What type of hair brush is best for your hair?

[RosiecheeksX]

At the moment I just use a wide tooth comb to brush and detangle my hair, my hair is wavy and only at collar bone length, it does take a while, if it was super long I can imagine it taking all day!😂So I was wondering what type of brushes everyone else uses and if anyone could recommend me a good brush:)
Thanks!

[Madora]

A pure boar bristle brush (no nylon) is the best for most hair types (except curlies). Why? Because the individual bristles are the closest thing in nature that mimics real hair. Using a boar bristle brush not only helps spread the hair's natural sebum down the strands, but the brushing helps stimulate your hair follicles. The bristles also remove lint and dirt. Over time, daily brushing with a pure bbb leaves your hair soft and shiny. Unfortunately, not all bbbs are created equal. While you do not have to spend an arm and a leg to purchase one, you do have to take pains that the brush you do buy is up to the task. A good bbb should have at least 5 rows of bristle clumps that are NOT packed closely together. Bristle clumps too closely packed together means it is harder to get the brush through your hair. The base of the brush should be FLAT, never rounded. The bristles should be 100% pure boar bristle...no plastic and not anchored in a rubber base. Boar bristles come in a variety of colors and thicknesses---and flexability/stiffness. I prefer a stiff bristle myself because in time the bristles will lose their stiffness. The best way to buy a bbb is to go in person and feel the bristles with your fingers. Move the bristles and see how they feel on the back of your hand, or your inner wrist. I found that the shape of the brush itself made a difference when brushing. The square or oval types never did a thing for me. I prefer a long, narrow rectangular brush. However, all the brushes ever made won't do a thing for your hair if you don't use them properly and keep them clean. There's a proper way to use a brush to get the most out of it. And it goes w/o saying that you should always detangle your hair before letting a brush near it. I've been using bbbs for more than 60 years and have gotten great service out of them (typical life span: 8 years). Hope this helps

[Synester]

Tangle Teezer, BBB,widetooth comb and wet brush are all that work on my super fragile hair.

[MoonRabbit]

I use my fingers. No breakage and it keeps my waves looking great.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I finger detangle only, then on dirtier days I use a wide tooth comb to detangle before a wash.

Heads up, our hair type (wavey) does not typically like being brushed.

[leayellena]

At the moment I just use a wide tooth comb to brush and detangle my hair, my hair is wavy and only at collar bone length, it does take a while, if it was super long I can imagine it taking all day!😂So I was wondering what type of brushes everyone else uses and if anyone could recommend me a good brush:)
Thanks!

if you have a still undamaged comb it won´t take you more than usual to comb your hair. I´ve experience my entire life a really used comb and I didn´t know the difference between hair fall and hair breakage until few weeks ago. my family is not interested in hair, they think hair is dead and they treat it like some dead rag which must be styled by a professional (who eventually doesn´t know the difference between curly and straight but only if you pin it trough their eyey) to badly imitate the shape of those haircuts in fashon magazines. I bought a wide wooden comb yesterday and I must confess: my hair looks wayyy better in half a minute.

[oatmeal1991]

I use one of those brushes with wooden bristles that you can find at most health food stores. I like it because it doesn't make my wavy hair as fluffy as a BBB does, or cause breakage the way a Tangle Teaser did. The bristles (pins?) feel nice on my scalp, and I find that they do a fairly good job of distributing my natural oils through my hair. Since I'm wavy, I only use it before I shower, bun, or french braid my hair. If I'm wearing my hair down or in a looser style, I usually just finger comb to avoid breaking up my waves.

[Deborah]

Lots of folks on this list like lots of brushes. My favorite is my extra large WIDU wooden pin bristle brush.

[akurah]

For my hair (your hair might be different), once the hair is long enough to wear up, it tangles significantly less and takes remarkably little time to detangle compared to short hair if you wear it up. My hair is wavy when short, and less so when long. Individual strands are medium thickness, maybe a tiny bit thicker, and my hair is slippery.

I own a bit of a variety of brushes and combs.
Two Denman brushes
One wide tooth horn comb
Two narrow tooth horn comb
Two wide tooth bakelite combs
One narrow tooth bakelite comb
One plastic narrow tooth comb
Two boar bristle brushes

All of them get regular use (at least 1x a week). I keep a few at work. One is in my gym bag. The Denmans, bakelite, and horn combs get the most use.

