The 12 best brushes and combs for every hair texture

Table Of Content

• Denman Classic Styling Brush 9 Row - D4 - Hair Brush
• Nylon Bristle Brush
• The Hair Edit Finish & Shine Boar Bristle Brush
• selectWe tried Shark’s two new hair tools for 10 days — here’s what to know
• selectHow to find the best hair dryer for your hair type
• Best Expert-Approved Hair Brushes For Every Hair Texture And Type, Ranked By Reviewers
• Drybar Super Lemon Drop

We’re also a fan of the large paddle head, which can quickly work through high volumes of thick hair. Hill likes the tightly packed bristles on this brush to smooth curls and waves, since they offer more grip. Plus, she appreciates that this can withstand heavy styling products, like gels, creams and serums, she says. It has nylon bristles to help detangle, as well as a long handle that makes it more comfortable to wield, according to the brand. For detangling, Ryan Trygstad, hair stylist and cofounder of Mark Ryan Salon in New York City, reaches for this brush.

Denman Classic Styling Brush 9 Row - D4 - Hair Brush

If you're working with coily hair, this lightweight detangler brush might be your best bet. The flexible bristles are placed in wide rows to help them glide through wet hair without tugging at your scalp or causing tension and breakage. For less than $3, this brush is a must-have any time you’re rocking a sleek pony or topknot. Add a bit of gel to the bristles to easily smooth your edges (a.k.a. those little baby hairs framing your face) for a pro-quality look.

Nylon Bristle Brush

For those with mid-length hair that falls between the chin and shoulder, Gibson recommends a medium-sized barrel, as it allows for some additional lift from both the scalp and the rest of the hair. The same can be said for paddle brushes—a larger surface area is better equipped to handle longer hair. This brush features extra-long, widely-spaced bristles that provide an invigorating scalp massage. In addition to the relaxing feel, scalp stimulation also promotes blood circulation, which, in turn, stimulates hair growth. So, not only does this paddle brush help maintain already-thick hair, but it helps promote fullness as well. Dueñas recommends the Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush, which provides a gentle, massage-like sensation without being too harsh on the scalp.

The Hair Edit Finish & Shine Boar Bristle Brush

You’re never really on the hunt for a new one unless your old one breaks, and then, you never know you needed a new one until you get one. Tatjana Freund is a Beauty Commerce Writer, covering makeup, skincare, and haircare products and trends. You can’t have a comfortable shave if the brush slips out of your hands every time you use it. A properly made handle won’t just look aesthetically pleasing, it’ll also be grippy and easy to hold.

Y.S.Park G-Series Curl Shine Styler Round Brush

Ahead, the ultimate guide to hairbrushes—including expert tips from pros on choosing the right one for your hair. Gibson suggests that those with shorter, coiffed hair may want to look for a smaller round brush. “You want to use a brush that is maybe a quarter-inch in diameter because you want there to be a lot of movement from the base of the scalp,” he explains.

The bristles also felt too scratchy on my scalp, and they snagged on both wet and dry hair, despite the absence of any significant tangles. I love paddle brushes reminiscent of this one by GHD, but it turned out to be way too large for my liking. While I can tackle my whole head in just four passes (pretty impressive!), it feels unwieldy and is too large to hug my scalp the way I want a brush to. This also made it more difficult to style hair into a smooth ponytail. What’s more, the size is a hindrance if you travel often and don’t have a separate travel-sized brush dedicated for such. Although they don’t have ballpoints, they weren’t as scratchy as the ones on the Mason Pearson hair brush.

selectHow to find the best hair dryer for your hair type

10 Hair Brushes That Detangle, Smooth, & Impart Shine - The Zoe Report

10 Hair Brushes That Detangle, Smooth, & Impart Shine.

Posted: Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

And as an added bonus, you'll also receive a handy scrunchie to keep hair out of your face. Gibson says that different hair lengths can benefit from different barrel sizes, and this round brush is available in six sizes ranging from 0.75 inches to 2.5 inches. The ionic bristles are designed to withstand heat and minimize frizz, producing smooth, voluminous results. While traditional hairbrushes are designed to detangle, styling brushes are better suited for maintaining your hair’s natural definition, delivering salon-worthy results.

Best Expert-Approved Hair Brushes For Every Hair Texture And Type, Ranked By Reviewers

Generally speaking, a brush is better to work “through longer, straighter hair, as well as good to blow-dry with,” says Meri Kate O’Connor, a hair colorist at Benjamin Salon in Los Angeles. “A comb is better for curly or textured hair, as well as using when hair is still wet.” But depending on your hair concerns or styling preferences, the best tool to use in a given situation may not be so obvious. We asked hair experts to share how to choose the best option based on your hair type and texture.

Like many hair dryers and flat irons, the paddle and handle are made of ceramic to help speed up drying time, prevent damage, smooth flyaways, and leave you with super-sleek locks. Just a heads up, medium blow-drying heat is best, as the nylon bristles might warp if they get too hot. We love this pretty lilac brush from Briogeo, which features vegan bristles with soft ballpoint tips to detangle all hair types, wet or dry.

“The best part of a hot air brush is that it cuts down on styling time,” says Zoya Ghamari, hairstylist and owner of Zoya Salon in Dallas. The Wet Brush, a GH editor favorite, is designed with flexible bristles that won't pull on strands. In our Beauty Lab review, testers found that it easily tames tangles and unknots wet hair in a breeze. "To detangle wet hair after a shower, choose a brush with widely-spaced, synthetic bristles for gentle brushing," notes Chiara Butler, GH Beauty Lab Analyst. The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has tested multiple types of hair tools including curling irons, hair dryers and flat irons.

That's because the right products help take the stress out of styling — and hair brushes are no different. By picking the best hair brush for your hair type and hair goals, you're one step closer to a great hair routine. The right hair brush "should maximize results with minimal effort on any hair," says Jeremy Taylor, L’Oréal Professionnel National Educator and stylist at TReSs Apothecary and Salon in Newport Beach, California. However, if you're looking for more of an everyday brush or a brush to use with a hair dryer, "there are boar-bristle brushes that are much wider, on a flat head, that grip the hair and smooth it," she says. Shorter also notes that flat brushes like the Flex Brush or Wet Brush provide more room for the hair to filter out so that it dries quicker and easier.

And ahead, we’re sharing the hot air brushes that impressed us the most. With a 4.5-inch long brush head, this straightening brush makes styling quick and easy. "I was a bit weary but very pleasantly surprised by the ease of use and the end results in 10 minutes," one reviewer says. "It straightened and tamed my hair and left it shiny." While we didn't test this one in the Lab, we love that the brush also features multi-dimensional bristles to help detangle your strands. Note that it doesn't have an automatic shut-off feature, and some reviewers said that the ends of their hair is still flipped up even after using the brush to straighten them.

"Boar-bristle brushes are great because their soft bristles glide through hair, leading to less hair breakage during styling," hairstylist Kim Kimble explains. "They are also great for massaging the scalp and promoting blood flow, which is important for healthy hair." Hello, relaxation. Bay Area hair stylist Meagan Ford calls this her “all-time go-to,” thanks to its lightweight bamboo and boar bristles. The bristles are “gentle on the hair and scalp, and are great for smoothing the hair,” she says. The handle has an ergonomic design, and the round barrel makes it ideal for straightening hair, according to the brand.

Her work has appeared in a number of lifestyle publications, including Real Simple and Apartment Therapy. She’s a new mom, runs an Instagram account full of the most delicious food she can find, and loves to hate a good barre class. The surface area of the brush was also smaller than I like for my thick hair, though this might not be as much of a deal-breaker if you have short or fine locks. Addison Aloian (she/her) is the assistant love & life editor at Women’s Health.

This is a super sleek pick, which you'll no doubt want to proudly display on your nightstand or vanity. It gently detangles and the larger size also helps it take on long, thick hair. "My husband could not live without this brush for his long full hair," one reviewer writes.

If you’re not keen on spending too much on shaving products but want a top-quality shave, then try this one. After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet. Hairbrushes don’t last forever, yet replacement frequency is largely dependent on how regularly you use it and how well you take care of it. For example, a hairstylist giving multiple blowouts each day will inevitably need to replace their brush more often than someone using it for more standard detangling.