How many hair brushes do you own? If you’re thinking to yourself, “One…why would I need more than that?” I have some news for you — that brush might not be giving you your best hair day.
Yeah, I said it. What if your bad hair days are actually just your brush’s fault?
Believe it or not, all hair brushes are not created equally! Just like makeup brushes, different brushes serve different purposes. If you’re curious about which brushes are right for you, keep reading!
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Best for Intricate Styling: Cricket Narrow Tooth Tail
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Best for Curly Hair: Kristen Ess Wide Tooth Comb
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Best for Extra Volume: Drybar Teasing Brush
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Best for Fragile Tangle-Prone Hair: Kristen Ess Detangling Brush
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Best for Thick Tangle-Prone Hair: Tangle Teezer Detangling Brush
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Best for Blowouts: Drybar Ceramic Round Brush
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Best for Straight Hair: Drybar Paddle Brush
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Best Blow Dryer Brush: Revlon Salon Hot Air Brush
Rat Tail Comb
Rat tail combs work great in any hair type. They’re typically used to section your hair in order to braid it or create more intricate styles, and they can also be used to tease or back-comb the hair to add more volume near the roots.
Wide-Tooth Comb
Wide-tooth combs are an absolute essential for everyone in my opinion, but are especially helpful if you have curly or wavy hair. Since the teeth on the comb are so far apart, the comb won’t disturb your natural hair pattern.
Aside from being great for curly hair, they have a wide range of uses for other hair types as well. They are perfect for combing out knots when your hair is wet, distributing hair conditioning masks through your hair in the shower, and can also be used to distribute mousse evenly through the hair while it’s wet. And even after your hair is styled, wide-tooth combs are great for breaking up curls so they appear more natural if you’ve used a curling iron or curling wand to style.
Teasing Brush
Teasing brushes can be used to smooth out the top layer of a backcomb when you’re done teasing the hair. It will keep the volume in your hair, while hiding the tease underneath. These are great to give lift and volume to fine hair!
Detangling Brush
Detangling brushes have soft bristles for matted or severely tangled hair. Their bristles are more flimsy, so they are very gentle on tangles to avoid damaging or ripping out hair.
If you have fine hair that tangles easily, or damaged hair that is prone to breakage, I would recommend a flimsy-bristled detangling brush. If you have very thick hair, soft-bristled detangling brushes may not be strong enough, but there are detangling brushes that are a little bit firmer to help get through tangles in your thick hair.
Ceramic Round Brush
These bad boys are great for getting a salon-worthy blowout at home. Ceramic round brushes are good heat conductors, so they hold on to some of the heat being applied by your blow dryer to assist in the styling of your hair. They are great for adding volume and lift to your hair.
If you have long hair and are looking for volume but not noticeable curls, a wider-barrelled round brush will be more useful. If you have shorter hair or are looking for tighter curls, a smaller-barrelled brush is what you’ll need.
Paddle Brush
Paddle brushes are great for a pin straight blow dry — so if you’re looking for a flat, sleek blow dry with no bend, these will be perfect. They’re also great for minimizing static in winter months and can be used to get rid of minor tangles.
Hot Brush
If you’re looking for a brush that does a little bit more than the ones above, these brushes double as a blow dryer! They’ll give you a pro blow-out any morning you choose, from the comfort of your home.
Our hair is in its most fragile state when it’s wet, so before you go through your hair with a stiffer brush, you should first use a wide tooth comb or a detangling brush.
I love to put hair oils and/or leave in conditioners in my hair as soon as I’m out of the shower. I then use a wide tooth comb to distribute the product, and before I style my hair, I make sure to use a detangling brush first to ensure that my hair is being cared for to avoid any breaking or unnecessary damage.
These all have been very basic brushes for creating very specific styles. It’s important before you pick out a brush (or two, or three!) to know which styles you’re looking to achieve.
Which style of hairbrush are you using? Is it the right brush, or will you be changing up your hair routine? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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