We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The 9 best round brushes for every hair type, from fine hair in need of volume to thick curls
It's the key to a salon-level blowout, btw
If you’re scrolling through TikTok wondering how some of your favourite creators are getting some of the bounciest, glossiest, straight-out-of-the-salon blowouts and hairstyles at home, first of all, you’re not the only one. Second of all, I’m gonna let you in on a little trick: It’s all in the brush. And spoiler alert—it’s specifically a round brush that’s making the difference. The classic, no-frills hairstylist staple doesn’t look like anything fancy, but peek inside any pro's kit, and you'll find at least one round brush (but most likely more). But how do you choose the right one for you? “A larger barrel creates smooth, airy volume and straight, bouncy ends, perfect for longer hair or anyone looking for that classic, polished blowout,” says Jerome Lordet, salon owner at Jerome Lordet Salon in New York City. “Smaller brushes give you more curl, bend, and lift at the root, and they’re ideal for shorter hairstyles or adding movement through the mid-lengths.”
The styling MVP is your one-way ticket to sky-high, supermodel-level blowouts, and, when paired with your go-to hairdryer, getting the voluminous hair of your dreams as easy as a flick of the wrist. Ready to level up your at-home hair routine? Once you’ve chosen the right one to get the best “shape, movement, and volume” while blow-drying, says hairstylist Meri-Kate O'Connor, you’re in business. Here are a few of our favourite brushes to get you started, but much more to come when you read through the full list:
Our top picks for the best round brushes of 2025:
- 1
- 2
Best Round Brush for Short Hair
ghd The Blow Dryer - Ceramic Radial Hair Brush (Size 2-35mm)
Read review - 3
T3 T3 Volume Round Hair Brush Ceramic-Coated Barrel Vented Round Brush for Blow Drying Heat Resistant Bristles
Read review - 4
- 5
Whether you’re looking for a round brush for bangs, short hair, frizzy hair, or anything in between, we’ve got ya covered. Keep scrolling to shop the 10 best round brushes you can buy, all vetted by team Cosmo. Try these for actual salon-worthy results, no pro stylist or arm workout required.
Pros
- Doesn’t cause hair to snag or catch
- Super lightweight to hold
Cons
- Large barrel isn’t ideal for adding curl or volume to shorter hairstyles, but you can buy this brush in smaller sizes too
What makes one round brush stand out from the rest? When it’s lightweight, it doesn’t tug on the hair, and feels comfy to hold (like, ~ergonomic~). Even at its large 2.75” barrel size, Drybar’s brush checked all those boxes, and then some—love that for them (and us). What makes it even better is how well it works: The ceramic-coated barrel softly heats up during the blow-dry process to create better curls and volume, while the bristles help smooth your hair and add shine.
Features at a Glance
| Type of bristles | Nylon |
|---|---|
| Best for | Straight, wavy, curly hair types |
One Cosmo editor says: “I never thought I’d feel passionately about a round brush until I got my hands on this Drybar one. After trying so many others, I couldn’t believe how smoothly this brush glides through my hair while also giving good tension. It gave me incredible volume with nothing else but the help of a finishing spray.” —CATHARINE MALZAHN, CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY WRITER
ghd The Blow Dryer - Ceramic Radial Hair Brush (Size 2-35mm)
Pros
- Delivers lots of volume at the root of your hair
- Perfect size for styling short hair, layers, or bangs
Cons
- Won’t smooth long hair as well as a larger round brush
Choosing the right round brush for your hair length and style is a non-negotiable to get the best results possible. Case in point: A brush with a smaller diameter, like this one, gives tons of volume to shorter hair and serious lift from the root. It’s also perfect for bangs and short layers that would otherwise get lost in a larger-barreled brush. If you do have long hair but want your strands to have a tighter curl rather than sleek and smooth, then this brush is also for you.
Features at a Glance
| Type of bristles | Nylon |
|---|---|
| Best for | All hair types, but specifically ideal for short hair and bangs |
One Cosmo editor says: “I have a lot of round brushes for my short bangs, but this one is actually also great for my short hair as well. The teensy size helps create waves and bends quickly on my bob.”—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
T3 T3 Volume Round Hair Brush Ceramic-Coated Barrel Vented Round Brush for Blow Drying Heat Resistant Bristles
Pros
- Stiffer bristles help give more shape to hair
- Pretty white and rose gold design
Cons
- Handle cover might slip off easily
Sometimes, trying to get volume in fine or flat hair can feel like trying to get the group chat to commit to dinner plans. It’s not for the weak. Make things easier with T3’s round brush in the two-inch size. This brush has stiff bristles (be careful, they can scratch your back while using) to help tease and give serious volume to finer hair.
