Hair Brush - Analysis and Buying Guide - 2023
Whether thick or fine, wavy or straight, blonde or brunette, every head of hair needs at least an occasional taming with a brush. You can use your brush as a styling tool in association with your blow dryer, or simply use it to remove tangles and straighten your mane, but either way, a good brush can make the difference between a cloud of frizz and a cascade of silky locks.
However, choosing a hairbrush can be an exercise in frustration. Round brushes, vent brushes, paddle brushes... which ones do you need? And what about the bristles? Are natural or synthetic better? And then there is the handle, the weight and the size.
It's enough to make you give up in disgust and just reach for the cheapest brush on the drugstore shelf!
But don't give up, we're here to help simplify the decision.
If you just want to get your hair under control as quickly as possible, check out our five recommendations and read why they made the cut.
But if you want to learn more about hairbrushes in general, including how to choose and use the right one for your hair type and style, read on.
Types of Hair Brushes
Although there are seemingly endless types of hairbrushes for sale, most fall into one of four general categories.
- Paddle Brushes
They are used to untangle, smooth and shine hair. Some are completely flat, while others have a slight “cushion.” Large, rectangular paddle brushes are best for long hair, while shorter strands do better with smaller, oval-shaped paddle brushes. Wood and plastic paddle brushes are readily available, with many different types of bristles.
- Vented Hair Brushes
They are usually made of plastic, although you will also find wooden brushes with ventilation. Most have plastic bristles. The brush head has open slots between the bristles, allowing easy airflow from the dryer. Vented brushes are used for styling or to speed up the drying process.
- Round Brushes
These loose curls roll into the hair when combined with the heat of a blow dryer. You'll find a wide range of sizes: the smaller the round brush, the stronger the curl. Round brushes probably have more variations than any other type of hairbrush: they can be made of wood or plastic; they have bristles that are natural, synthetic or a mixture of both; they can have a ceramic or metal coating to heat the brush and thus increase the power of styling; and some even have rotating heads to make styling easier. For most people, the proper use of a round brush has a learning curve, no matter what features it has.
- Styling Brushes
Styling brushes have rounded heads, but they are not completely circular like a round brush. This makes them ideal for styling, to add a touch of elegance, or to liven up a slight wave. There are wooden and plastic brushes, and a wide range of bristle types and configurations, but most have stiff synthetic bristles arranged in rows.
What about the Bristles?
There are four common types of hairbrush bristles.
- Natural Bristles
These are from pigs, or from boars. Boar bristles are soft, flexible, and gentle on even delicate hair. These types of bristles spread oils along the hair shaft, increasing the shine of your hair. Because each boar hair is quite weak, brushes with natural bristles usually have very dense boar bristles, or have synthetic bristles surrounded by boar hair to increase styling ability.
Genuine boar bristle brushes tend to be expensive. Boar bristles are best for straight, fine, delicate or children's hair.
- Metal Bristles
These are just as common as natural or nylon bristles, and are typically tipped with a nylon or plastic ball to prevent scratching the scalp or damaging the hair shaft.
The metal bristles are used to detangle thick or curly hair. They are also frequently used in brushes for wigs or toupees.
- Synthetic Bristles
They can be made of nylon, plastic or rubber – but nylon is the most common. This is the most popular category of hairbrush bristles. You'll find brushes with soft, flexible synthetic bristles that are good for smoothing hair, brushes with stiff, widely spaced synthetic bristles that are useful for detangling wet or curly hair, and brushes with widely spaced synthetic bristles for use when styling or ruffling hair. . Synthetic bristle brushes are generally quite cheap.
Depending on how thick the bristles are and how tight the brush head is, synthetic bristle brushes can work on any type of hair, but they're especially good for coarse or thick strands.
- Porcupine Bristles
No, they're not actually porcupines; it’s just the term frequently used to describe the combination of bristles – nylon in the middle surrounded by tightly packed boar bristles. This gives you the best of both worlds: the smoothing power of boar with the ability of nylon to penetrate thick hair.
Porcupine bristles are suitable for almost any type of hair, but are especially good for normal or thick manes.
Other Hairbrush Features to Consider
While the most important considerations when choosing a brush are its bristles and type, there are other features that add to the benefits of a brush.
- Unravel
These brushes have widely spaced synthetic bristles, and are designed to safely remove tangles from wet hair.
- Wooden Bristles
A hard-to-find special bristle, the widely spaced wooden bristle brushes gently remove snags and snags from curly hair without breaking the curl pattern or adding frizz.
- Padded Head
Some brushes have a little cushion on the part of the head that holds the bristles. This gives the bristles a bit of give, making the brush easier on your scalp and hair.
- Ball Tips
Found in most metal and many synthetic bristles, a small "ball" at the tip of the bristle's protects the hair and scalp.
- Ceramic Barrel
One feature found on some round brushes is a ceramic barrel. The barrel is the portion of the brush head that holds the bristles. When made of ceramic and metal, another option is metal and metal; the barrel heats up a bit under the blow dryer, helping to mold soft waves and curls into the hair.
- Creased
Travel brushes are usually quite small and fold in half for easy storage. You probably wouldn't use a folding brush as your main styling tool, but they're a convenient option to keep in your purse, gym bag, or grooming kit.
- Ion Plating
You'll find hair brushes, especially round ones, with an ionic ceramic coating on the barrel. This helps increase shine.
- Copper Plated
A copper brush head is said to dry hair faster when used in combination with a blow dryer.
- Comfortable Handle
Hair brush handles are usually made of wood or plastic. The handle should be easy to hold, comfortable in the hand, and not put strain on the wrist as it bends to reach the back of the head.
Tips for Cleaning your Hairbrush
Whatever type of brush you use, it needs regular cleaning. Greasy hair, oils, skin flakes, dust, and styling product residue build up on the bristles of the brush, making it unhealthy and less effective.
Try to clean your brushes and combs at least once a month.
Follow these steps every time you clean your brush:
Use a comb or tweezers to gently lift matted hair off the bristles.
Moisten the bristles, then rub a few drops of mild shampoo into the bristles and around the brush head.
Scrub the bristles with an old toothbrush to remove product residue and oils.
Rinse the bristles thoroughly. Dry a plastic brush with a towel. If the brush has boar bristles, wipe it down with a soft cloth, and then let it air dry with the bristles down on a towel.
FAQ
Que. What is the best type of brush for very short hairstyles?
Ans. To give your crop or other short do a bit of height, style it with a small vented nylon bristle brush, lifting it up from the roots. If you prefer a sleek look, a small paddle brush with synthetic bristles is best.
Que. What type of brush should I use to add some volume to my fine, straight hair?
Ans. A round brush with boar bristles will grab fine hair and add some height when combined with a high hold styling product. Always choose a boar bristle brush for fine hair – it’s less damaging to fine strands.
Que. What type of brush is best for African American hair?
Ans. Take care of your natural hair with a rubber-based nylon bristle brush. These brushes move easily through coarse or coarse hair without pulling or damaging the strands.