Whether you’re hair’s cut in a fade, you still sport a man bun, or you have a have longer manly mane, one thing is the same: your hair requires looking after. One of the best ways to help your hair stay healthy is by brushing it. Grandma’s 100-brushstrokes-a-day schedule was no old wives’ tale. It makes your hair shiny and more voluminous, distributes the scalp’s natural oils, massages the scalp and helps exfoliate, stimulates blood flow to the scalp and encourages the scalp to release more sebum to keep it moisturised. We don’t expect you to sit in front of the mirror and clock each and every stroke but we can tell you about the different styles of hairbrushes.
From bristles and body shape to handles and cushion, there are a few things to consider about that device you drag through your hair every day.
Bristle Types
The bristles on a hairbrush can be made of a few different materials, namely boar, nylon and natural. Boar hair is considered the best for a brush because of its strength and the control it has while passing through the hair; nylon offers a gentler brushing experience.
Boar bristles come from sturdy stock, like the wild animal itself – their benefit being the hairs are very effective in removing dirt, debris and product from the hair. They feel good on the scalp and evenly distribute the scalp’s natural oils throughout the hair, which promotes moisture and shine. Some brushes come with a mix of boar and nylon bristles.
Nylon bristles are good for easily brushing hair that’s thin, fragile or fine. The brushes tend to be more flexible and therefore won’t pull the hair or tug at tangles.
Brush Types
Classic styling brush
Like the classic Denham Kent brushes, these contain nylon bristles and come in various row sizes: 5-Row for styling short to medium length hair and bangs, 7-Row for styling medium to long hair, and 9-Row for long hair.
Military
Military hairbrushes are basically round or oval hairbrushes without a handle (similar to a currycomb used for brushing animal hair). Ideal for short styles with cushioned bristles to improve scalp stimulation.
Oval Cushion
Has cushioned bristles on a rubber or synthetic pad. The amount of give the brush has depends on the size, shape and thickness of the cushion. A brush with more give will be more flexible and gentler. Thick, course or curly haired fellows should opt for a brush with less give; those with fine, thin or fragile hair should go with more cushion.
Paddle
A flat, wide brush with lots of surface area – good for smoothing and straightening hair. Good for massaging the scalp also.
Round
Used along with a hairdryer, ideal if you want to poof up your hipster fade cut.
