Compact and Convenient — But Can It Tame Textured Hair?
The Drybar Baby Brush Crush is a compact, travel-sized ceramic paddle straightening brush designed for quick smoothing, fringe touch-ups, and short hair styling. With a fixed 400°F heat, ionic technology, and cool-touch safety features, it’s a minimal yet powerful tool built for portability. But is it strong enough to replace a full-sized brush?
👉 See how it stacks up in our Best Straightening Brushes of 2025 roundup.
✨ Who It’s For / 🚫 Who Should Skip It
Best for:
- ✅ Short to medium hair
- ✅ Flyaways, fringe, and second-day smoothing
- ✅ Frequent travelers who need a compact brush
- ✅ Users who want a quick warm-up and consistent heat
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Thick, coarse, or coily textures needing strong bristle tension
- ❌ Full-head smoothing on long or dense hair
- ❌ Users wanting multiple heat settings
- ❌ Anyone needing a digital display or advanced features
🔑 What Sets It Apart
- Mini 8” body and 5.5 oz weight — one of the smallest on the market
- Fixed 400°F temperature — consistent and hot
- 3″ × 1″ heated surface — compact but fast for touch-ups
- Cool-touch bristles + auto shut-off = safe for travel
- Dual voltage — perfect for international use
✅ What We Like / ❌ What We Don’t Like
✅ Pros:
- Incredibly lightweight and compact
- Smooths bangs, flyaways, and short layers quickly
- Ionic ceramic surface adds shine and cuts frizz
- Cool-touch bristles make it safer around the scalp
- Dual voltage and 60-min auto shut-off for travel peace of mind
❌ Cons:
- Fixed heat may be too hot for fine or damaged hair
- Lacks tension and surface area for thick/coarse hair
- No display or temperature control
- Only suited for quick styling or minor refreshes
🧩 Design and Build
At only 8” long and 5.5 oz, this is Drybar’s most compact heated brush. The handle width of 1.1” offers a slim grip, though there’s no soft-touch coating or ribbed grip. The brush head measures 3″ long and 1″ wide, making it ideal for detail work like bangs or face-framing sections.
It’s a minimalist tool — no LED display, digital interface, or controls beyond the on/off switch. But for its intended purpose, that simplicity works well.
🪮 Bristle Technology
- 1.8″ ceramic-coated heated bristles for smoothing small sections
- 1.6″ outer detanglers help guide and protect strands
- Cool-touch outer shield reduces risk of burns
- No tension-enhancing bristle pattern — limits performance on dense textures
It’s a straightforward design built for light smoothing, not aggressive pressing.
🔥 Heat and Ionic Technology
- Fixed temperature: 400°F
- Tested peak: ~385°F — reliable for quick styling
- Ionic ceramic technology helps reduce frizz
- No ion generator
- Handle temp: ~90°F — stays comfortable
- Auto shut-off: 60 minutes
- Dual voltage (110–240V) — ideal for travel
While powerful for its size, the fixed temp may be too high for fragile hair, and not strong enough for thick curls.
💇♀️ Styling Performance
Designed for flyaways, fringe, and travel-ready refreshes, this brush is best as a supplemental tool, not a full replacement for daily smoothing on long or textured hair.
“This brush lives in my carry-on. I love how quick it heats up and smooths my bangs.”
“I tried it on my thick hair and it just didn’t grip enough. Better for touch-ups.”
🛡️ Comfort and Safety
- Weight: 5.5 oz — lightest in its class
- Handle: 1.1” wide — comfortable, no-slip needed
- Cool-touch bristles keep fingers and scalp safe
- Auto shut-off (60 min) + dual voltage = travel-safe
- Cord: 6 ft — shorter than average, but flexible
🔍 Performance Breakdown
| Category | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Power | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) | Gets hot fast, great for short styles |
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) | Incredibly simple and intuitive |
| Styling Speed | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) | Perfect for touch-ups, but limited surface area |
| Frizz Control | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) | Ionic coating works well for light smoothing |
| Versatility | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5) | Best for short hair and fringe, not full styling |
| Travel Friendly | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) | Compact, lightweight, dual voltage |
📣 User Experiences
Positive:
“My favorite for quick fringe fixes. It lives in my purse.”
“Love it for post-gym touch-ups.”
Negative:
“Not strong enough for thick hair.”
“Wish it had adjustable temperature.”
💬 FAQ
Q: Is this good for long hair?
A: Not ideal — the surface area is small and it lacks grip.
Q: Can it straighten curly hair?
A: It softens waves and frizz but doesn’t fully straighten curls or coils.
Q: Is it TSA/travel-friendly?
A: Yes — it’s dual voltage, compact, and shuts off automatically.
🔄 How It Compares
| Feature | Baby Brush Crush | TYMO PortaPro | Drybar The Brush Crush |
| Temp Settings | Fixed (400°F) | 3 settings (320–395°F) | 26 settings (200–450°F) |
| Max Temp (Tested) | ~385°F | ~370°F | ~420°F |
| Heated Surface Size | 3” x 1” | 3” x 1” | 3.96” x 1.8” |
| Bristle Design | 1.8″ hot / 1.6″ cool | 1.8″ hot / 1.7″ cool | 1.9″ hot / 1.8″ cool |
| Ionic Tech | ✅ Ceramic ionic | ✅ Ion generator | ✅ Ceramic ionic |
| Auto Shut-Off | ✅ Yes (60 min) | ✅ Yes (30 min) | ✅ Yes (60 min) |
| Dual Voltage | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Display & Memory | ❌ No display | ❌ No display | ✅ LED, no memory |
| Price | ~$60 | ~$90 | ~$150 |
Summary: The Baby Brush Crush is a top-tier pick for on-the-go styling and short hair smoothing, but lacks the heat control and power for coarser textures.
🏁 Final Verdict
The Drybar Baby Brush Crush is a must-have for touch-ups, fringe smoothing, and travel styling. It’s not built for full blowout transformations, but for those seeking simplicity and portability, it excels.
Buy if: You want a reliable tool for bangs, travel, or quick smoothing.
Skip if: You need a full-size brush for thick or textured hair.
Final Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.0 / 5)
A stylish mini brush that does small jobs beautifully — just know its limits.
