The Under-$100 Mane Thermal Brush Is Your Answer to Polished, Shiny Hair on Busy Mornings
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, WWD may receive an affiliate commission.
Celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin is behind many of the stunning red carpet hair looks you’ve seen on celebs like Katy Perry, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, and the Kardashian sisters. She’s also the mastermind behind hair brand Mane and its star product, the It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush — beloved on TikTok for its ability to create the effect of a salon-quality blowout in mere minutes.
Since launching in May 2024, Mane’s thermal brush has amassed over 30,000 hearts on Sephora, which is proof positive of its near-viral status. In its debut year, one brush sold every nine minutes at the retailer and, at one point, the hot hair tool fully sold out. That success is just one reason why it’s earned a spot on WWD’s list of the Greatest Hair Products of All Time. As an under-$100 purchase perfect for imparting volume and soft waves, it beats out many other hair stylers via sheer value (not to mention functionality).
So, what exactly does this seemingly magical brush do? For starters, the Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush is not a blow-dry brush. Instead, it’s a mashup of a round brush and curling iron, which delivers shiny, soft waves with its negative ion generator that neutralizes unwanted static and its nano-coated ceramic barrel that enhances shine. The brush also flaunts anti-tangle bristles that won’t cause “ouch” moments during your morning routine and, perhaps as its most interesting feature, stays at a constant 355-degree temperature to decrease the risk of frying your mane.
Depending on what you’re going for, the Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush can be used in a number of ways. For some much-needed volume at the top of your head, place it under a lock of hair by the root and hold for a few seconds before moving along the length of the strands. Want to attain breezy ’90s waves? Twist hair onto the barrel, holding for a few seconds near the root, and then untwist. Bangs, too, can be rejuvenated with this tool even if your hair hasn’t been washed in a few days (we won’t tell anyone!) — by grabbing each section at the root, once again, and rolling it away from the face diagonally.
To see if the hype surrounding this hot hair tool is merited or not, WWD Shop‘s Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor Claire Sullivan has been testing the tool since it launched in May 2024. Read on for WWD Shop’s honest testing review of the Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush, then peep the “More About the Brand” section if you’re curious about Jen Atkin’s Mane and its full body of offerings. Feel like it’s time for your own big hair moment, sans heat damage? Shop the much-talked-about hair tool directly at Mane or Sephora.
How We Tested the Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush
- Product tested: Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush
- Testing time period: 10 months
- Hair type tested: Long, thick hair with type 2 curls
- Where to buy: Mane, Sephora
- Pros:
- Heats up to a hair-safe temperature of 355 degrees
- Doesn’t tug on hair or cause excessive fallout
- Imparts major shine for a glossy finish
- Can be used to create soft curls or a smoothed-out hair look with movement
- Cons:
- Difficult to remove stray hairs that get stuck in the bristles after styling
- Novices may require some practice to get the hang of the tool
- Editor testing review: “As a beauty editor, I’m always excited to find emerging hair tool categories that could change the game for everyday shoppers. After noticing an uptick in interest on TikTok for thermal brushes, I got to testing every option I could get my hands on. Most had me underwhelmed with the results — there’s a learning curve with these tools and often the results don’t hold for long. Not the case with Mane’s thermal brush! This one outperformed every other one I tested in the category with how quickly it smoothed and curled my hair, and how long lasting those results lasted. I love using it on my curtain bangs to give them a quick lift and Sabrina Carpenter-style curl.” — WWD Shop Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Commerce Editor Claire Sullivan
Sign up for WWD Shop’s newsletter to get the scoop on the best in beauty and style with in-depth reviews of exciting new releases and buyer’s guides to find the products you need to try ASAP.
Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush
Price upon publish date of this article: $98
An Honest Review of the Mane It’s Giving Body Hot Round Brush — Editor Testing Notes
Mane’s hot round brush didn’t necessarily pioneer the thermal brush category — but the brand has nearly perfected it.
My arsenal of hair tools includes multi-stylers that ring in over $500. So you can imagine my surprise when Mane’s $98 thermal brush surpassed those high-tech tools in usage once I got the hang of the device. Because I’ve used heated round brushes before, it didn’t take me too long to get comfortable with Mane’s device. That said, I’ll warn novices that it can take a few tries to perfect your technique. (One benefit of buying a tool backed by a celebrity stylist? The tutorials available online are thorough.)
Most often, I find myself reaching for Mane’s thermal brush in between wash days to give my hair bounce, soft curl, and lift. It’s a major timesaver for me when I’m rushing out the door — I’ll throw my hair in a ponytail or messy bun, tease out my face framing pieces, and brush the tool through them to make them look perfectly polished with plenty of lift near the root.
On days when I have a little more time, I’ll section out my hair and curl it, which gives me the result of a fresh blowout. Depending on my technique, I can style my hair with the tool to create soft, loose curls or a smoothed out effect with some movement on the ends.
Compared to similar thermal brushes I’ve tried, Mane’s is easier to create tension with — the bristles grip onto strands to evenly expose them to the heated barrel, smoothing smooth away frizz in fewer passes. The tool also gently detangles my knot-prone hair without causing excess fallout. Another feature of Mane’s thermal brush I love? It operates with a preset, hair-safe temperature of 355 degrees. This reduces the risk of singeing hair and causing breakage or damage over time.
I’m a maximalist in my hair styling routine, sometimes picking up three or four hair tools before heading out the door. Mane’s thermal brush has greatly streamlined a process that used to be quite labor intensive; just a hair dryer and this heated round brush promise a head-turning hair day for me. — WWD Shop Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Commerce Editor Claire Sullivan
More About the Brand
Before Mane, which is one of celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin’s two hair care brands, there was Mane Addicts — a hair-focused blog, now shut down, that Atkin launched a bit over a decade ago. Mane entered the hair scene in 2023 with its Triple Ripple Jumbo Hair Waver (now called, simply, the Jumbo Waver) and has since then attracted a cult following thanks to its products’ multifunctional prowess and affordability factor.
Presently, you can find a vast assortment of hair products at Mane’s direct site and Sephora — its only retailer — which include everything from flat irons and detangling brushes to hair clips and even Gen Z–approved merch. Those seeking to try the best of both of Jen Atkin’s worlds will be happy to know about the existence of the recently debuted Ouai x Mane Anti-Frizz Kit. It’s equipped with the Anti-Frizz Crème and Mane’s Get Ur Sleek On Straightening Brush, helping buyers achieve Atkin’s specialty of healthy, shining, and envy-inspiring tresses.
Why Trust WWD
Since 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections. Learn more about us here.
Meet the Author & Product Testers
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on trending hair tools — occasionally testing them out to see if they’re worth the buy.
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over eight years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest shopping trends and clothing brands. At WWD, Sullivan regularly tests and reports on award-winning hair tools and hair care products.
