Of all the hair tools, a round brush is, in my opinion, the most challenging to master. Curling with straighteners? Wrapping lengths around a sock? Child’s play by comparison. A round brush feels like something you should only attempt with serious hairdressing qualifications otherwise you risk your locks ending up in a tangled mess – or is that just me? Still, in the name of journalistic integrity, I set out to find one that even I, with my poor skills in the art of wrapping, twisting and gliding, could use without sacrificing clumps of my hair in the process.

’s top round brushes at a glance:

ghd Ceramic Vented Radial Brush

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ghd The Blow Dryer Ceramic Radial Hair Brush Size 3 45mm

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Before embarking on my mission, I consulted two hairdressing experts. Nunn Punyer is a hairstylist, specialising in colour, extensions and styling, while Poppy Saunders is a Remi Cachet specialist and hair extensions expert. Between them, they helped demystify the round brush, from choosing the right barrel size to navigating the all-important question of bristles.

First things first, according to Punyer, when choosing a round brush, the outcome of what you are looking to achieve with your hair should guide your selection. “If you want more volume and bounce and less curl, you would choose a larger brush. If you want to create movement, a smaller barrel will give you a tighter curl.” For a big, bouncy Nineties-inspired bombshell blow-out, a larger barrel is your best bet. The same goes for a smooth, straight finish. Punyer explains, “The more surface area the hairbrush can hold, the more you can stretch the hair. With a smaller barrel, less of your hair will lie against the brush.”

Hair length also plays into the decision making. “If you have long hair, the length of the barrel matters too. If you get a large one, it’ll be easier because you can work with larger sections of hair,” Punyer tells me.

Then there’s the question of bristle. The right choice depends on your hair type, texture and styling goals. Saunders, who has fine, bleached hair, favours a brush that will be kind to the delicate strands to minimise unnecessary friction. “Boar bristles distribute natural oils from my roots to the ends, which helps with static and makes fine hair feel softer.” Thicker hair, meanwhile, may require longer bristles so that “the brush can penetrate through tangles and knots more easily,” says Punyer. The same goes for curly hair; if you’re looking to blow-dry it smooth, you need “more strength and hold.”

Nylon bristles have their advantages, and when combined with boar bristles, they give the latter greater flexibility. Alone, they smooth the hair quickly. Ceramic-coated brushes are another popular option as they retain heat, which means they hold the style for longer. This is why, Punyer says, “people leave the brush in their hair while it cools.” That technique, however, comes with a caveat. Saunders advises that those with fine hair should be cautious because it “holds the heat, you’re more likely to get heat damage.”

Boar bristles tend to be less durable and require a lower temperature when blow-drying. If the bristles start to “fall out, crumple up or look like they’re melting,” Punyer says, it’s time to invest in a replacement. To minimise damage to both your hair and the brush itself, both experts recommend using your hair dryer on a medium heat or around the 180°C mark to avoid excessive heat exposure.

One important consideration before you reach for your round brush: hair extensions. According to Saunders, round-brushing may not be the best option for those who wear them. “If you’re round-brushing your hair to achieve a flicky or curly blow-dry with extensions, the amount of tension you’d need could put too much strain on the extensions. If you did that two or three times a week, it could cause a lot more damage.” There’s also the risk of catching the brush in the attachment points or exposing them to excessive heat. “You could melt the attachment points more easily or get the attachments caught in the brush’s bristles, leaving your hair tangled and making it difficult to remove the brush.”

And what about the technique itself? For a salon-worthy blow-dry with a round brush, Punyer’s advice is simple: “lots of tension and constant movement.” She recommends placing the round brush underneath the hair and holding the hair dryer above it, directing the airflow down the hair shaft rather than upwards. As you work from roots to ends, twist the brush towards the ends while moving the dryer and brush together, avoiding prolonged heat on any one section. The secret to avoiding that dreaded tangled mess? “It shouldn’t tangle if you’re moving the brush down towards the ends of the hair rather than letting the hair wrap around it uncontrollably. The downward motion helps prevent tangling.”

Below, find the hairdresser and -approved round brushes to nail a professional-level blow-dry.