How To Brush Your Hair 101

Hair Brushing 101: How to Brush Your Hair & How Often Should You Brush Your Hair

When it comes to brushing your hair, you may not think too much about it; the aim is the get all the knots out after all, right?

Well, actually, there is a right way and a wrong way to brush your hair– and I’m serious.

How often and how your brush your hair has a lot to say about the health of your hair, and brushing your hair the wrong way or too often can do more damage than good. I know it’s hard to believe for a task, that should be easy– right??

Having the right tools for your hair type and having a little patience can transform your luscious locks’ look, feel, and overall health.

But wait, get this:

To make things easier for you, this is hair brushing 101, and I’m here to show you how to brush your hair the right way. No hassle, no tugging; it’s smooth-flowing from here, my friends.

Here’s a pro tip before we get started: working out the type of brush you need for your hair type is the best place to start, as using the wrong brush for your hair does more damage than good.

Without further adieu, let’s jump in!

What Are The Benefits Of Brushing Your Hair?

Why brush your hair? We’ve grown up being told we must brush our hair, but what are the real benefits of brushing your hair? There are more benefits beyond having tangle-free hair.

Brushing your hair helps promote hair health and shine; the sebaceous glands on your hair follicles help produce natural oils that lubricate the scalp. These oils are distributed from the roots to the ends of your hair, giving them a natural shine.

When your hair is brushed, it looks sleeker and shinier (unless you have curly hair, then brushing your hair dry will lead to a frizzy mess– we’ve all been there).

But hair brushing not only helps promote shine but also helps with scalp stimulation; brushing your hair gently is like a mini massage that stimulates your scalp– this promotes blood flow and hair growth.

On average, our hair sheds between 50 and 100 strands a day; brushing your hair helps remove loose strands that need to come out.

How Often Should You Brush Your Hair?

So now we know the benefits of brushing hair; how often should you brush your hair? Brushing your hair has many benefits, but you shouldn’t constantly be brushing your hair.

Brushing hair too frequently can actually cause hair loss. Some studies show that brushing your hair less frequently can prevent hair loss as it causes less unnecessary breakage.

So how many times should you brush your hair a day? Experts reccomend most people shouldn’t brush their hair more than twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

This prevents overstimulating oils glands as well as preventing any necessary breakage.

How To Brush Wet Hair:

Although most experts do not reccomend brushing your hair while wet for those with curly hair, you have no choice but to brush your hair while wet.

It is not recommended to brush your hair while wet because this is when your hair strands are most fragile; if you tug on hair strands while wet, they can cause breakage, as when dry, they jump back up, but while wet, this doesn’t happen.

If you need to brush your hair while wet, the best thing to do is go gentle and use a wide-tooth comb or brush designed to be used on wet hair– such as a Denman brush, tangle teaser, or wet brush.

Having the right hairbrush is a good first step, but it’s all down to the technique too.

Step One:

First things first, you should start at the very ends of your hair, combing downwards to remove any tangles gently. Don’t force the comb through your hair, as this will cause breakage.

If you have curly hair, then I would reccomend, after using a comb, using a Denman brush with your leave-in conditioner, serum, or product you use on your hair, and twist the brush as you comb it through the hair.

This will helps smooth and define the curls as well as prevent any frizz from occurring.

Step Two:

This is when the detangling happens; I know it’s easy to pull through the knots until they come loose but tugging on wet hair does nothing but damage.

Instead, you should use small brush strokes, and if your hair is particularly tangled or knotted, then spraying your hair with a hair detangler or leave-in conditioner should help loosen the knots.

Step Three:

Once the ends of your hair are detangled, you can start working your way up to your hair and repeating the process of combing down and working out the tangles. Repeat this until you have tangle-free hair.

How To Brush Dry Hair:

Dry hair tends to get tangled and messy causing stubborn knots and unwanted breakage, whether you have curly or straight hair you’ll be prone to tangles.

Just like you would when brushing your hair while wet you shouldn’t brush your hair from the root, yo should start from the ends and work your way up. Brushing your hair from the top will inevitably cause breakage.

Start in the midsection of your hair (preferably a few inches from the ends) and brush your hair down to the ends. You should move the brush up an inch or two after the ends are tangle-free until you reach the top.

As each tangle is removed from each section you should work your way up until you get to the scalp, then brush the entirety of your hair a few times after.

Be gentle and take your time as brushing as dragging the bristles down your hair can just cause breakage, which is never fun.

Brushing your hair while dry is best when you have straight hair and not recommended with curly hair as it makes it more prone to frizz. Using a paddle brush is recommended as it helps ease knots and smooth the hair.

How To Brush Frizz-Prone Hair:

If your hair is quite prone to frizz you’ll want brushes that work to smooth down the cuticle along with some trusty products.

Boar bristles are a frizzy girl’s best friend, they promote healthy hair and gently detangle frizz as well as preventing damage. Boar bristles also help stimulate the scalp for healthy blood flow and hair growth.

Boar bristles are ideal for detangling coarse, thick hair. They work by softening strands and carry natural oils throughout the hair to condition the ends. This helps reduce frizz and static from occurring.

A natural bristle brush glides through grooves easily and smoothes the cuticle much more effectively than a nylon brush.

How To Brush Curly Hair:

Every curly-haired girl knows the struggle of brushing and detangling their hair. The next challenge is tackling and taming the frizz.

But how do you brush curly hair without it going frizzy?

The key to brushing curly hair the right way is to put down the brush once it starts to dry. It is best to avoid combs (except for detangling) as they don’t bend with your hair.

I would reccomend working section by section– remember to keep a water spray handy to keep these sections wet.

You should dampen down each section with a water spray, put in some leave-in conditioner, or gel with your fingers to slide through the tangles.

Once you’ve got the worst of the tangles out, then I would reccomend using a Denman brush or a wide-spaced paddle brush. A Denman brush is brilliant for smoothing curls and defining curls.

As you brush down the hair, you should twist as you go to define the curls to keep your hair frizz-free and keep those pretty curls looking fresh for longer.

How To Brush Men’s Hair: A Step By Step Guide

1) Brush when your hair is dry to avoid breakage – For most hair types, the best time to detangle is right before you get in the shower. I recommend you work out any major tangles or knots first so you don’t have to brush your hair afterward when it’s wet and more vulnerable to breakage.

2) Avoid over-brushing your hair to keep it healthy – Brushing too much or for too long can stress the outer layer of your hair, making it look dry and dull so be sure to limit your brushing to once a day and brush until you’ve got all the tangles out of your hair.

3) Finish with a few brushes from roots to tips for extra shine – Brushing down from the roots will distribute the scalp’s natural oils throughout the hair, giving it a healthier, shiny look. These oils will strengthen your hair, and they won’t look greasy or weigh it down which is important if you want the best men’s hairstyles that rely on volume and hold.

Summary:

So there you have it guys, how to brush your hair properly. Having the right hair brush for your hair type is a good start but it’s all in the technique and how often you brush your hair.

For long straight hair, a paddle brush will be your best friend, if you’re looking to brush your hair while wet then the best trick is patience and a good wide-tooth comb.

Remember to be gentle while brushing and styling to prevent any excess breakage.

Your hair will thank you for this one.