Boar Round Brushes: Marilyn versus Monroe

The Marilyn brand of boar round brushes boasts of being the first on the market with the hourglass design. The Monroe brand probably came second. It is hard for me to tell the difference between the two. I have not really used either brand excessively. Right now, my larger boar bristle brushes are Monroe brand. My smaller boar bristle brushes are Marilyn.

The hourglass design is supposed to give you a good hold on the 70% dry hair without having to wind the brush. Supposedly, it cuts down on carpel tunnel and/or repetitive motion.

I will have to keep you posted if I figure out a difference between the two brands besides their names.

Technique Review: Round Brush Blow-Out

Hair by Benita Blocker. To achieve this sleek look, I blow dried the hair with a round brush. NO FLAT IRON. NO CURLING IRON. Round Brush only. Then sprayed some Aquage's Beyond Shine spray on it to tame some minor flyaways.

It is important to know that you need a hair dryer/ blow dryer with some serious wind velocity as well as some heat. The FHI Heat Nano Salon Pro 2000 was used to complete this job. This particular hair dryer features Low EMF. Please see my separate article on the topic of EMF.

I have featured other blow dryers on this blog. (Turbo Power, SuperSolano,and more) Please check out other blow dryer tool reviews on this blog. $150 for a good blow dryer is reasonable. You should get years of usage from it. However, if you spend only $40 on a hair dryer, you may get a year of usage out of it. If you spend at least $80 or more on a blowdryer, then more than likely it may have enough power to complete a round brush styling and get you past a year.

Your round brush styling does require skill in picking out the correct round brush for the job. Pictured is a Marilyn round brush with nylon bristles mixed with boar bristles. The nylon bristles hold heat and are designed for coarser; yet non-porous hair. I picked this round brush to complete this styling because the mannequin has coarse hair with tightly closed cuticles. For finer hair or porous hair, you may use an all boar bristle brush or a paddle brush.

Remember to rough dry each section to get excess water out of the hair before you start applying a lot of tension. Also, to determine if it is the right brush to use, please see how smoothly the brush slides through the hair without a blow dryer first. If it is snagging the hair, then it is the wrong brush. Also, the shorter the bristles are on a brush, then the less likely to get the brush tangled in the hair.

Using the Round Brush for Hair styling

Round Brushes usually fall in the categories of "boar bristle," metal, or a "Cricket." When using any type of brush, you need to make sure the hair can pass through it without tangling before using a blow-dryer. This overview is just an introduction to round brushes. Choosing the right brush for you will require a consultation. Oily scalp versus dry scalp; thin hair versus thick hair; curly hair versus straighter hair are all factors to consider. If you have straight roots when the hair is wet, then a rough dry with your hands to get 80% of the water out and to add volume at the roots may be necessary before any round brushing begins. Curly roots need to be less dry to avoid setting the curls. Paddle brushes or Denman brushes may be needed for curlier hair versus the round brush. I will discuss other brushes in a future article. Stay tuned.
The metal round brush acts like a "curling iron." The metal heats up from the blow dryer heat. The metal brushes deliver the sleekest looks. Look for metal round brushes with short bristles versus long. I was taught longer bristle brushes can get caught in the hair.
Boar bristle brushes are known for both "cleansing the hair" and "distributing the natural oils from the scalp." Boar bristle brushes do not have to be round, but always look for "first cut" boar bristle brushes. The "Marilyn" and the "Monroe" brands of round brushes are the leading brands for boar bristle brushes. The "first cut" boar bristles should have a rounder tip (taken from the bulb) and should feel softer.
The "Cricket" brush is considered static-free and great for areas that you want to hold taut (tight) while blowdrying straight such as your hairline. These brushes have rounded tips and lengthy bristles so carefully not to get the brush caught in the hair.

Again, this is an overview on round brushes. I will be discussing blow dryers, leave-in conditioners, etc in a separate upcoming article. There is enough information in this article to get you started on the right track with your own research for your own hair type.