Checklist · 11 picks · 3 categories
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This list is for the person who has a drawer of hair tools and still wants one more. I pulled picks from Bustle's hair care gifts, Good Morning America's best hair tools and ET Online's hair care gift guide, and kept only products those guides named.
You will find curling irons, a blow-dry brush, a straightener, a few budget brushes and sprays, and two gift sets for the shower shelf. I left out the picks already on my hair tools and curly hair pages, so check those if you want the dryer or detangler basics. One practical tip: ask what kind of hair they have before buying, because a boar brush and a detangling brush are made for very different heads of hair.
Who this is not for. If they have curly or coily hair, start with the curly hair gifts page instead.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer and Styler | budget | $25-50 | easy at-home blowouts on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Kim Kimble Celebrity Series 1" Ceramic Tourmaline Curling Iron | budget | $25-50 | curls on a small budget | 1 outlet |
| Bio Ionic Long Barrel Styler | splurge | $150-200 | reliable curls for frequent stylers | 1 outlet |
| T3 Twirl Trio Interchangeable Curling Iron Set | splurge | $200-300 | travelers and multi-barrel fans | 1 outlet |
budget hair dryer
Best for easy at-home blowouts on a budget
Good Morning America's best hair tools calls it one of the most popular styling tools on the market, citing a huge number of Amazon reviews. Bustle also lists the Plus version as a budget-friendly two-in-one for at-home blowouts.
Picked by Good Morning America best hair tools pick.
$25-50
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budget curling iron · 1 inch
Best for curls on a small budget
ET Online's hair care gifts describe a versatile 1-inch iron that tames frizz and flyaways while creating curls.
Picked by ET Online hair care gift pick.
$25-50
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splurge curling iron
Best for reliable curls for frequent stylers
Good Morning America's best hair tools says more than 10,000 were sold on Amazon in the past month, and that you can trust it to give you the perfect curls.
Picked by Good Morning America best hair tools pick.
$150-200
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splurge curling iron set
Best for travelers and multi-barrel fans
Bustle's hair care gifts call it a convertible kit, and quote a hairstylist saying he does not need three separate irons because he can have them all in one. It is described as suitcase friendly.
Picked by Bustle hair care gift pick.
$200-300
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felicia Leatherwood Detangling Brush | budget | $15-25 | thick or dense hair of any type | 1 outlet |
| Ibiza Hair B5 Boar Brush | mid | $50-100 | smoothing and shine at blow-dry | 1 outlet |
| CALISTA Perfecter Pro Heated Round Brush | splurge | $100-150 | bob to medium length hair | 1 outlet |
| T3 AireBrush Duo Interchangeable Hot Air Blow Dry Brush | splurge | $150-200 | salon-style blowouts at home | 1 outlet |
budget detangling brush
Best for thick or dense hair of any type
Bustle's hair care gifts include it as a brush that works on all hair types, from kinky to straight, and one stylist calls it great for detangling thick, dense hair.
Picked by Bustle hair care gift pick.
$15-25
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mid boar bristle brush
Best for smoothing and shine at blow-dry
Bustle's hair care gifts say the natural boar bristles grip hair to smooth it and add shine, and the cork handle is easier on the wrist.
Picked by Bustle hair care gift pick.
$50-100
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splurge heated round brush
Best for bob to medium length hair
Good Morning America's best hair tools says it is perfect for giving a quick flip to bob-to-medium length hair, and it can also smooth and add soft waves.
Picked by Good Morning America best hair tools pick.
$100-150
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splurge blow-dry brush
Best for salon-style blowouts at home
Bustle's hair care gifts say it has two interchangeable heads, one for bouncy bends with volume and one for smooth, straight styling.
Picked by Bustle hair care gift pick.
$150-200
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milbon Dry Texturizing Spray 4 | mid | $25-50 | volume and a fresh-feeling style | 1 outlet |
| Amika Mini-Mension Bestsellers Hair Set | budget | $25-50 | a low-risk stocking stuffer | 1 outlet |
| Olaplex Strong Days Ahead Hair Kit | mid | $50-100 | bleached or heat-styled hair | 1 outlet |
mid texture spray
Best for volume and a fresh-feeling style
Bustle's hair care gifts say it adds texture and volume while absorbing excess oil, and one stylist calls it a mix of texture spray and dry shampoo that works well with all types of hair.
Picked by Bustle hair care gift pick.
$25-50
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budget hair care set
Best for a low-risk stocking stuffer
ET Online's hair care gifts list a set with Perk Up Dry Shampoo, Soulfood Nourishing Mask and The Wizard Silicone-Free Detangling Primer, and praise the packaging, scent and performance.
Picked by ET Online hair care gift pick.
$25-50
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mid hair care set
Best for bleached or heat-styled hair
ET Online's hair care gifts list it as a limited-edition value set with the No. 3 Hair Perfector (called a best-seller), No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner.
Picked by ET Online hair care gift pick.
$50-100
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Spot a mistake? A broken link, a wrong price range or an outdated pick: tell me at hello@allsetlist.com and I'll fix it.
A styling tool or a good brush is a safe pick, since hair lovers tend to use them often. The guides I used list a blow-dry brush, curling irons, a straightener and a few brushes at different budgets.
If you do not know their routine, a care set such as a mask or dry shampoo kit is the lower-risk choice. If you know what they already own, a tool they have been eyeing is the bigger win.
I kept it general. The site has separate pages for curly hair care and gifts for people with curly hair, and I avoided repeating their products here.
It depends on how often they style. Bustle and Good Morning America both include pricier tools and cheaper ones, so you can match the pick to your budget and how much they use it.
USPS's recommended last send dates for December 25 in the contiguous US are December 17 for Ground Advantage, December 18 for Priority Mail and December 19 for Priority Mail Express. Retailers set their own order-by dates, so check at checkout.
