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Looking for recommendations on the best hair brushes? Search no more — you’re in the right place. We found the best-reviewed brushes, bought them all, and determined which types of brushes work best for curly, fine, thick, damaged, oily, and tangle-prone hair. Read on to see our faves.
Wait, Brushes Matter?
Every hairstyle begins with a hairbrush. This humble yet essential tool doesn’t get the credit it deserves. In fact, most of us give our hair brushes very little thought. That’s unfortunate, because the right hair brush makes all the difference in how your finished hairstyle turns out.
The brush you use either sets you up for success or primes your locks for a bad hair day. The detangling brush your friend raves about might not hold up to your thick hair. Or maybe the cushioned paddle brush you’ve been using is causing breakage in your fine or damaged hair.
That’s why finding the best brush for your specific hair type is so important. But with so many options, where do you start? For one, you could do a quick Google search.
But you’ll find that most reviews just round up a bunch of random products and list their features. So much for a review. We wanted to brush away the competition by adding real value to your life.
To do a proper review, we found the top-rated brushes, and our editor Andrew bought them all. Yes — he dropped $100 of his own money to give you an up-close-and-personal look at each one.
Our Top Picks:
- Best Brush for Fine Hair: Diane 100% Soft Boar Bristle Brush
- Best Brush for Coarse Hair: Wet Brush Volume and Body Round Brush
- Best Brush for Thick Hair: Bsisme Hair Brush – Boar Bristle with Detangling Pins
- Best Brush for Curly Hair: Denman Classic Styling Brush w/ 7 Rows
- Best Brush for Oily Hair: 2 Pack Detangling Brush for Natural Hair
- Best Brush for Damaged Hair: Revlon Detangle and Smooth Cushion Brush
- Best Brush for Blowouts: Suprent Round Brush With Natural Boar Bristles
Ranking Factors
But we didn’t just buy and photograph our favorite hair brushes. No — after each one arrived in the mailbox, I reviewed each according to a number of factors that I determined to be most relevant:
- Versatility. How easily this hair brush can be used on a wide range of hair.
- Price. Is this hair brush affordable for every guy, gal, man, and woman?
- Durability. Will the bristles on the brush fall off, or will it hold up for years of daily use?
- Uniqueness. Does the brush have any special features that make it stand out from the rest?
We consider all of these brushes to be the best, for reasons that we’ve mentioned above. But before we get into our product reviews, let me share my struggle with you to help you avoid my same frustrations.
My Search for the Best Hair Brush
I have nine hair brushes in my bathroom right now. Why? I like to think it’s because I’m an experimenter. I’ll buy a new brush because I like the way it looks, the feel of the bristles, or the claims on the packaging.
Pain-free detangling? Increased shine and oil distribution? I’m sold. Since I’m a serial hair brush buyer, I realized something: Some brushes work wonderfully for my hair type and make styling seem effortless.
Others are a big fail and are doomed to sit forever in a basket in my bathroom closet.
But I have learned something from all this hair brush experimentation. After trying so many different brushes, I’ve noted what features the best brushes for my hair type have in common.
As it turns out, my hair is a finicky nut to crack in terms of finding the best hair brush.
Top Rated Brushes (Scoring 19/20):
My Struggle
My hair is long, thick, and prone to tangling. A detangling brush pulls less on my strands, which is nice. But I have a hard time getting those gentle bristles through my insane mane.
After some trial and error and lots of research, I’ve finally landed on the perfect hair brush for my hair type and noted which hair types the ones that don’t work for me are best suited for. You’ll see my preferred brush under Best Hair Brush for Thick Hair.
It has made all the difference in how manageable and healthy my hair is. So, if you think all brushes are essentially the same, or are content with using the same old paddle brush you’ve used for years, I hope you’ll give this guide a thorough read.
Changing your hair brush might show you that your hair is a lot easier to manage and style than you thought. It can reduce breakage, increase shine, and deliver salon-quality blowouts.
Let’s check out the best brushes for your hair type.
