How to use a ghd hot brush

Rise or Glide: what each one does

The ghd Rise is a heated round brush. It gives root volume and a smooth, rounded finish at the ends, much like a round brush blow-dry, but on dry hair. It suits fine or flat hair and anyone who wants a bouncy, salon-style finish without a dryer and round brush.

The ghd Glide is a heated paddle brush. It smooths frizz and flyaways quickly with less tension than straighteners and leaves hair with more natural movement. It suits wavy or frizzy hair that you want calmer and smoother, and quick touch-ups between washes.

• Volume at the root and bouncy ends: Rise.
• Quick smoothing of frizz with movement: Glide.
• Flat, poker straight: straighteners instead.
• Drying from wet: a dryer or a wet-to-dry styler such as the ghd Duet Blowdry.

How to use the ghd Rise

Start with dry, detangled hair and a heat protectant. Switch on and wait for the brush to reach temperature, then work from the back of the head forwards.

1. 1

   Take a section about the width of the brush and about 2 to 3 cm deep.

2. 2

   Place the brush under the section close to the root, without touching the scalp.

3. 3

   Lift the section up and hold for a few seconds to build root volume.

4. 4

   Slowly draw the brush out towards the ends, rolling it under or out for a curved finish.

5. 5

   At the ends, hold briefly and roll, then release.

6. 6

   Let the section cool before touching it, then move to the next one.

7. 7

   For extra volume at the crown, lift each section straight up towards the ceiling.

How to use the ghd Glide

The Glide works best on dry, detangled hair with a heat protectant. It needs less precise sectioning than the Rise, but smaller sections give a smoother result on thick hair.

Place the brush under a section near the root, let the bristles grip the hair and glide slowly down to the ends. Keep a gentle, steady tension. Repeat once if needed rather than many times. For a little bend at the ends, rotate the brush slightly as you reach them. Brushing from underneath gives more lift; brushing from on top gives a flatter finish.

Note:Hot brushes get hot at the bristle base and the heated surface. Keep them away from your scalp, face and ears, rest them on their stand or a heat proof surface and unplug after use.

Cleaning a ghd hot brush

Hair and product build up between the bristles and can scorch or smell. Unplug the brush and let it cool completely. Remove trapped hair with a comb or a pick, working gently so you do not pull out or bend bristles. Wipe the heated surface and bristles with a barely damp cloth, then dry them. Never put the brush in water or use harsh solvents. Our guide on how to clean curling tongs covers general care for heated tools, and ghd's manual gives model specific advice.

Getting better results

Hot brushes rely on heat on dry hair, so heat protection matters just as with straighteners; see do you need heat protection spray. Work on fully dry hair, as damp hair will not set and you risk drying it unevenly. If your hair is very curly and you want it flat, straighteners will do more; compare in straighteners vs hot air brush.

If you want ghd's other tools, the ghd straighteners compared guide covers the range, and our best wet-to-dry straighteners guide covers stylers that work from wet.

Compare ghd stylers →

Frequently asked questions

Can you use a ghd hot brush on wet hair? No. The Rise and Glide are designed for dry hair. Dry hair first, or use a wet-to-dry tool.

Is the ghd Rise or Glide better for volume? The Rise, because it is a round brush you can lift at the root.

Does a ghd hot brush replace straighteners? For a smooth, natural finish it can. For poker straight hair, straighteners still do more.

How often should I clean my hot brush? Remove hair after each few uses and wipe it down whenever you see product build-up.