As much as we’d love to streamline our haircare routine with kitchen-found treasures like a fork (Sorry, Ariel), shopping for the best hairbrush to suit your hair type, texture, length, and styling preferences is far from uncomplicated. The brush you use to detangle snarls or distribute conditioner while in the shower probably isn’t what you’ll use to blow out your bangs. And just because one person likes a narrow teasing brush to boost volume in their hair, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t prefer a volume-enhancing round brush instead. Of course, things get even more complicated when you peruse the hairbrush section of your favorite beauty retailer or head to a specific brand’s website to choose from the various collections and models. There are a lot of options where the best hairbrushes are concerned, and luckily for you, we’ve whittled the population down to 16 crème de la crème buys to serve every budget, hair type, and styling need.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a new hairbrush (or two!) to meet your own hair needs and styling demands or are looking to gift a best-of-the-best model to a loved one or friend this holiday season, keep scrolling! We’ve created the ultimate shoppable list of the best hairbrushes money can buy just below.
Even though legendary hairstylist Vernon François says your hands and fingers are truly the best tools when it comes to styling and working product through your tresses, this three-in-one styling comb is pretty brilliant and is the best solution for practically every styling need. You’ve got your wide-tooth comb for gentle yet effective detangling, a narrow-tooth comb for smoothing and parting, and a pick handle for primping, pulling, and enhancing your styles with lots of volume.
Lots of hot brushes have been hitting the hair market as of late, but this one from GHD is definitely our favorite. It features ceramic-ionizer technology that keeps the temperature of your brush at a consistent 365ºF for optimum styling and long-term hair health. Oh, and if you’re wondering about the combination of short and long bristles, the blend allows you to tackle larger sections of hair so you get salon-level results in a shorter time period.
Especially fabulous for medium-to-thick, straight-to-wavy hair, this dual-bristle brush from Crown Affair is the crème de la crème. It’s handmade in Italy, and the strategic mix of boar and nylon bristles redistributes your natural oils to keep strands hydrated and soft, stimulates your scalp to encourage blood flow, prevents oxidative damage, enhances natural volume, and ensures your follicles stay in tip-top shape.
Ibiza is the cult-loved brush brand among many a hairstylist. The brand makes practically every type of brush under the sun, and it prioritizes quality. (Think eco-friendly, flexible yet resilient cork sourced from the Mediterranean and a signature blend of natural boar and heat resistant carbon fiber bristles from Spain.) That said, bangs require special attention in the styling department, and this is a top recommendation thanks to the oil- and sebum-distributing boar bristles, which impart tons of natural shine and polish.
Celebrity hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood’s brush has quickly gained icon status within the hairbrush market. Whether you have kinky, curly, wavy, or straight hair, this super-smart detangler brush was specially engineered by Leatherwood and her team to gently disassemble tangles and smooth out your strands for streamlined styling and significantly less damage and breakage.
You can get pretty much every type of detangling brush from fan-favorite brand Wet Brush. That said, if you’re looking to get even more bang for your buck, we recommend the Pro Flex model. Yes, it effortlessly detangles both wet and dry hair, but it’s also a great accessory for your heat-styling or blowout routine—the open, vented design allows moisture to wick off faster for a quicker dry time, and the bristles are heat resistant and, therefore, totally safe to use alongside your blow-dryer.
Another iconic detangling brush! We love Tangle Teezer for many reasons (especially the compact, bring-it-with-you-anywhere size!), but if we had to play favorites, we’d have to dub this handy little brush our top pick from the brand for anyone with strands on the fine or fragile side. Its teeth are 30% softer than other models from the brand and, thus, are five times less likely to result in breakage.
Although this brush from Tracee Ellis Ross is especially great for those with curly and coily textures, anyone can reap the benefits of keeping this handy hairbrush tucked among your bottles and jars in the shower. It’s the absolute best for distributing your conditioner and treatments through wet hair. It also enhances your natural texture and definition.
I’ve never met a celebrity hairstylist who doesn’t consider their boar-bristle hairbrush one of the most important, prized possessions within their kit. That said, if you’re looking for a vegan option, Briogeo is here to save the day (and impart tons of shine on your strands). Lightweight, vegan, cruelty-free, and outfitted in recyclable packaging, this hairbrush expertly detangles all hair types, and the soft ballpoint tips gently massage your scalp for optimized health and hair vitality.
The reviews say it all—regardless of your hair type or texture, this buttercup yellow brush is the absolute best for your teasing, smoothing, and back-combing needs.
If you’re someone who struggles with at-home blowouts, this covetable option from Amika will be a game changer for you. Regardless of your hair type or texture, this handy, interchangeable set allows you to create every type of curly, wavy, or sleek style. It features an ionic generator with negative-ion technology for a super-smooth and shiny finish every time, and the nylon bristles strategically separate your strands for a bouncy, salon-inspired effect.
We think everyone deserves at least one British, iconic, and very splurge-worthy Mason Pearson boar-bristle brush in their lifetime. We’re especially smitten with its beloved pocket-size options, which still boast the holy-grail hair perks of its original but come in at a *comparatively* more feasible price point and can be thrown into your bag or desk drawer for on-the-run touch-ups.
Everyone loves this classic, affordable hairbrush—even A-list hairstylists who have access to the fanciest and most expensive models. We love Denman’s brush because it not only gives curls definition, but it also plays nicely with our blow-dryer and delivers next-level shine and smoothness.
If volume is what you’re craving, let us introduce you to one of our favorite brush options from Raincry. Handmade in Italy, this exclusive design boasts the brand’s hero magnesium alloy, which heats and cools faster than ceramic, thus locking in your style more efficiently and lessening the risk of unwanted damage. Then, the top-tier nylon bristles remove excess product and oils from the hair to enhance a bouncy, voluminous finish post-style.
If you’ve ever wondered why vented hairbrushes are a thing, it’s because the more air you incorporate into your blow-dry session, the smoother and faster the process will be. T3’s vented brush is our absolute favorite, as it’s the perfect medium size to accommodate all hair types and lengths, and the widely placed, heat resistance bristles encourage better detangling and smoothing sans snaps and damage. (We’re also obsessed with how soft and gripable the handle is.)
Paddle brushes are helpful for lots of reasons, but they’re especially fantastic for people with thick hair. No need to spend a million bucks on your go-to model—this affordable pick from Conair has everything you need for easy detangling without snagging and snapping. Plus, it leaves a luxuriously smooth finish. Up next, We Found the All-Time Best Hair Dryers to Get Salon-Looking Hair