What’s the Best Hair Brush for My Hair Type?
Your hair is unique, but it will most likely identify with one or more of the hair-type characteristics listed below:
- Fine (texture)
- Coarse (texture)
- Thick (density)
- Curly (type)
- Oily (rate of oil production)
- Damaged (porosity)
Fine hair needs a brush that is radically different from a brush intended for curly, coarse hair. Keeping your hair type and its unique needs in mind while you shop for a hair brush is key. We’ve made it easy by listing the best hairbrush we’ve found for each hair type.
You’ll see the top-rated brush for your hair type, the features and notable benefits of each brush, and a peek at customer reviews. Stick around after the hair brush roundup for some helpful brushing tips.
Here are the brushes you should snag (pardon my pun) to step up your brushing game.
1. Best Hair Brush for Fine Hair
- Pulls oil out at the roots
- Won’t snag or pull hair out
- Helps add volume to hair
- Not great for blowouts or styling
- Boar bristles will wear over time
- Surface may scratch with heavy use
Our Grade
- Versatility: 3/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 4/5
- Uniqueness: 5/5
- Total: 17/20
Unboxing
On all of our reviews, we do an unboxing section. Not too sexy, but people seem to love it. With hair brushes, it’s a little more boring, but we’ll do it anyway. What the heck. As least it’ll give you more pictures to look at!
The diane boar hair brush comes in a plastic sleeve inside of a protective plastic bag. This is especially nice, because it keeps the brush from picking up cardboard and dirt. Nice touch, diane.
Once out of the plastic sleeve, you’ll find this little guy housed in a plastic shell. Just peel back the cardboard, pull the brush from the shell, and you’re ready to brush.
Overview
Fine hair can look a little limp and lifeless without the right hair brush. You might have a thick head of hair, but if all the strands are fine, it won’t look as full. Using a good quality boar bristle brush like the Diane 100% Boar Bristle Brush fixes that problem.
The boar bristles in this brush are sturdy yet gentle on hair. They won’t snag or pull fine strands as they detangle and shape the hair. And if your fine hair tends to get a little oily at the roots soon after washing, this boar bristle brush will be your saving grace.
It actually draws the natural sebum down the rest of the hair shaft, keeping it from being concentrated at the roots. The result is hair that is more voluminous, moisturized (without being greasy), and smooth. Plus, at less than $5, it’s super affordable!
2. Best Hair Brush for Coarse Hair
- Extremely durable
- Unique massaging bristles with volumizing bristles
- Negative ionic technology
- Handle easily attracts dust
- Bristles might pull fine hair out
- A bit heavier than most brushes (a pro and con)
Our Grade
- Versatility: 4/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 4/5
- Uniqueness: 5/5
- Total: 18/20
Unboxing
From the photo, I’m sure that you can tell that this hair brush lives on retail shelves. We actually thought this was one of the best boxes of all the brushes on our list.
It’s not too hard to open, either. Just peel back the tabs and slide it out. But while you do this, be careful not to damage the bristles. They’re pretty firm, so that shouldn’t happen much. But be warned either way.
Overview
Coarse hair has thicker strands and tends to frizz. But it’s also full of luxuriant body and volume when the proper hair brush is used! You can make the most of your strong, coarse hair with a specially designed round brush.
The Wet Brush Break-Free Volume & Body Round Brush is the best of its kind. The brush features the Vita-Boost Complex that coats strands with strength-building keratin and biotin.
The barrel is ceramic coated, which releases negative ions into the hair to cut frizz and static. And the patented Heatflex bristles are powerful enough to work their way through coarse hair and hold it firmly without pulling or breaking it.
On top of all the cool features that make this brush stand out, it delivers what you will recognize as the best at-home blowout you’ve ever had. It really does add volume and body without making your hair frizzy or poofy.
It gets 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. The only negative reviews stated the brush is a little heavier than their usual hair brush. Depending on the type of hair brush you’re used to, it might not feel heavy at all.