My recommendation would be to have one wide tooth comb at minimum. If your hair is not curly, I would add one narrow tooth comb, a boar bristle brush, and one "regular" brush (such as Denman or a Widu I think they're called). If your hair is curly, I would defer to a curly haired person as to narrow tooth comb, boar bristle brushes, or brush.

If possible, carry one in your purse just in case. At longer lengths it will be helpful (but it's not necessary).

[Garnetgem]

I too use a wide tooth comb but i intend to try a seamless one so as not to cause damage...i also hear good things about wooden combs but as for brushes i have tried a natural boar bristle brush but it didn't do for me it just dragged hair out due to being a very rough feeling to it..but not to say it wont work for you though...i do like or should i say love a paddle brush it brushes without dragging and leaves hair shiny and smooth without taking forever!

[Groovy Granny]

It depends on your hair type and needs.

I have fine, wispy silver, and I use :

- A 'vented speed dry wet brush' for detangling in the shower
- A BBB version of the wet brush for dry detangling
- A wood bristle brush for quick styling
- A BBB in the Winter AM/PM to distribute sebum/stop fly-aways
* My hair is too frizzy using it in the Summer because my hair type and texture changes with the humidity

[RosiecheeksX]

A pure boar bristle brush (no nylon) is the best for most hair types (except curlies). Why? Because the individual bristles are the closest thing in nature that mimics real hair. Using a boar bristle brush not only helps spread the hair's natural sebum down the strands, but the brushing helps stimulate your hair follicles. The bristles also remove lint and dirt. Over time, daily brushing with a pure bbb leaves your hair soft and shiny. Unfortunately, not all bbbs are created equal. While you do not have to spend an arm and a leg to purchase one, you do have to take pains that the brush you do buy is up to the task. A good bbb should have at least 5 rows of bristle clumps that are NOT packed closely together. Bristle clumps too closely packed together means it is harder to get the brush through your hair. The base of the brush should be FLAT, never rounded. The bristles should be 100% pure boar bristle...no plastic and not anchored in a rubber base. Boar bristles come in a variety of colors and thicknesses---and flexability/stiffness. I prefer a stiff bristle myself because in time the bristles will lose their stiffness. The best way to buy a bbb is to go in person and feel the bristles with your fingers. Move the bristles and see how they feel on the back of your hand, or your inner wrist. I found that the shape of the brush itself made a difference when brushing. The square or oval types never did a thing for me. I prefer a long, narrow rectangular brush. However, all the brushes ever made won't do a thing for your hair if you don't use them properly and keep them clean. There's a proper way to use a brush to get the most out of it. And it goes w/o saying that you should always detangle your hair before letting a brush near it. I've been using bbbs for more than 60 years and have gotten great service out of them (typical life span: 8 years). Hope this helps

Thank you! This was very very helpful!

[Siv]

My waves are best preserved with a wide tooth comb. A BBB can make them "poof" a bit... But I do use both, as well as a tangle teezer, but only after first using a wide tooth comb - this way I find my knots are worked out in the most gentle manner.

[Madora]

You're welcome! By the way, if you do purchase a bbb, you might also want to look into purchasing a hair rake to help remove the lint and loose hairs that get stuck amidst the bristle clumps. These gadgets look like little rakes and can be found on line at the Walter Drake Company. Sally's Beauty Supply also carries them. Here's the advert for Walter Drake Company: https://www.wdrake.com/buy-hair-brush-cleaner-312810?w=hair%20rake

[lapushka]

At the moment I just use a wide tooth comb to brush and detangle my hair, my hair is wavy and only at collar bone length, it does take a while, if it was super long I can imagine it taking all day!��So I was wondering what type of brushes everyone else uses and if anyone could recommend me a good brush:)
Thanks!

There is no one size fits all here. Some do well with wooden bristle brushes, others with a plain Denman, there's the Tangle Teezer to consider (which I use and have liked, no *loved* for years (10+ years). I wouldn't recommend a BBB, though, especially if you have wavy or curly hair, that will just eat up your hair texture (it did mine).

[Andthetalltrees]

I've used a Michel Mercier detangling brush, Denman, A TT, and a normal paddle brush. They all work about the same on my hair, Except my hair hates the denman :confused: . I recently have gone back to it and wonder if it's contributing to the influx of splits(Which is weird because I've have had no issue with brushes until then. Even ball point paddle brushes have never gave me a minutes trouble). I'm thinking about getting a wet brush soon because I really could use a new brush and it's made for wet hair which is how I always detangle.

