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Choosing the right brush for every hair type is key to achieving the perfect finish – here’s what top stylists recommend for different textures and needs...
Every hair type has its own set of styling needs and there’s a brush or comb to help meet all of them. HJ asked a selection of top hairdressers for their brush choices when it comes to styling different hair types, whether they’re embracing natural curls and waves, adding volume or keeping straight hair super-sleek.
If your client has thick hair...
“For clients with thick or unruly hair, I always recommend a boar bristle brush – my Ibiza Hair EX7 is my ride or die,” shares Ben Nott. “The hundreds of natural bristles create plenty of tension to smooth the follicles, while regulating heat from your hairdryer to reduce unnecessary damage.”
If your client has Afro hair...
With a range of textures falling under the umbrella of Afro hair, Casey Styles explains that she has multiple brushes in her kitbag for clients with Afro hair. For example, her all-round go-to for smoothing and detangling is a paddle brush; “I tend to use the Denman D38 Detangling & Styling Paddle Brush in preparation for a blow-dry or a straight silk press,” she says. However, she also favours a round bristle brush when it comes to blow-drying hair, explaining: “A brush like this is more coarse in texture, allowing me to gain tension when blow-drying the hair; holding the roots of hair with this grip on the brush controls the frizz and smooths the hair from root to tip.” A good option is evo’s bruce bristle brush, which helps to distribute the hair’s natural oils to help reduce damage and improve manageability.
If your client has wavy hair...
“For wavy hair, I’d recommend a classic styling brush with nylon bristles – I always go for the Denman D3 Original Styler,” says Darrel Starkey. Why? “It’s a staple for enhancing natural wave patterns without creating too much volume, while the smooth, rounded teeth make detangling a breeze and help distribute product evenly for that perfect wave definition.”
If your client has curly hair...
“More and more of my clients are beginning to encourage a natural curl in their hair, so in these instances I’ve been reaching for a brush with vegan boar bristles which smooth curls while adding definition,” explains Sam Bickle. “I’ve recently discovered a brush which features grooves along the sides of the brush, which perfectly separates and defines curl clumps for natural movement – the Bounce Curl Define Brush, it’s my new holy grail.”
If your client has fine hair...
As fine hair tends to lack volume, Ben explains that he uses a two-brush approach for clients that fall into this category. He says: “Being smaller in diameter, fine hair tends to be much weaker, so I will often detangle with a brush that has both nylon and boar bristles to remove knots without causing damage, such as the ELEVEN Australia Large Styling Brush.” Following this, Ben then opts to blow- dry with a ceramic round brush to help add body in the drying process.
If your client has a sensitive scalp...
“I like to keep my kitbag compact, but when it comes to clients with a sensitive scalp, I like to use a gentle detangling brush that boasts a flexible base for added control, and can be used on both wet and dry hair,” says Andrew Barton.
If you’re looking for an all-rounder...
Meanwhile, if you’re looking to keep your kitbag compact like Andrew, he recommends The Blow Dryer Radial Brush from ghd, sharing: “The
bristles are strong and resistant to the barrage of use with heat and the barrel is securely connected to the handle, to prevent snapping after regular use.”
Lead image: Darrell Starkey