Features at a Glance
| Bristle type | Nylon |
|---|---|
| Best for | All hair types, but ideal for fine or flat short- to medium-length hair |
One Cosmo editor says: “If you’ve been having trouble getting volume in thin strands, try this brush. It’s a good multitasker, as it gives me volume at my roots but also smooths the hair framing my face.” —CM
Pros
- Contains a sectioning tip to make styling and blow-drying easier
- 35mm size works on medium-length hair for loose waves and volume, but the brush is sold in four sizes
Cons
- Some users say the bristles don’t catch their hair well
There are so many ways you can use a round brush—it gives you so much control in how you want to style your hair—so having a top-performing one is pretty much like giving yourself the keys to the hair kingdom. Enter: Moroccanoil’s ceramic brush that has ceramic and ionic properties. Basically, it just means that it helps with even heat distribution, enhancing drying time, and boosting hair’s shine (all things that help make blow-drying your hair oh-so easy).
Features at a Glance
| Bristle type | Nylon |
|---|---|
| Best for | All hair types |
One Cosmo editor says: “This brush is so thoughtfully designed. The ceramic and ionic properties do make my hair smoother, but my favorite part is the hidden sectioning tip to make it easier to separate hair while I’m drying or styling. I’m no pro, but I imagine the pros do love that convenience too.” —CM
Pros
- Smoothes hair easily
- Heats up really quickly
Cons
- Hair snags between the brush and the handle pretty often
Thermal brushes are a low-maintenance folk's best friend. Rather than having to hold a blow dryer and a round brush in two hands (my arms are tired just thinking about it), this thermal brush, which heats up quickly and has several temperature settings, does the job in one fell swoop. For a hot tool, it won’t break the bank, and the bonus is that it comes in a cute pink colour.
Features at a Glance
| Bristle type | Nylon |
|---|---|
| Best for | Straight, wavy hair types |
One Cosmo editor says: “This is my tried-and-true go-to thermal brush. It’s compact enough that I can bring it along with me when I’m traveling, and once my hair is dry, I can smooth my hair and get that blowout-like effect in just about 15 minutes or less, though it doesn’t deliver the same level of volume as other brushes. My hair gets super frizzy, but this brush has no issue getting it glossy and frizz-free.” —CM
Pros
- Budget-friendly price
- Brushes through thick hair easily with no tugging
Cons
- Large barrel size is kinda unwieldy for shorter hair
Want to up your round brush game but don’t want to spend a fortune? Amazon brand Aimike has your back (er, your hair). At under £15, this brush comes with nylon and boar bristles (get those silky smooth strands and disperse your scalp’s natural oils), has an XL 2.9 inch barrel size (brushing through thick or long hair is way less daunting), and even comes with hair clips (perfect for keeping your hair out of the way when styling).
Features at a Glance
| Bristle type | Nylon |
|---|---|
| Best for | All hair types |
One Cosmo editor says: “I love a large barrel brush, and this is the biggest one I have. The nylon and boar bristle combo make it so easy to smooth my super thick hair, and I never feel it yanking any of my strands out.”—CM
Pros
- Really gentle because of the soft bristles
- Made of wood, so it's built to last
Cons
- Pricey
Oh, so you want to look like you just came back from a tropical vacay? Gotchu. This brush is *the* brush for allll the beach waves and is super gentle thanks to its sleek wooden handle and boar bristles. If you want loose curls that aren’t super tight, the bristles in this brush are ideal for that bouncy appearance you’re looking for.
One Cosmo editor says: “Normally, brushes tug at my fine hair and create tangles (isn't that the opposite of what a brush is supposed to do?). But this one is super gentle and has extra soft bristles that protect my damaged, fragile hair."—BG
Features at a Glance
| Bristle type | Boar bristles with nylon tips |
|---|---|
| Best for? | Straight, wavy hair types |
Pros
- Contains multiple kinds of bristles to help brush through thick hair
- More sustainable design than a plastic brush
- Feels very luxurious to use
Cons
- It’s the most expensive option on this list
Features at a Glance
| Type of bristles | Boar bristles with nylon pins |
|---|---|
| Best for? | Straight, wavy, and curly hair types |
Pros
- Gentler on fine and brittle hair types, says testers
Cons
- Some reviews noted it left their hair staticky
A favourite of O'Connor's, this boar-bristle brush is ideal for damaged hair because its bristles (a mix of natural boar and heat-resistant carbon fibre) are so soft and flexible—almost like a body dry brush—that it’s less likely to tug at your hair and cause breakage while drying. Instead, these bristles work to evenly distribute your scalp's natural oils from roots to ends while you brush, helping to leave your hair smoother and shinier while blow-drying.
