Do me a favor and go look at your hair brush. Let me guess: You’ve had it for years, and the bristle count is somewhere near 50%. Personally I can’t judge, as I only recently swapped out my own brush. But for such a crucial hair tool in our arsenals, it’s time we invested in it a little bit more.
“So many variables come into play in making a really great hairbrush, from the balance of materials used to the variability of bristle length, flexibility, and density of placement,” says Michael Van Clarke, hairstylist and founder of 3’’’More Inches Haircare and Michael Van Clarke Hairbrushes. “If these things aren’t considered with a high degree of finesse, the result is a clumsy clunky tool which is neither pleasant nor safe to use.”
So when the time comes to upgrade your tools (aka now), it’s important to get a brush that’s worthy of taking care of your strands. That’s why I tapped Van Clarke, as well as two more celebrity hairstylists, to share their hair brush picks—whether you’re looking for a brush for curly hair, thin hair, long hair, or even a round brush, there are picks for every hair need.
Curly hair specialist and founder of Rëzo Haircare Nubia Rëzo says this is “a brush I recommend to all of my curly hair customers because it enhances their natural curl pattern and prevents frizz.”
“I love the original Wet Brush because it works on all hair types and is especially great for detangling curly hair,” says Rëzo. “Brushing curly hair with conditioner is key in the shower and these flexible bristles also help to reduce damage and breakage.”
Rëzo says this brush from Tangle Teezer “is a game changer when it comes to detangling curly hair, leaving curls looking more defined and bouncy.”
The brand is also known for this handheld brush, which has long teeth to detangle, and short teeth to smooth the cuticle.
As for Van Clarke, the stylist recommends two brushes from his eponymous line, including this soft-bristle round brush. “It has more flexible bristles so it’s gentler on fine to medium hair to avoid breakage and splitting,” says Van Clarke, adding that “The natural boar bristles glide beautifully across the hair, smoothing the cuticle as you brush.”
Van Clarke says this brush is “Perfect for all hair types, long or short, and including hair extensions.” Design-wise, it features “super smooth and flexible bristles made from Japanese nylon that glide through the hair, releasing knots without snagging or pulling,” says the stylist, who adds that it’s “So gentle, it’s even an ideal solution to brushing children’s hair.”
In Van Clarke’s opinion, these beloved brushes “are not so good at giving a deep brush-through,” but says “you’ll often find the mixed-bristle version in the session stylist’s professional kitbag for smoothing the surface of backcombed chignons and updos.”
For both straight and big bouncy blowouts, Artistic Director of Moroccanoil Kevin Hughes recommends the brand’s 45mm round brush. “It is important to use a ceramic round brush because ceramic will heat up quickly and most importantly, it heats up evenly,” explains the hair pro. “This ensures that the entire hair strand is smooth and shiny.” . Hughes adds that this brush in particular “also has this hidden hair pic inside the handle, which is ideal for sectioning the hair while you are blowing your hair out.”
This high-quality paddle brush is ideal for longer hair, as it covers a lot of surface area in fewer brushstrokes.
This brush offers the smoothing benefits of boar bristles, but is completely vegan and cruelty-free.
Designed to be stored in the shower, this brush helps distribute conditioner and hair treatments through wet hair, and can also help scrunch and define curls.
We all have that plastic brush we picked up from a hotel gift shop. Instead, upgrade to one that actually works, like this shine-enhancing brush from Kitsch.
It’s not a regular brush, it’s an eco-friendly brush. Made to last years, this bamboo brush is composed of entirely of compostable materials (for whenever you need a new one down the line).
