Brushing curly hair is an art form; there are different methods, techniques, hot tools, and styling products required to make our curls look their best. Most importantly, use a brush that is specifically made for this hair type. “Using a specialised brush meant for curly hair types helps reduce breakage and frizz, defines curls, and improves overall hair health,” explains Kee Taylor, a curly hair stylist and educator based in Philadelphia. Amanda DiChiara, a New Jersey-based hair stylist and hair loss expert, says, “It’s important to brush curly hair because it stimulates hair growth at the scalp while also eliminating shedding.”
However, each curl pattern, hair type, and styling choice requires a different hair brush, making it difficult to select the best one for your specific needs. To help you choose the best brushes for curly hair, we examined 25 popular options. We examined each brush’s performance on a variety of curl patterns and textures, as well as detangling ability, handle grip, comfort, and shedding. Read on to find out which brushes will make your curly hair shine.
Why We Love It: This Briogeo brush slid through our lengthy curly strands more smoothly than any other brush we tried. To our astonishment, it took less than five minutes to thoroughly disentangle our hair, with no pulling or snagging. The nylon material simulates the feel and effects of boar bristles while remaining vegan, cruelty-free, and extremely mild. The bristles were gentle but robust enough to easily slide through heavy knots. Our knots were undone in a single pass, reducing the length of our wash day process while leaving our curls smooth and defined. With each subsequent pass, we noticed our coils clumping in groups, resulting in a wonderful volumised effect that accentuated our natural curl pattern. Furthermore, we observed less overall shedding with this brush than with others we’d used in the past. And, although being heavier than others we tested, the brush felt very comfortable to use.
Who It’s For: Those looking for a sustainable alternative to boar hair will appreciate the brush’s nylon bristles, which nicely mirror the material’s mild detangling properties. The silicone handle also never slipped from our hands, making it ideal for shower use.
It’s worth noting that if you prefer your curls to be very distinct and defined, this brush may not be for you.
Mariah, tester with 3B curls, said, “This brush is very nice, easy to use, and combed through my hair with no problem.”
Why We Love It: We’ve been looking for a detangling brush that won’t snag or rip our hair for years. It took a lot of trial and error, but we eventually discovered one that made the tedious work fun. With its two-tier bristle design, Tangle Teezer’s Ultimate Detangler glided through our thick hair with ease and comfort, leaving it smooth and frizz-free. Offered in three sizes (small, standard, and big), we believe the large is the most effective while being portable for daily usage. The design felt light and comfortable in our hands, and it conformed to the shape of our curls as we brushed along. Our curl pattern remained intact with no added frizz—a huge success. The company also manufactures a blowout brush that can be used with a hair dryer to style hair.
Who It’s For: This brush’s flexible shape allows it to be used effectively on damp strands. It dispersed conditioner evenly and detangled even the thickest curls in one or two passes.
It is worth noting that, while this brush may be used on both wet and dry hair, it performs better on damp hair.
Rosie, a tester with 3A curls, said, “This brush was amazing! After one or two swipes, my hair was completely detangled and easy to work through.”
Why We Love It: At first look, almost $200 seemed like an exorbitant amount to spend on a hairbrush, but one run of the exquisite tool over our 3B hair convinced us that it was worth the hefty price. We loved how the lightweight, ergonomic handle felt in our hands before we even ran it through our hair—it set us up for one of the most enjoyable detangling experiences of our lives. The combination of boar hair and nylon bristles felt refreshing on our scalp, and as we worked our way down, it flowed smoothly through our hair.
Who It’s For: This brush removes knots without snagging or ripping, making it ideal for folks who get tangled easily. The brush quickly and gently smoothed out our hair without altering its curl pattern, leaving it soft and free of harm.
Worth Noting: We were dismayed to see that the handle was made of plastic, but given the bristles’ exceptional quality, we can ignore the less-than-luxe base.
Mariah, a tester with 3B curls, said, “I absolutely loved this brush; it is perfect for my hair type and glides so smoothly through it.” You can feel it gently flowing through my hair, and it did not pull or harm it at all.”