3. Best Hair Brush for Thick Hair
- Comes with a scrunchie and a comb
- Very sturdy design
- Has both boar bristles and nylon
- Awkward handle
- Bristles might pull out fine hair
- A bit hard to remove excess hair
Our Grade
- Versatility: 5/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 5/5
- Uniqueness: 4/5
- Total: 19/20
Unboxing
Unboxing the Boar Bristle Hair Brush from Bsisme was a bit unexpected. First, we appreciated that there was little plastic — the box is cardboard, and the brush is wood.
But what we didn’t expect was what was inside the box — a scrunchie and a comb! In the listing, it said nothing about either of these. SCORE!! Perhaps this is a limited time offer, or maybe they just had a few extras lying around.
Regardless of the circumstances, we considered adding an addition ranking factor titled “bonuses” just to make this the best hair brush on the list. Yes, we were that excited. But we digress. Not too much to say, other than the box was easy to open and we loved the extra goodies we found inside.
Overview
Bristles that can actually muscle their way through your dense locks are a must for thick hair. But since thick hair can put up quite a fight of its own, nylon bristles can result in breakage and snagging.
Boar bristles are great, but they aren’t strong enough on their own to make their way through loads of thick hair. Get the best of both worlds (boar bristle and nylon) with the Bsisme Boar Bristle and Nylon Paddle Hairbrush.
This paddle-style hair brush features boar bristles that are capped at the end with tiny nylon balls. This is what helps this otherwise gentle brush penetrate through ultra-thick hair with ease.
The wooden handle fits perfectly in your hand for a comfortable brushing experience. And if you have hair as thick as mine, you know how long a brushing session can be – comfort is a must! Reviewers absolutely love this brush, giving it 4.7 out of 5 stars.
There are almost 10,000 reviews on it! I’m always wary of fake reviews, but after reading through some of these, I found that they really matched the experience I had with this brush.
If you have thick hair, look no further. This is the one! What surprised us the most was that ours came with a detangling comb, a brush, and a scrunchie! Big kudos to Bsisme for the extras.
4. Best Hair Brush for Curly Hair
- Extremely durable plastic
- Lots of nylon bristles
- No static because of the unique rubber pad
- Bristles are not rounded
- Might be hard to remove excess hair
- Not good for oily hair
Our Grade
- Versatility: 4/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 4/5
- Uniqueness: 5/5
- Total: 18/20
Unboxing
The Denman Classic Styling Brush must live on retail shelves. Just look at the box. It’s meant to hang with the many other brushes that you’d find in any Walgreen’s, Walmart, or Target.
It’s not too hard to unbox, either. Just open the tab, untwist the twist tie (oh how I do hate those annoying little buggers), and you’re ready to brush. My only gripe is that it doesn’t come inside a plastic sleeve to protect the handle.
Overview
Curly hair needs a shower brush that detangles hair gently while helping set the shape of the curl before you even towel off. Curls are needy little buggers, aren’t they? You can’t ignore them or they’ll turn on you.
Please note that you should never use a natural-bristled brush to detangle wet curly hair or on any wet hair, period. It will cause breakage. If you want to use a brush to detangle your damp hair, make sure it is specifically designed for that use.
Developing a good relationship with your curls starts with your brush. And if you want bouncy, defined curls, that brush is the Denman D3 Original Styler Classic Styling Brush.
The D3 styler uses seven rows of sculpted nylon bristles to gently work through curls without pulling or flattening them. You’ll notice that the brush feels light in your hand and actually guides individual strands into small sections that curl beautifully without frizzing as they dry.
This brush is A+ for days you want to blow dry, too. The edges of the brush hold the hair taught to smooth out curls and give the hair shape. Thanks to the natural rubber pad under the bristles, you won’t get any static as you use this brush.
It smoothes and creates a flawless finish. Since I always check out reviews before buying a product, I was shocked to see that this brush has over 45,700 positive reviews.
It averages 4.6 out of 5 stars! This is the real deal for curly hair. Even if you don’t have curly hair, you can still benefit from using this brush. It’s great for detangling and blow drying straight and wavy hair, too.
