When Merian Odesha decided to bring innovation to the beauty industry, she never expected the viral success of the Bounce Curl Define EdgeLift Brush. However, that surprise was met with shocking frustration as other brands attempted to imitate her creation shortly thereafter.
After founding BounceCurl in 2015, Odesha spent nearly four years perfecting the design for the Bounce Curl Define EdgeLift Brush. During this process, Odesha convinced her husband to grow out his hair to aid in her content creation process.
“I wanted to make his routine easier, so I began experimenting with bush designs that could smooth and separate the hair with ease,” Odesha said. “That’s how our patented EdgeLift brush came to life — I wanted something that would make the styling process effortless for everyone.”
The Define EdgeLift Brush was created to protect curls while protecting the environment. Customers have two colorways to choose from: tan and teal. In an effort to reduce plastic, the base and handle of the brush is made from Bio Based PLA material and adorned with custom made vegan boar bristles.
The success of the brush is undeniable — it sold out within a week of its launch, then sold out 13 more times and Bounce Curl still struggles to keep the brushes in stock.
However, four months after its release, Odesha was devastated by the release of a cheap styling brush dupe.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had to deal with knock off versions of our brush. It’s illegal, and those responsible are facing serious consequences,” Odesha said. “Inspiration is one thing, but when someone directly copies your product and sells it as their own, that crosses a line. It’s important to protect your intellectual property.”
In an Instagram video, Odesha was transparent about the necessity of patenting the brush due to imitation copies created with low-quality materials being released as well the damage copycat brushes can cause to curly hair.
“I even bought some [of the] fake brushes and they were awful—smelling of toxic paint, with sharp bristles that could damage hair,” Odesha said. “ Many customers thought they were buying our product, which harmed our reputation.”
Similar to Odesha, many small business owners often experience other brands trailing the thin line between being inspired by their innovation and creating carbon copies with new labels attached. To combat this, Odesha took protecting her design a step further by getting a patent so she could take legal action against brands who try to steal her brush design.
Although obtaining a patent is an expensive process, investing in protecting a brand’s intellectual property is an act no business owner could regret. However, Odesha acknowledges that patenting hair care products can be tricky due to formulation, and recommends other brand owners looking to patent tools or accessories find a legal consultant to help them through the process.
Beauties who swear by BounceCurl can expect several new patented tools and other special surprises that Odesha and her team have in the works. Other small business owners loyal to the brand should also anticipate Bounce Curl’s patent party tentatively scheduled for November in Los Angeles.
“Bounce Curl is about to experience its biggest transformation yet. I’m beyond excited for what’s coming in 2025—expect a lot of exciting new things!” Odesha said.