11 Essential Hairbrush Types—and How to Find the Right One for You

Just because we all need a hairbrush doesn’t mean we all need the same type. Yup, one size doesn't exactly fit all, folks. Since we’re paying more attention to what hair care products we need in our collection these days, it’s about time we’re mindful of what type of hairbrush we’re using on our locks, too. Whether you have curly, fine or straight hair, there’s a brush designed to define, detangle and/or smooth your tresses. We tapped top hairstylists to share the different hairbrush types out there, so you can find the right one for you. 

• Penelope Love is an independent hairstylist for Happy Sunshine Hair in New York. She has 12 years of experience, specializing in low-maintenance haircuts, prevision bobs and layered shags. She’s also known for her color technique, extension services and short styles. 
• Tommy Buckett is a lead stylist at Marie Robinson Salon. Known for creating chic and versatile looks with an effortless flair, Buckett's work has been highlighted in national publications such as Allure, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Glamour, Vogue, New York Magazine and T: The New York Times Style Magazine. His celebrity clientele includes Felicity Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Jennifer Garner and Michelle Monaghan.
• Chanel Beck is head stylist and head of education for Mermade Hair, a hair tool company known for their Pro Hair Waver and Blow Dry Brush. She’s also the owner of Koko Blaq Coiffeur salon in Washington and has earned prestigious accolades, such as winning the Marie Claire Choice Awards and being named L’Oréal New Comer in 2023.
• Johnny Wright is a celebrity hairstylist and brand expert for OurX, a haircare brand that lets you customize your routine. He has two decades of experience in the styling world, spending time as Michelle Obama’s personal hairstylist and then Tamron Hall’s key hairstylist for her talk show. His previous clients also include Kerry Washington, Queen Latifah and Samira Wiley. Wright also has written a book called Natural & Curly Hair for Dummies to teach others how to take care of their locks.
• Jesse Blake Garcia is a master stylist and educator for Tricoci Salon & Spa in Chicago. He has 11 years of experience, specializing in coloring, styling and cutting. He also represents brands such as Wella Professional and Nioxin. 
• Joel Calfee is a hairstylist and director of education for Wet Brush. He has 16 years of experience, previously working as a regional sales manager for ghd Professionals and an artistic director for Bio Ionic. Now, he oversees beauty brands and leads educational programs and video tutorials to the masses. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Aside from your hair type, Calfee suggests four key factors when choosing your hairbrush: bristles, shape, materials and design elements. We broke it down for you below:

• Bristles: “There are natural and synthetic boar bristles, which are used to smooth the hair. The dense cluster of bristles give extra grip to shape the hair, while also helping to smooth the cuticle as you move it through the hair,” he says. 
• Shape: “Flat brushes such as paddles and sculpting brushes can help smooth hair during styling, while brushes with oval or rounded bodies can add shape and volume,” he explains.
• Materials: “Metal brushes can withstand heat and help smooth while wooden brushes absorb heat for those worried about heat exposure,” he says. 
• Design Elements: “Vented brushes can help decrease blow-dry times. Scattered bristles on a round brush will give more tug and flexible bristles can be gentler on hair,” he shares. 

Aside from detangling and styling your hair, there are other benefits to brushing your locks.  As Calfee explains, brushing your hair “helps clean the hair with manual removal of build-up and distribute natural oils from the scalps to the ends where hair is most dry.” He also mentions that it can lay the cuticle flat to help seal the hair and improve shine. 

The experts are pointing to yes, yes and 100 percent yes. “Absolutely! You need one to detangle and one to dry. If you want one that does both, you can look into paddle brushes, but they don’t necessarily work well for all hair types and texture,” shares Wright. 

Buckett previously told us that cleaning your brush is essential and suggests doing it on a weekly basis. When asked why so often, he explained, “Clean brushes work better when they don’t have excess hair trapped in them, or excess product being spread around, which can actually make your roots greasy.” He continued, “Also, using a clean brush will help you with your at-home blowouts because you get a better grip on the hair for tension needed to smooth it out.”

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