Different Types Of Hair Brushes For Every Hair Type

Different Types Of Hair Brushes

Are you looking to get yourself a new hair brush and finding yourself searching through hundreds of different hair brushes, wondering which one is best for your hair type?

Well, you’re not the only one; it’s not easy to find the right hairbrush for you.

Everyone who has hair brushes their hair, but not many people put much thought into the brush they’re using; they’ll pick one up from the drugstore and call it a day, using it month after month.

Using the right hair brush for your type of hair and styling needs can make a world of difference to the appearance of your hair and your health. Many people don’t realize, but using the wrong hair brush can actually damage your hair.

But don’t worry, I’m here to help.

To make things easier for you, I’m here to cover all the basics of all the different types of hair brushes and their uses and which ones are best for your hair type. If you have frizzy hair, then switching to a boar bristle brush may be all you need.

You’ll be shocked by how much of a difference having the right hair brush makes. It’s time to upgrade our hair game, ladies!

Types Of Hair Brushes

With so many different types of brushes for hair, it can be quite challenging to work out which one is best for you; it all depends on the type of hair you have and the condition. 

Let’s talk about them in more detail:

Paddle Brush:

Now I’m sure you’ve heard of the paddle brush; it’s probably the brush you have at the moment or at least used once in your life.

A paddle brush is a large, flat, wide hairbrush with an air-filled cushion and plastic or nylon bristles with a bobble on the top. This cushioning helps bend and move around the contours of your head.

It is the ideal brush for smoothing and detangling hair, thanks to the wide surface area. If you have straight hair and are looking for a smooth blowout, this is the one for you.

Paddle brushes are brilliant for those with long, straight hair; they’re also ideal for thick hair as there’s more surface area and a lot more ground to cover.

Round brush/thermal brush:

The round brush is another basic brush you’ve most likely seen and used when going to the salon. It is a circular barrel made from either ceramic, tourmaline, or titanium.  These metals are designed to conduct heat and hold in hairstyles for longer.

You can find round brushes made from more natural materials, such as boar bristles designed to add more volume without too much heat.

This material is known to heat up when used with a blow dryer (almost like a curling wand but less heat). They’re brilliant for creating volume and body in your hair.

They come in various sizes, from large to small barrels, making them ideal for all hair lengths and the ideal choice for blowdrying hair.

They sometimes come with vents to speed up the drying process and maintain tension while going down the hair shaft.

Cushion brush:

Cushion brushes have soft rubber bases and stiff wire or plastic bristles. They are designed to stimulate the scalp and ideal for brushing dry, flaky skin such as dandruff.

They’re also ideal for brushing out build-ups from styling products and help stimulate hair growth by massaging the scalp. They’re ideal for those with problematic or dry hair.

Vented brush:

Vented brushes are what they say in the name; they are vented or have spaces between the bristles for the hair to flow through. They’re typically made from either nylon or plastic.

It is designed to dry hair quickly and smoothly as the airflow reaches all parts of the hair.

Anti-static hair brush:

Anti-static hair brushes can eradicate static from hair, making them the perfect hair brush for frizzy hair and those prone to flyaways. 

These brushes eliminate static electricity and prevent the build-up of hair, oils, and products on the brush.

These brushes are made with ionic materials and reduce frizz by adding negative ions into the hair, which helps fight static and frizz. 

Smoothing brush:

Smoothing brushes are very similar to paddle brushes, but instead of having normal plastic bristles, they tend to have soft boar or nylon bristles.

These bristles are ideal for creating sleek styles, eliminating kinks and bumps caused by pulling your hair back into a bun or ponytail. 

The broad shape is ideal for smoothing hair flat, removing volume, and giving a straight finish on the ends. They also have a soft cushion to conform to your head, like paddle brushes too. 

Straightening brush:

This type of brush combines a regular paddle brush and a hot iron straightener, the brush hearts up to straighten and smooth the hair. 

Not many people invest in a straightening brush, but they’re pretty brilliant; they smooth your hair nicely and cause less damage than straightening your hair normally. 

Rat-tail brush:

A rat tail brush, also known as a teasing comb with a long thin stem, can be used to separate and lift sections of hair to tease. 

These brushes were designed to add more volume to your hair; you can backcomb at the route to give the illusion of thicker hair. 

Wide-tooth comb: 

As hinted in the name, a wide-tooth comb is a comb with spaced-out teeth to allow a larger amount of hair through. It is ideal for those with thick, curly, or tangled hair. 

It is not recommended to brush your hair whiles it’s wet, but you can use a wide-tooth comb instead. It helps to separate the hair without tugging or pulling on it. 

Materials Used In Different Types Of Hair Brushes:

Now we know all the different types of hair brushes you can buy; you may be wondering what material is best for your hair type and style you’re looking to achieve, both wet or dry.

Boar Bristle Hair Brush:

Boar bristles are popular for those with fine, thinning, aging, or damaged hair because of their ability to even out and redistribute natural oils from the scalp to the ends to help add shine and prevent your hair from looking greasy.

All hair types can benefit from boar bristle brushes as it helps stimulate the scalp and gently ease knots with minimum breakage. It will leave your hair looking fuller and healthier.

They come in natural boar bristles options, and nowadays, there are even some vegan boar bristle brush types so everyone can benefit, and it’s the best of both worlds.

