Brush Lesson: Are You Using The Right Brush For Your Hair?

Are you using the right brush for your hair?  We know we’ve all made the mistake of using whatever we have lying around.  If you want a certain look, you have to understand the categories of brushes in order to use them properly.

Let’s Talk about Brush Materials.

1) Boars Bristle, Synthetic Fibers, Bristles: These are all fibrous, non-metal brushes that are best on textured or damaged hair.  Because the bristles tug more at the cuticle, closing it down better than metal brushes, your result is shiny, smooth, lustrous hair.

2) Metal/Ceramic: These brushes are all made to conduct heat.  They work best on naturally smooth hair and add volume and curl to hair.  These will still add volume and curl when used on textured or damaged hair, but it will be left slightly frizzy; use a flat iron to combat this.

Now We’ll Get into Brush Shapes:

Round: Used to add volume, curl and buoyancy to hair.  Think Victoria Secret runway.

Flat Brushes/Paddle Brushes:  Used to smooth, dry, refine and straighten hair.  Using them to brush hair in multiple directions will also add volume.

 

Sizes of Brushes:

A good rule of thumb in selecting a brush is, the size will equal your curl. The smaller the brush, the tighter the curl and the bigger the brush, the straighter the hair. For fine hair a smaller brush is better, as the style will most likely fall to the desired look throughout the day.  Bigger round brushes are great for styles where you desire volume but no curl.

Now, It’s time to get styling!