5. Best Hair Brush for Oily Hair
- Pulls oil out at the roots
- Won’t snag or pull hair out
- Helps add volume to hair
- Not great for blowouts or styling
- Boar bristles will wear over time
- Surface may scratch with heavy use
Our Grade
- Versatility: 3/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 4/5
- Uniqueness: 5/5
- Total: 17/20
Overview
Oily hair isn’t unhealthy, but if you have high sebum production, you’re always looking for ways to minimize it. Too much oil production in the scalp makes roots look greasy, dirty, and weighed down.
You can use a specially designed brush to help alleviate the oil problem. One option is a boar bristle brush, which pulls oil at the roots down to disperse it along your hair shaft.
If you prefer the boar bristle route, opt for the Diane 100% Boar Bristle Brush we recommended for fine hair. This brush deals with the aftermath of oil by keeping it from concentrating at the roots after it’s already been produced by the scalp.
Alternative Pick
The other option is a scalp-massaging brush that prevents hair from becoming oily so fast in the first place. This is my preferred option. I specifically like the Messen Detangling Brush for Natural Hair.
It’s marketed as a brush for natural kinky or curly hair, but let me tell you – it’s perfect for oily gals with other hair types too. Massaging the scalp stimulates blood flow and regulates oil production by focusing all your scalp’s energy on hair growth.
By using a scalp-massaging brush like this, you’re basically exercising your scalp, increasing hair growth, and helping it learn to chill out on oil production. Win. Win. Win!
Now, the only downside to this brush is that it’s a bit flimsy. That’s why it comes with the little pronged piece. But this helps the brush move freely with your hair, minimizing pain. That’s a huge plus in our book!
Users give it 4.3 out of 5 stars on average, but most aren’t reviewing it regarding how it helps oily hair. Take it from me: This brush is the holy grail for greasy hair.
6. Best Hair Brush for Damaged Hair
- The rounded beads massage your scalp while brushing
- Unique cushion lets bristles flex
- Sturdy plastic design
- No ionic technology
- Good for brushing, but not styling
- Not good for all hair types (fine or natural)
Our Grade
- Versatility: 4/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 5/5
- Uniqueness: 4/5
- Total: 18/20
Unboxing
Ah, Revlon, you do things right. While I don’t love plastic, I appreciate that they’ve put a protective sleeve around what we consider to be the best brush for damaged hair. After all, the handle is rubbery, so this protects it from dust and dirt.
It’s a relatively small consideration, but one that goes a long way. Think about it — if Revlon went the extra mile to protect the brush, don’t you think they went the extra mile to make the brush high-quality? Kudos to Revlon for this.
Overview
Damaged hair has been through a lot and needs a little extra TLC during brushing. When you’re searching for a new hair brush and you have damaged hair, that should supersede your actual hair type.
For example, if you have curly, damaged hair, don’t opt for the brush recommended for curly hair. Get the one built for damaged hair to ensure you’re treating it as gently as possible.
The best brush for damaged hair is the Revlon Detangle & Smooth Black Cushion Hair Brush. It’s super affordable and is the perfect match for damaged hair.
The soft cushioning under the bristles keeps your hair from being pulled too tight while brushing. The cushioned paddle actually flexes in and out to make sure there’s enough tension on the hair without pushing it to the point of breakage.
The soft, plastic bristles are around ½” long to reach through any hair thickness. This brush will glide right through tangles without snagging them. It works for straight, wavy, and curly hair. And you can use it wet or dry without further damaging your hair!
Reviewers leave it 4.6 out of 5 stars, and there are more than 13,000 ratings for it on Amazon. You can’t go wrong with this brush if your hair is damaged. This will help you baby your hair back to health, without breakage or snagging.