One shopper says: "Holy-grail styling brush. My hair is healthier, softer, shinier, and I’m finally venturing back into the land of great hair days virtually every day. I would buy this brush again and again."
How we tested the best round brushes:
Cosmo editors are constantly testing hair care products, including the best round brushes, to share the best options on the market to you (as well as include in our beauty awards). To compile this list, we…
- Narrowed down a list of dozens of potential round brushes based on notes and reviews
- Personally tested every single one and compared the performance of each brush
- Vetted our top 10 based on how long the hairstyle kept in place after using each brush, if the brush tugged at or snagged the hair, how easily the brush navigated through hair, and much, much more
- Read countless reviews from consumers to discover common pros and cons with each brush that made it onto this list
What are round brushes good for?
Round brushes are good for “styling your hair, adding volume, curling your hair, and blow-drying your hair to stretch it out,” says hairstylist Jazzee Green, noting that they’re also incredibly versatile. Grab a medium or large round brush, and you can create a sleek finish on wavy hair, or stretch out 4c hair, or flip in your ends for a Rachel Green-esque blowout. Or, pick up a narrow round brush to bend your ends, add curls, or shape and lift your bangs (á la Sabrina Carpenter).
Are round brushes good for curly hair?
Round brushes are good for smoothing and stretching curly hair while blow-drying, but they’re not the best at detangling type-3 and type-4 hair, says Green, so you’ll need to fully detangle your hair first. Grab a detangling brush with flexible teeth (like a Denman brush or, my fave, a Tangle Teezer), then try a round brush with soft, natural bristles to straighten and stretch your hair while blow drying. Green also recommends a round brush for styling your extensions, wigs, and other protective styles.
How do I use a round brush?
Green recommends detangling your hair, then letting your hair air-dry to about 80 percent before blowing it out with a round brush and blow dryer, which helps the brush move gently through your hair. Once your hair is mostly dry, grab a three-inch section of hair—"smaller sections will dry faster and limit how much heat you apply to one area,” says Green—and nestle your round brush into your roots (beneath the section of hair).
With your brush ready, hover your blow-dryer above the section of hair, and then work in unison: As you slowly pull your brush down to your ends, follow along with your blow-dryer. Keep tension between your hair and your brush (no slack!) to straighten it and minimize flyaways, then continue on, section by section, once you’re finished.
How to choose the best round brush:
Consider your style preference.
Remember: The smaller the barrel, the tighter the curl. So if you're looking for something to help straighten out your hair or achieve that wispy curtain bang look, go for a large round brush between two and three inches wide. And if you're looking for something to flip out your ends or get curled layers, go for a narrow round brush under one inch or less in diameter. Meanwhile, if you want the best of both worlds, try a medium-sized round brush around one or two inches wide to smooth out your hair while creating some volume at your roots, says O’Connor.
Keep your hair texture in mind.
Tailor your round brush to your hair texture, says Harper. A classic boar-bristle round brush (or any round brush with natural bristles) can be good for fine hair, thick hair, and curly hair—basically, anyone who wants to stretch or straighten their hair. Meanwhile, a round brush with a mix of natural and plastic bristles can help detangle and smooth coarse hair without as much snagging and yanking.
Look for additional features.
Got long or coarse hair that takes forever to blow-dry? Try a round brush with a vented ceramic barrel, which helps retain heat and speeds up drying time. If you’ve got fine hair and want to add a lot of volume and bounce, O’Connor says you may want to try a large metal round brush, which “can help mimic a curling iron, giving hair more staying power.”
Just make sure to avoid brushes with tips on the ends, says Harper: “These tips can break off, and the sharp plastic underneath can tug at your hair.” Instead, look for a brush that has a mix of natural and plastic bristles without the little balls at the end to avoid any potential tangling.
Catharine Malzahn is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmopolitan and was previously the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention.
Daisy Maldonado is an editor who covers everything from the latest fashion news to deeper looks at beauty culture and the internet’s most talked-about pop culture moments. She’s especially interested in the intersection of style and digital culture, and loves exploring what the trends we follow say about us. When she’s not writing, she’s probably four pages deep on The RealReal searching for vintage designer pieces or planning her next trip abroad (she lived in Paris for a year and hasn’t stopped talking about it since). Her work has appeared in Vogue, Bustle, Allure, and many more.
The contour cut is trending! Here's EYNTK
These are the best hair salons, ever
Embrace your greys with this blending technique
The 'peekaboo bob' saved my thinning hair
