“You can use round brushes to create smooth volume, big and loose waves, and even beach waves.” “A round brush also allows you to create a ‘style’ with only the brush, whereas something like a paddle, while good for other things, does not give the opportunity to create a look,” says Santiago. For our list of the best round brushes, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear.