Which Hair Brush is Best for Your Style?

by Victoria Stanell

Published Sep 19, 2011

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The right hair brush can dramatically affect the condition of your scalp and your strands. But with so many options, it’s hard to know what actually works for your specific hair texture and length. Use this basic guide to find your next hairsaver!

Detangle

Hair is structurally weaker when wet, so rough-brushing can cause snags and tears. Gently loosen your tangles with a brush that has widely spaced bristles designed to detangle wet hair.

BEAUTYLISH RECOMMENDS

The Tangle Teezer

Curl

If you want to get soft curls or waves without using a curling iron, use a round brush with a ventilated metal, thermal, or ionic barrel. These barrels efficiently trap and circulate heat when you blow-dry, reinforcing a shiny curl. The smart, ventilated design also cuts drying time in half.

BEAUTYLISH RECOMMENDS

Cricket Technique Thermal Round Brush with Tourmaline

Smooth

A flat, boar-bristled paddle brush is perfect for smoothing hair after a blow-dry. A flat paddle brush has a larger surface area designed to reach larger sections of your hair. Choose a brush with firm boar bristles to close the outer layer of the hair cuticle and more evenly distribute natural scalp oils.

BEAUTYLISH RECOMMENDS

Olivia Garden Ceramic + Ion Anti-Static Square Cushioned Paddle Brush.

Straighten

You can blow-dry all hair lengths and textures straight with a round brush. Choose metal, synthetic, or natural bristles depending on your hair texture and condition. The longer your hair is, the larger the brush’s diameter should be.

BEAUTYLISH RECOMMENDS

Spornette Gripper Ceramic Boar/Nylon Round Brush (for short hair)

Style (long)

A mixed-bristle brush (typically boar bristle and nylon) is best for long hair. The natural boar bristles polish the hair while the synthetic nylon ones gently grab and hold sections of your hair. Look for a brush with an air cushion, which enables the brush to glide over painful knots that could potentially break long locks. The most famous example of this kind of brush is the classic Mason Pearson brush, but there are many less expensive alternatives to try as well.

BEAUTYLISH RECOMMENDS

Sonia Kashuk Mixed Bristle Brush

Volumize

Vent brushes work wonders for volume. The open airflow design evenly circulates air throughout your strands when you blow-dry, resulting in a light, bouncy finish with tons of movement.

BEAUTYLISH RECOMMENDS

Revlon Perfect Style Tunnel Vent Brush

Tease

Use a narrow brush with two or three rows of densely packed bristles to backcomb your hair and smooth out the top layers. Use the convenient rat-tail handle to section the hair when styling.