Hot Take: The Shark Glossi Blow-Dry Brush Is Better Than the Shark FlexStyle

My vanity is overflowing with hair tools: I own about five classic curling irons, three flat irons, a few thermal volumizing brushes, a trusty blow dryer, and a couple different air-styling devices, including the Shark FlexStyle. While I adore trying the latest and greatest hair innovations—it’s literally my job—trust me when I tell you it’s not necessary to buy all of them. And hot take: The viral multi-stylers aren’t for everyone.Considering its virality, you might think the FlexStyle would be my tried-and-true styler. However, the tool I end up using most often is the Shark Glossi, an under-the-radar blow-dryer brush. Shark quietly launched it in 2025, and while it doesn’t get nearly as much attention as the FlexStyle, I think it’s a better—and more affordable—option for those who primarily want to achieve silky salon-quality blowouts at home.Could the Shark Glossi be the right hair tool for you? Below, I break down everything you need to know about the tool, including its price and features. Plus, you’ll find my unfiltered review of the blow-dry brush after using it for nearly a month.ProsLightweightProgrammed with a wet styling and dry touch up modeMade for all hair typesTapered barrel design can reach roots for boosted volumeConsThere's a learning curve when it comes to the dry modeAt $180, it's still an investmentWhat is the Shark Glossi?The Shark Glossi is a two-in-one blow-dryer brush designed for all hair types that simultaneously dries and styles hair with airflow and a heated ceramic comb. The traditional blow-dry brush side (which covers about 3/4 of the barrel) combines nylon and boar bristles for optimal tension and control, while the comb side glosses and smooths with minimal heat for extra shine.One unique design feature is the shape of the barrel—it’s tapered rather than cylindrical, which allows you to completely dry your roots and boost volume. This shape also makes a major difference when styling shorter layers, including bangs and bobs.While most blow-dry brushes should only be used on wet hair, the Glossi has a wet and a dry mode. The wet mode is meant to dry and style damp hair, whereas the dry mode only utilizes the ceramic comb to tame flyaways, as well as reshape and refresh your style between washes.Let me preface this by saying I’m a bit of an at-home blowout connoisseur. I’ve tried countless blow-dry brushes over the years, and have perfected my twist-and-flick method for professional-looking waves. The Shark FlexStyle had been my go-to tool over the past few months. However, like I alluded to above, I primarily used the round brush attachment on the multi-styler while the curling rods collected dust under my sink.I immediately felt like the Shark Glossi was more suited towards my needs. First, it’s extremely lightweight—like, the lightest blow-dry brush I’ve ever used—weighing in at 1.63 pounds. Finally styling my hair didn’t feel like an arm workout! From the first use, I was surprised by how quickly the Glossi dried my ~very~ wet hair. My hair is fine, but there’s a lot of it, so it can take a while to fully dry it, sometimes up to 20 minutes. This dried my hair at warp speed in under 10 minutes.The shape of the barrel definitely played a role in this. The tapered edge was able to reach my roots to fully lift and dry them. Many other blow-dry brushes fail to do this because their cylindrical design can’t quite get to the roots.I was initially nervous about running my wet hair through the ceramic comb portion while drying my hair, but I didn’t experience any damage. The two sections of the tool work in tandem to dry and smooth. I almost always have some wispy flyaways when I use a standard blow-dry brush (yes, even the Shark FlexStyle), but this tool ensures my results are completely silky.Hair styled from wet to dry using the Shark GlossiMary HonkusThe wet to dry mode surpassed all my expectations...as for the dry mode, well, there’s a small learning curve with it.I’m a daily gym girlie, and I frequently need to restyle my hair because of it. Once I got the hang of the dry mode, the Glossi made this part of my day much less time-consuming. When I dry-style, I focus on swiping the ceramic plates through sections to tamp down on frizz, smooth, and revive shine. Because the comb portion of the barrel is rather small, it takes about 10 minutes to refresh my full head. That’s much less time than having to shampoo, so I’ll take it! And the more often I use this mode, the more comfortable and quicker I get.Before: Half my hair smoothed with the ceramic comb sideMary HonkusAfter: Fully dry styled with ceramic comb sideMary HonkusFinal verdict:For those who want a high-quality blow-dry brush that will give you results that rival a salon blowout (and, you know, won’t fry your hair), the Shark Glossi is hands down the best option, especially since it’s built with the heated ceramic comb to enhance gloss and refresh dry hair. I’ll go as far as to say that it’s better than the viral Shark FlexStyle, too, IMHO. Don’t get me wrong, the FlexStyle is iconic for a reason, but if you don’t see yourself using all of the attachments, the Glossi is a more affordable option that still offers plenty of styling versatility.Why trust Cosmopolitan?Mary Honkus is a contributor for Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories. She's an authority in all beauty categories and her hair is her prized possession. For this story, she tested the Shark Glossi for a full month to give you a full in-depth review.Mary Honkus is a freelance writer who covers beauty, home, fashion, health, and wellness (just call her a jack of all trades!). She has held staff roles at Real Simple, People, and InStyle, and her bylines can be found in numerous other publications. When she's not testing the latest and greatest products, she can be found chilling on her Hell's Kitchen rooftop, checking out NYC's hottest new restaurants, or recording her podcast Good Trouble NYC. Follow her on Instagram.