Julie Chung is not your typical beauty mogul. She’s an eye surgeon turned cofounder of T3, a hair tools brand that has revolutionized the way we beauty connoisseurs think about styling and drying devices. Chung, who is Korean American, went from being a UCLA graduate in Physiological Sciences to a seasoned medical professional with a prestigious fellowship at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute, before founding T3. Her résumé is certainly as impressive as the flawless blowouts she gives herself.
Translating the precision necessary for eye surgery into beauty innovation might sound like an odd trajectory. But for Chung, haircare is all in the science. Her product line—which includes the T3 SinglePass straightener and curler, plus a game-changing hair dryer in the Aire IQ—respects both your hair and your time (no frizz, no damage, just perfect shine). Developing these tools required serious research, some clever engineering, and a touch of genius. Below, Chung shares her expertise in the hair tools realm—and reveals some secrets on how to get a salon-worthy blowout.
Give us a little background on how your academic and professional path led to the creation of T3.
I grew up in Southern California, attended UCLA as a Physiological Sciences major, then went to UCSF School of Medicine. I had a residency at Cullen Eye Institute at Baylor College of Medicine, and a glaucoma fellowship at UCLA Stein Eye Institute. I started T3 with my boyfriend (now husband) Kent Yu in 2004, when I was in medical school.
I saw a void in the market where hair tools could be beautifully designed, performance-based and marketed aspirationally as beauty products. I wanted to create tools that are non-damaging and that solve women’s hair problems quickly and easily.
What kind of research went into developing the product? Did you bring on engineers to help bring the concept to life?
Yes, we hired engineers and tested our concept of Soft Aire with them. Basically, we made the first technologically advanced dryer that not only dried your hair very quickly but also maintained hair moisture—so no frizz. We realized that air does not have to have high heat and high velocity to achieve great results. Lower-velocity, larger-volume air with well-distributed heat was key.
You said T3 hair dryers don’t damage your hair as much as regular blow dryers do.
The Aire IQ uses even more “Soft Aire” (40 percent more than our other dryers) to have an even quicker blow dry while maintaining hair’s moisture. Regular blow dryers rely on high heat, high velocity for drying, which may be effective for styling but strips hair of moisture and creates the look of unhealthy, frizzy hair. Our dryers create the perfect combination of heat, air speed, and air volume that will lay the cuticles flat, creating shine, and maintain moisture to decrease frizz. The result is healthier-looking hair. And over time, you can really tell the difference.
What is your own hair type, and which heat tools do you use to blow out your hair?
I have coarse, thick, and wavy hair—I used to routinely get Japanese straightening perms in my 20s, and then switched to keratin. I no longer need to do any of these types of treatments since using either the Airebrush or the brush attachment on the Aire 360. The Airebrush is an easy and quick way to smooth hair at home without using a round brush and dryer, which is more cumbersome for me, has too steep a learning curve, and is time-consuming. Sometimes, I’ll use a flat iron to finish smoothing my look, but that’s usually not necessary. I have bangs and will use an iron on them daily to smooth them out.
Break down your process for a salon-perfect, at-home blowout.
I start by washing my hair with my favorite Roz Foundation shampoo and conditioner. Once a week, when my hair needs an extra dose of moisture, I treat it to the Davines OI Hair Butter mask; I’ll leave it on for about 10 minutes before rinsing it out thoroughly. After that, I gently wrap my hair in a T3 microfiber turban towel to absorb excess water without causing frizz. Once I’m dressed, I mist on a heat protectant—usually a mix of Kenra Thermal Styling Spray and The Potion Studio’s Rose Bomb leave-in conditioner—before doing a quick rough-dry with the T3 Aire IQ.
Even though my hair is short, it’s quite thick, so I like to section it off for a more precise blow-dry using the T3 Round Brush to smooth and shape. To finish, I warm a tiny bit of Bread Beauty Supply hair oil in my hands and run it through the ends for a polished, defined look, then follow with a lightweight serum like, Roz Milk, for a soft, touchable finish. If the humidity sets in the next day, I’ll do a quick refresh with the Airebrush Round and add a touch more hair oil to bring everything back to life.
Which hair products are on your radar and in constant use?
I use L’Oréal EverPure sulfate-free moisture shampoo and Davines OI Conditioner, which is a bit pricey but totally worth it. For heat styling, I rely on Kenra Thermal Styling Spray, which protects up to 428 degrees while giving firm hold and control—perfect for keeping curls. Since I have thick and coarse hair, I finish off my styling routine with a hair oil. When it comes to brushes, I’m obsessed with my La Bonne Brosse. It’s a French brand I discovered at John Bell & Croyden in London, and it’s not only gorgeous but highly functional. The boar bristles are keratin-rich and work wonders on my hair.