7. Best Hair Brush for Blowouts
- Combines boar bristles with massaging prongs
- Feels extremely nice to use
- Ionic technology keeps your hair shiny
- Boar bristles might bend over time
- I could see the finish scratching with heavy use
- Grip attracts dust
Our Grade
- Versatility: 4/5
- Price: 5/5
- Durability: 5/5
- Uniqueness: 5/5
- Total: 19/20
Unboxing
Here’s another example of packaging done right. No, I don’t like plastic. Packaging like this pollutes landfills, and is quite a waste for a small item like a hair brush. But… it does protect the brush, and when you’re using boar bristles, you’re talking about easily damaged goods.
The wrapping was pretty easy to open. Just cut the top, slide out the brush and instructions, and toss (or recycle — always recycle) the rest. Easy peasy.
Overview
At-home blowouts might make your arms a little tired, but the polished, smooth look is so worth it. If you’re looking for a brush that will take your blowout to the next level, I have a not-so-secret secret to share with you.
Get the SUPRENT Nano Thermic Ceramic Round Brush with Natural Boar Bristles. Just get it.
The 2” nano thermic barrel is designed to hold heat so hair dries faster (read: less time exposed to the intense heat from your blow dryer). The barrel is coated with ceramic to infuse hair with negative ions.
That translates into a frizz-free, no-static blowout that rivals any salon. Natural boar bristles on the brush hold onto hair as you blow dry, ensuring every strand gets a little love.
And the vents in the barrel let plenty of air flow around your hair for a faster dry. There are a few smaller barrel sizes available if you prefer a smaller curl rather than a high-body blowout. With 3,200+ positive reviews and an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, this is a crowd favorite.
If you’re sick of blowouts turning into an intense arm workout, this brush is your solution. You’ll notice that your hair dries much faster. The fact that it will be shinier, frizz-free, and full of body is just a bonus!
Hair Brushing Tips
Make the most of your hair brush by using it properly. Remember, it’s not just the type of hair brush you choose – it’s how you use it.
We’ve all been guilty of jerking a brush through our hair like we’re holding a grudge against it at some point. But keeping these tips in mind will help you adopt the best brushing practices for healthier hair.
Brush gently: We all know this, but it’s worth mentioning that the more gently you brush your hair, the less breakage and damage your hair will have. Use slow, controlled motions to brush your hair and don’t try to pull straight through a tangle or snag. Gently work through it.
Start from the bottom: This was a particularly hard lesson for my ten-year-old daughter to learn, but it’s important to avoid breaking hair off mid-shaft. Always start brushing/detangling from the bottom of your hair. Sometimes I’ll hold a section of hair in my hand (prevents it from tugging on my scalp).
And I’ll start gently brushing below it until that section is detangled. Then, move upward, brushing through any tangles along the way.
Never brush curly hair while dry: Curly hair develops its shape and definition while it’s wet. If you brush through curly hair after it’s dry, you’re disrupting all the gorgeous curl patterns and creating a poofy, frizzy mess. Instead, brush curly hair in the shower, work a leave-in conditioner into it, then gently detangle the ends only.
Don’t over-brush: You might’ve heard the old myth that brushing your hair 100 times a day results in soft, healthier locks. Not true. Over-brushing just creates more opportunities to damage and break your hair. Brush only as much as needed to detangle or finish drying your hair.
Clean your hair brush regularly: No judgement here, but when’s the last time you cleaned your hair brush? You should clean it every two weeks to keep the nasties (dirt, oil, dust, old hair product, etc.) out.
You can soak it in water with a squirt of clarifying shampoo added and stirred up for 3-4 minutes to dissolve leftover product and break down dirt and oil. Use tweezers to remove leftover loose hairs for a nice, clean brush.
So, What’s the Best Hair Brush?
You’re fully armed here. You know which hair brush is the best for your hair type, and you’ve added it to your Amazon cart. You’ve read through our hair brushing tips. You’re well on your way to a series of good hair days!
As long as you choose a hair brush with the right bristles and a body style that is suitable for your hair type, you’ll see better results when you detangle, style, and blow dry your locks. We hope our recommendations help you find your new go-to brush!