What is a Round Hairbrush?

A round hairbrush can be a great styling aid especially if you want to add body or curl to your hair. You can create soft curls, feathered back hair, or even fun pompadours if you know how to use these brushes. Tremendous variance in style in the round hairbrush means thinking about what type you’ll want to use for your hair length and styling needs.

The simplest round hairbrushes usually have a handle, made of wood, plastic or metal, and a brush head that is cylindrical. Small to large bristles in either manmade or natural materials encircle the cylindrical head. While you can use a manmade, inexpensive bristle brush to get just a little curl at the tips of your hair, you’ll probably want to look for metal or ceramic vented brushes if you’re planning on intensive styling. These can be inexpensive, costing about $8-$20 US Dollars (USD).

The benefits to using a metal round hairbrush become immediately apparent when you start to style hair with a blow dryer. As heat is applied to the hair, it also warms up the brush, which causes a slight “curling iron” effect. Most directions for styling with a round hairbrush, suggest slightly drying hair, combing through for tangles, and then applying styling spray, gel or mousse, preferably a type that protects the hair from heat damage. Then, divide hair into sections, so you can work on producing curls, such as curl under looks for bobs, or curl up looks for flips.

You can use the round hairbrush much like a curling iron, wrapping the hair in circular fashion around the brush. You’ll want to give some thought to the thickness and length of your hair, the width of the brush and the type of curls you’re trying to achieve. If you have long hair, find a thicker round hairbrush, which will produce soft curling action. Thinner brushes tend not to work well with people with very long hair, and you may need to use curlers to get very curly hair, especially if your locks are straight to begin with.

If you have short hair, you’ll want to look for a round hairbrush that is narrow. Ideally, you should be able to wrap the hair at least once around the brush. If you use a really wide round brush, you may be able to slightly curl the hair, but the curls will be very loose, and may not give you the style you need.

It’s a great idea to consult with your hairstylist about what type of brush is best for your hair and your particular haircut, but realize that stylists may be paid a commission for selling brushes available in their store. Most will show you a style that you can find less expensively at beauty supply stores, which can save you a few dollars. You might also want to pay attention and ask questions as a stylist blow dries and styles your hair with a round hairbrush; this will give you tips on how to get the same style at home.