Not all hair brushes are created equal. Professional stylists come equipped with special brushes, all serving a different look. Hair brushes may be the one tool in your beauty regimen that gets the least consideration. Just as you eagle-eye ingredients in your moisturizers, your brushes deserve special attention when it comes down to your personal hair goals. From biodegradable brushes that boost volume to detangling brushes that leave the hair smooth, we’ve compiled a list for every hair type and purpose.
If you’re not cleaning your brushes regularly, it might be time to invest in a new brush. Old bristles can gather buildup of hair products, causing breakage. The rule of thumb is to change your hair brush every six months, especially if it’s not cleaned correctly.
Thin hair
Thin hair tends to tangle easily. We’ve curated a few brushes that won’t trigger tangly tresses. To gently detangle without yanking out your hair, use a low-cost detangle brush, like Diane Oil Detangler Comb (Shop Here). If you’re in search of a more bougie, highly praised brush that will detangle thin hair, leaving your locks smooth, try Christopher Robin’s Boar Bristle Detangling Brush (Shop Here). This brush comes with a big price tag, so if you’re committed to investing in a quality brush without breaking the bank, try the Dry Bar Super Lemon Drop (Shop Here). This brush is gentle on the scalp and won’t cause breakage to your fragile hair.
Thick hair
Nylon brushes are ideal for combing through thick, coarse hair. Boar bristle brushes are great for thick hair, too. Despite the name, Briogeo Vegan Boar Bristle Hair Brush (Shop Here) is vegan and cruelty-free. A boar bristle brush will help disperse the natural oils at the scalp throughout the hair and add much-needed shine.
Curly hair
Detangling curly hair can turn your coveted curls into an unruly poof. A wide-tooth comb or a brush like the Tangle Teezer (Shop Here) is good for detangling more textured hair. Designed to help detangle and disperse hair products without disrupting the coils. Another stylist-approved hair brush is the Wet Brush Original Detangler (Shop Here) for all hair types.
Blow Drying
For volume and shine, use a round thermal brush. Olivia Gardner Soft Bristles Round Thermal Hair Brush (Shop Here) is an eco-friendly choice. The ceramic handle helps to distribute the heat evenly and the soft bristles reduce the amount of breakage that comes with blow drying and tugging.
Thermal brushes have holes to help disperse heat from a dryer and speed up the drying time. They also tend to have flexible bristles to work through knots while maintaining shine.
Teasing
If you’re looking to add major volume to thin, straight hair, Conair Slim Teasing Hair Brush is a more economical (Shop Here) selection. Dry Bar Texas Tease Teasing brush (Shop Here) delivers the volume around the crown you crave, giving the illusion of a thicker mane.