I Tried Bounce Curl’s Viral Define EdgeLift Brush

Anyone with waves, curls, or coils will agree that making wash day smoother (pun intended) is always the goal. That’s why we are always interested in new, multitasking tools that promise to smooth, define, and reduce frizz. One of the most recent products to catch our eye is Bounce Curl’s 3-in-1 Define Styling Brush. For months, this brush has been the talk of TikTok, with countless textured hair creators raving about the tool. It’s become so beloved that it’s even sold out several times.

With so much hype surrounding the 3-in-1 Define Styling Brush, I knew I had to try it. Keep reading for my full review of the viral brush.

The Product

At first glance, it’s clear this brush differs from anything currently on the market. The custom-made, patented design boasts lateral edges designed to smooth and separate your hair, plus vegan boar bristles to ensure gentle yet precise styling. The brush also features a pointed handle that doubles as a parting tool, allowing you to create perfectly straight sections as you style your hair.

Additionally, for the conscious beauty consumer, the brush is designed with eco-friendly materials. The brush’s body is made from polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable material derived from renewable sources like corn starch or sugarcane.

So, what prompted the founder, Merian Odesho, to create this brush in the first place? She attributes the idea to her first-hand experience in the curl community and noticing a gap in the market. “Being part of the curly community for 14 years, I’m always seeking ways to improve hair styling,” Odesho tells me. “The idea struck while styling my husband’s thick hair, which tended to clump when brushed. I needed to find an easy way to separate his clumps.”

How to Use

With this brush, the magic happens when you use the edges to rake through your hair. You can either use the ridges on the sides or the top of the brush to clump and define your hair based on its length and thickness. However, with any new tool, there will be a learning curve. With my type four hair, I bumped into an error the first time I used the brush: puffy roots. Before writing off this new brush, I gave it another try because I loved the definition it gave my curls.

The next time, I asked for guidance from Odesho, who shared they’re also coming out with a coily brush specifically for type four hair. “For 4B or 4C hair, section your hair and brush upwards, using the edge design to separate curls,” Odesho suggests. “I would apply creams and gels to add hold and then use the brush.”

As the brush has become popular, many users have also asked Odesho how to cleanse the tool properly. She says it’s simple: “Remove the hair, apply an antibacterial cleanser, wash gently, rinse, and allow it to dry.” To clean my brush, I used Mizani’s Moisture Fusion Gentle Clarifying Shampoo—the same shampoo I use to clarify my hair—and let it sit in the sun to air dry. 

My Review

Odesho’s tips didn’t disappoint. Applying and layering my styling products properly is essential with this brush, especially now that I have a new haircut that looks its best with definition. Before putting the brush to work with my stylers, I ran Pattern’s Palo Santo Leave-In Conditioner through my coils with my fingers. I added Cécred’s Moisture Sealing Lotion on top for extra moisture. Then, I clipped my hair up and went through each portion of my hair in tiny sections with my styling products. 

First, I applied CurlMix’s Wash and Go Finishing Mousse on my soaking wet hair and glided the brush through my curls, brushing upward. My curls instantly popped like I’d finger-coiled each one individually. To set the curls, I used Innersense’s I Create Curl Memory Gel ($28)—adding water directly to the gel, running the mixture over my curls, and then running the brush through my hair again. Each curl was perfectly coiled and smooth, sans puffy roots or frizz. 

After moving through each section, I sat under a hooded dryer and stretched my roots with TPH By Taraji Get Your Weight Up Hair Weights ($15). I sat under the dryer until my hair was about 90% dry, then dried the rest with my Dyson Supersonic ($430) to ensure movement and used Curlsmith Bonding Oil ($30) to separate each curl.

While there was much more shrinkage than when I used my fingers, each curl looked like I’d finger-coiled it. I am thoroughly impressed with this brush, which, alongside my cocktail of products, was even able to help smooth the stubborn curls along my temples. If you’re a natural who likes to rush through their wash day, this brush might not be your tool because, for the best results, you have to work in small sections.

But there is a perk to taking more time—your wash-and-go will last longer. My hair stayed hydrated for two days longer than usual, and my defined curls remained intact. With the right products and tools (in this case, the 3-in-1 Define Styling Brush), my curls nearly looked like a professional hairstylist did them, and that’s saying a lot.