Nylon Bristle Brush:

Nylon bristle hair brushes are made from a synthetic material known to reduce static and detangle thick hair with minimum breakage.

A nylon brush is perfect for reducing frizz and has major benefits of re-introducing shine to your hair, just like the boar bristles.

Mixed Bristle Brush:

Mixed bristle brushes are the best of both worlds as they combine the shine-enhancing effects of a boar bristle brush by stimulating the scalp.

While the nylon or wire bristles help with easy detangling and minimal breakage, this is ideal for those with thick hair who still want the benefits of boar brushes but need something a little more.

Best Hair Brushes For Different Types Of Hair:

Here is the full breakdown of the best hair brushes for your hair type. 

Best Hair Brush For Straight/Long Hair: 

If you have long and straight hair, then a paddle brush will be the best type of brush for you as it covers a lot of ground for detangling purposes. If you have quite thick hair too then, you will benefit most from this type of brush. 

I would recommend material-wise, if your hair is quite damaged, going for a mixture of boar bristles and nylon bristles. This helps detangle knots nicely without tugging or causing breakages on the hair. 

If you have long, thick hair but struggle for volume, I recommend getting a large circular brush or a vented round brush made with ceramic material, which heats up nicely and helps hold in styles and volume for longer.

Again for the material, a mixture of boar bristles and nylon bristles are ideal as it offers a good level of tension when styling your hair without causing any breakage or frizz.

Best Hair Brush For Frizzy Hair: 

If you suffer from frizzy hair, then humid weather is not your friend; the humid months can be quite tough for those with frizzy hair, and no matter what product or hair brush you use, you step outside, and it’s frizz central.– girl, I feel your pain. 

Boar brushes are your best friend for frizzy hair; this paired with the right heat protectant will work wonders for your frizz and will be sure to tame those wild frizzy locks. Remember to section your hair and don’t rush the process; take your time. 

If you have curly/ frizzy hair, you mustn’t brush your hair when it’s dry. Remember to brush your hair only when it is wet or at least damp; this helps cure frizzy curls. A Denman Brush is also ideal for styling and smoothing frizzy curls.

Curly Hair:

As a kid, having curly hair is the worst; we didn’t take the time to style it, so it ran wild with endless frizz and scorching our hair with the straighteners in high school as kids thought. It ‘looked nicer.’

But as we get older, having curly hair is secretly our strength; now we know how to properly care for our curls, they become defined and beautiful, rather than a frizzy mess. If you’re looking to start your curly girl journey, then the right products and brush are the first steps.

So what brush is best for curly hair? 

While most people say that you must not brush curls, the Denman brush is the only exception because the strong bristles can cut down the detangling time and help distribute the important products that curly girls need. 

You can twirl your hair with the brush section by section to transform and define your curls, but remember each section needs to be wet to prevent frizz. The right brush and technique are key to define unruly curls, from coils to loose curls; every curly girl benefits from a Denman brush. 

Curly hair can be dry and brittle; combing it when it’s not wet can also cause breakage and split ends; it also avoids frizz and flyaways when brushing while wet– it makes a brilliant microphone for shower karaoke too. 

Best Hair Brush For Short Hair:

The best brush to smooth short hair and even tame unruly bangs is a small round brush with boar bristles. This is because the boar bristles are great for creating tension and catching every hair, making it ideal for short hair. 

A brush with a small surface area and wide bristles is also ideal for short hair.

Best Hair Brush For Fine Hair:

At the other end of the spectrum, we have fine hair; no matter what products you put in or what brush you use, it always feels like your hair will never look voluminous, but let me tell you, girl, the right hair brush can give your hair that little bit of oomph it needs.

The best brushes for fine hair are extra soft boar bristle brushes; they’re gentle on the scalp and maximize natural shine. We don’t want any unnecessary hairs falling out, and boars help detangle with next to no breakage.

Boar brushes also help stimulate the blood flow in the scalp to promote hair growth and make the hair appear thicker. They come in all different types from a paddle, circular to even round brushes for that little extra volume.

Best Hair Brush For Damaged Hair:

Maybe you have damaged hair and want to minimize breakage and help restore it to its former glory and wondering which hair brush is best for the job.

Again boar bristles are probably your best bet; they minimize hair breakage, evenly distribute natural oils, and gently stimulate the scalp to promote hair growth. Boar bristles combined with regular nylon bristles are also brilliant for thicker damaged hair.

Best Hair Brush For Wet Hair:

The best hair brush to use on wet hair is a wet brush or a shower brush; the bristles have been specially designed to be used on wet hair. Although it is not recommended to brush your hair while wet for textured or curly hair, it is best to prevent frizz. 

A detangling brush is also ideal for wet hair as the bristles are flexible and separate the hair while combing rather than tugging or pulling on the weak ends and causing breakage. 

Summary:

Switching up your hair brush can make a world of difference, and using the right brush on wet or dry hair can really transform the health of your hair.

We often forget how important our hair brush is and how important using the right hair brush for our hair type is. It will transform damaged hair as using a brush that tugs on the end of your hair does no good for anyone.

So take the time to work out what hair brush is best for you, then check out the latest guide of my top picks for you. Let’s upgrade our hair care for the better ladies.