlux hairdryer, which has been stuffed at the back of the cupboard, and put the Angelo Seminara Volume and Waves Master Brush in Large (£79) to the test. And let me tell you, the results blew me away.
About the Angelo Seminara Volume and Waves Master Brush
What I Like About the Angelo Seminara Volume and Waves Master Brush
When I say volume – wow! My hair looked like I had just jumped off the front of a vintage Vogue cover, and I couldn’t help but smile. This was the exact feeling Seminara always wanted his clients to feel after visiting him in the salon. My hair looked elegant and stylish, it was how I envisage my hair should look on a good day.
I also noticed that the next day my hair looked almost just as good as when I had first styled it – there was loads of volume at the root, the curl was still at the end, and it had a salon-worthy shine. One of my greatest bugbears with the air-technology tools is that my hair looks great once I finish styling it, but the next morning, I look like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards. It never lasts, no matter how many tricks and hacks I try. This brush, on the other hand, gives longevity.
How to Use the Angelo Seminara Volume and Waves Master Brush
Similarly to using a hair tool, I rough-dried my hair to around 80% before attempting to style it with the brush. I have very thick, wavy hair, so if I don’t do this step it can take me hours. I then sectioned off the hair, leaving the bottom section down. Seminara recommends using a medium heat on the hairdryer two inches from the hair or a high heat four inches away to avoid damaging the hair shaft with too much heat. I then took the brush against the root and held the dryer over the top until I noticed the hair was starting to dry. I repeated this step until my hair was completely dry. Then, I switch the hairdryer to cool with the brush still in place, allowing the hair to cool completely down, before removing the brush. Immediately, the volume was noticeable, which made me very excited to continue styling the rest of my hair.
I continued the same method for the rest of the section, before repeating the same steps on the rest of my hair. At the front, I like the bottom section to flick slightly outwards, so I flipped the hair at the ends and held the dryer in a downward direction to give the curve. For the front section, I took the hair backwards, as I find this is the best way to get as much volume as possible.
I quite enjoyed the control of using two hands. It felt like I could manipulate the hair to lie exactly how I wanted it to. The key is also to make sure each section is fully dried and cooled before removing the brush. If your hairdryer doesn’t have a cooling button you can just hold the brush in place once you remove the heat and let it cool.
What to Consider Before Buying the Angelo Seminara Volume and Waves Master Brush
This is not a tool, it is a hair brush. This means it will take time, effort and a lot of practice to achieve a professional-looking blow-dry. If you aren’t confident in styling your hair, this isn’t going to be for you. It also takes a lot longer to dry your hair than a tool, but it lasts a lot longer too, so it’s all swings and roundabouts.
I also need to point out that it’s not cheap. The brushes are around £70 each and the full set of five brushes works out at nearly £300. However, if you are a professional or amateur/training hair stylist, I would say run, don’t walk, for these brushes as I can guarantee you will love them.
Where Is the Angelo Seminara Volume and Waves Master Brush Available?
You can buy the Angelo Seminara brushes directly from the Angelo Seminara website.
Rating:
Lauren Ezekiel (she/her) is a former associate editor at PS UK, where she wrote about all things beauty and wellness. With a degree in journalism she began her career in 2008 at a leading Sunday supplement, where she climbed through the ranks to become beauty editor in 2012. Lauren is obsessed with skincare, hair and makeup, and she’s often found offering advice to innocent bystanders. A mum of two, Lauren is an advocate for the benefits of beauty and self-care for your mental well-being, which inspired her award-winning charity initiative We C U 2020. Her work has been published in Grazia, OK!, Health & Beauty, The Sun, Asda, Dare and Metro.