[lapushka]

I've used a Michel Mercier detangling brush, Denman, A TT, and a normal paddle brush. They all work about the same on my hair, Except my hair hates the denman :confused: . I recently have gone back to it and wonder if it's contributing to the influx of splits(Which is weird because I've have had no issue with brushes until then. Even ball point paddle brushes have never gave me a minutes trouble). I'm thinking about getting a wet brush soon because I really could use a new brush and it's made for wet hair which is how I always detangle.

Yep, my hair hates the Denman too. It somehow tugs at my scalp like no other brush does. And I have the extra wide spaced Denman too! That's the main reason I use my TT.

[Andthetalltrees]

Yep, my hair hates the Denman too. It somehow tugs at my scalp like no other brush does. And I have the extra wide spaced Denman too! That's the main reason I use my TT.

Glad to know I'm not alone! I swear that thing creates more tangles somehow and I totally agree it tugs like nothing else I've tried.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

Some users here also recommend wide toothed bone combs
http://hairsense.com/combs/bone-combs/

[MsPharaohMoan]

Discovering the tangle teaser was like discovering magic. Seconds to detangle, not minutes! Occasional BBBing when I remember it.

[Zindell]

I've tried all kinds of brushes and combs during the years, including BBB, Denman Classic, Body Shop's wide wooden comb ...

But once I got a compact Tangle Teezer I fell in love. It's perfect! So easy to detangle and it's so gentle to my hair. It's the only kind of brush I've used the past couple of years. :)

[Ligeia Noire]

Thick and curly from Tangle Teezer, the best. I pretty much use my old conair comb all the time, but when my hair is dry and needs a first approach I always use the TT, really good.

[maborosi]

F/M on the border between ii/iii.
I have not found anything that I love as much as the Tangle Teezer.
I do also love BBB brushes because they're great for distributing oils and they feel great on my scalp ^^

[BookishRay]

My wavy hair doesn't like a BBB and the tangle teaser seems to compact my hair on my scalp without really making it any smoother...That doesn't really make sense, but I don't know how to describe it better. Just another illustration to how we are all different as others have said.

My favorite brush at the moment is a wooden pin brush. It doesn't snag and doesn't add static which is a big deal for me as I'm static prone regardless of weather or season. But my favorite tool and best investment was a wide tooth horn comb. I love it! It glides through my hair like nothing else ever has and actually works better for detangling than my brush.

[Joyful Mystery]

I really like the Tangle Teezer and pure boar bristle brushes.

[RottenMango]

Paddle brushes with long bristles work the best for thoroughly detangling my hair.

[Begemot]

Original TT is my choice. I like BBBs but they can be quite expensive and cleaning them is too much for me personally.

[Groovy Granny]

Posted July 2017


It depends on your hair type and needs.

I have fine, wispy silver, and I use :

- A 'vented speed dry wet brush' for detangling in the shower
- A BBB version of the wet brush for dry detangling
- A wood bristle brush for quick styling
- A BBB in the Winter AM/PM to distribute sebum/stop fly-aways
* My hair is too frizzy using it in the Summer because my hair type and texture changes with the humidity

Almost 2 years out my reply is almost the same.....except I only use my BBB for a lint/hair brush on my clothing after I style me hair :lol:
The reason being is that the BBB Vented Wet Brush has mixed bristles that penetrate my fine hair more easily, giving me the benefit of BBB while detangling.
I still use the wood bristle brush for quick touch ups.

[Vacurlylady]

I absolutely love my TT! It does such a nice job on my hair before washing. Once I tried it there’s no going back to anything else. I do have a Denman brush, but right now I’m not encouraging my curls because I can finally wear my hair up! 😃

[lapushka]

I absolutely love my TT! It does such a nice job on my hair before washing. Once I tried it there’s no going back to anything else. I do have a Denman brush, but right now I’m not encouraging my curls because I can finally wear my hair up! ��

Congratulations! :D :applause

[Vacurlylady]

Congratulations! :D :applause

Thank you so much Lapushka! It’s not a fancy bun or anything. But it’s UP nonetheless! Sooooo happy!!! Can’t wait for stick buns, etc.

[Reservechic]

Denman brush. As, I could truly sing the praises of such all day long. It's truly one of the best things that I've ever discovered along my curly journey, period.

[Ylva]

When it comes to the actual brushing action, I prefer the Wet Brush, but I can't keep on top of the lint and my sanity simultaneously, so I've resorted to the Tangle Teezer Wet Detangler (with a proper long handle).