Worth It: Oribe Italian Resin Medium Round Brush

Welcome back to Worth It, our weekly seal of approval on noteworthy launches and bespoke collaborations in the worlds of beauty and fashion. If it's featured here, consider these investments worthwhile.

The Promise

Think of the big, bouncy blowout and chances are your mind is going to go straight to the iconic ‘90s supermodels: Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista. But as a beauty editor who tracks trends for a living, my mind goes straight to Oribe Canales, the master hairstylist responsible for said iconic hairstyle on said iconic models. Canales' legacy eventually transcended runways and made its way into homes and salons across the globe with the launch of Oribe, aka the haircare and styling brand we know and love, in 2008. The following decade introduced some of the most popular, high-performing, and cult-favorite hair products. Think: Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil, Dry Texturizing Spray, and the Signature Shampoo & Conditioner—all infused with the signature Côte d’Azur scent. 

Canales sadly passed in 2018, but the namesake brand has continued to pay homage—while continuously drawing upon his technique and legacy. Most recently, they’ve launched a line of six hair brushes (including two round brushes for bouncy blowouts) inspired by the custom tools Canales used throughout his career. The range was whipped up in Italy, with each being hand-made and one of a kind. The Italian resin handles were crafted to be ergonomic and comfortable, while the boar bristle fibers and nylon pins are set on creating maximum volume, grip, and shine. The kicker? They’re designed to last a lifetime. While these tools have already been put to the test extensively at fashion week and in salons, I’m throwing my hat, erm hair, into the ring. I’m taking the Italian Resin Medium Round Brush for a test run, and obviously, sharing my honest thoughts on the luxe tool, ahead. 

Why I’m Obsessed 

Perhaps my proudest moment as a beauty girl is mastering the round brush blowout. Don’t get me wrong, it took a heck of a lot of practice, tutorials from countless hairstylists, and one too many disasters turned into Cousin-It-hair-days than I care to admit. But, and I’m throwing all humility aside right now, I became damn good at the whole thing. I can get all the volume in the world, create intense shine, and even do a loose curl with nothing but my blow dryer and a brush. Impressive, no? And keep in mind, I learned allllll of that with a indescribably janky round brush my hairstylist gifted me during a failed bouncy blowout lesson circa 2010. It’s been time for an upgrade for a hot minute, and the launch of this Oribe range seemed like an appropriate time to level up. 

Given that my hair is on the finer side and a medium length, I instinctively reached for the Italian Resin Medium Round Brush. And before we get to the actual blow out of it all, I need to take a minute to talk about the craftsmanship here. First of all–stunning. Like, really, truly, absolutely stunning. Second of all? It’s comfortable. The handle rests in my palm, fits into all the nooks and crannies, and doesn’t require super-human finger strength to get a strong grip. Its angular design even gives my thumb a nice little perch to rest on. As for the bristles and nylon pins? They can accurately be described as dense and intense. So far, so good. 

Then came the real test. I gave my hair a rough dry with my Dyson Supersonic (best. hair. dryer. ever.) and then started to section. I kicked off my Oribe brush experiment with an inch-and-a-half piece, locking it into the bristles with a sweeping motion. I blasted heat at the roots and moved the brush down the chunk of hair. I had no choice but to go slow—the grip and tension of the bristles was next level. No pieces went rouge when blasted with heat; the brush locked in every strand until the end of the line. 

Fast forward through 15 minutes and a lot of sectioning, and I was mesmerized. My hair had wild lift at the root and more volume throughout. I even managed to get volume at the crown, which is the hallmark of a salon blowout and nearly impossible to recreate at home (if you know, you know). My hair is typically on the softer side, but the shine this brush gave me was unmatched. Mind you, my blow dryer or hair care routine didn’t change, so every improvement I saw was a direct result of the Oribe brush. I was hooked—and because I’ve already decided to throw humility to the wind—I'll unabashedly say that my hair looked freaking amazing.