Hair Brush Types Explained: Find Your Perfect Match

There is no such thing as a general hairbrush, which means that you can’t use one hair brush for every single hairstyle you wear. You may never have considered it, but there are different hairbrushes for various purposes and hair textures.

The brush for detangling wet curly hair is different from the brush for smoothing straight fine hair. The best hairbrush for wigs or your natural hair depends on the hair texture and style.

Choosing the best hairbrush as a novice is confusing. Don’t worry, we will show you a list of hair brushes (with pictures) and their uses to help discover the best ones for your natural hair and wigs.

14 Different Types of Hair Brushes and Their Uses

Before choosing the best hair brush for your natural hair and wigs, you will need to determine your natural hair texture and hairstyle references. From bristle to pastel brushes, boar to round brushes, every hairbrush serves a specific purpose.

Let’s look at 14 different types of hair brushes and their uses:

1. Detangling Brush

A detangling brush, as the name implies, is used to gently help loosen knots, matting, and scrunched-up hair, and define curls. This detangling hair brush is used for both natural hair and wigs. That is because both natural hair and wigs are prone to tangling (especially when you do not follow care tips like weaving your hair away at night, wearing a satin bonnet, etc)

The detangling brush can be used on both wet and dry hair. This detangling brush helps to loosen knots and matting on tight kinky hair (especially when wet).

To properly detangle your hair using this brush, gently brush your hair from tip to root, supporting it with your fingers and palms.

2. Round Brush

You have noticed hair stylists use a round brush?

If you like heat styling (blow drying, heat press, blowout hairstyle, etc.), having a round brush is almost compulsory. Round brushes help to distribute heat across different sections of the hair while giving it a beautiful-looking volume.

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The interesting thing about a round brush is its 3-in-1 effect. Here’s what we mean: the round brush helps with loosening knots, straightening hair strands, and defining curl patterns while improving bounce and volume.

Round brushes usually have barrels where the brushes are attached. The barrels could be metallic or ionic. These barrels help with even heat distribution as you blow-dry your hair. And there are different sizes of round brushes that result in different-sized curls.

Round brushes are used for both natural hair and hair extensions (wigs).

3. Boar Bristle Brush

Boar brushes are usually referred to as natural massage brushes. That is because of the soft brushes, which are gentle on the scalp and encourage blood flow and even distribution of natural oils to different parts of the scalp.

Another great thing about the boar brush, aside from that it is made from boar, is its smoothness. The smoothness of the brushes works great for thin/fine hair. That is because it gently loosens knots without pulling or tugging at hair strands.

A gentle brush from root to bottom smoothens the hair without snagging at the roots.

4. Paddle Brush

The paddle brush is most people’s favorite. That is mainly because of its versatility; it features a wide, rectangular-shaped surface with a variety of bristles. The bristles are mostly plastic with a round, smooth, coated tip to prevent snagging while brushing.

The paddle brush is fairly common because almost anyone with hair can use it (natural hair, hair extensions, wigs, etc). The strong bristles are made to withstand the weight and textures of almost any hair (even curly and synthetic hair).

Kinky curls girlies can smooth their tight curls with the paddle brush without applying too much pressure.

5. Teasing Brush

You may not have heard about the teasing brush or owned one, but this brush is a must-have for defining your hairstyle. The teasing brush features tightly packed bristles on one small (rectangular) surface.

• The goal is to smooth the hair and not necessarily brush down large chunks of hair. Think of the teasing brush and think of taming stray hairs and flyaways.
• The teasing brush is another great brush option for hairstyling. Imagine aligning all the hair strands in a specific direction on a ponytail or defining the curve on a face-framing side-swept part.
• The teasing brush can also be used to add volume to thin/fine hair.

6. Cushion Brush

The cushion brush features an oval-shaped base, a pillow-like surface that cushions the hair, and plastic bristles scattered around to smooth hair strands without snagging, tugging, and pulling.

The scattered arrangement of the bristles allows for flexible movement in different directions. That means the brush can easily smooth hair strands without pulling out knotted areas or causing any damage.

The arrangement of the bristles and the cushion effect help to smooth hair strands while taming flyaways and stray hairs. Leaving the hair (especially textured) smooth and frizz-free.

7. Smoothing Brush

Smoothing brushes, just as the name implies, are made for smoothing the hair. This brush is a must-have hairstyling tool for sleeking down hair strands and defining patterns.

The smoothening brush features bristles arranged on an oval surface, which get denser at the tips. The bristles at the tips are more tightly packed and soft to give a smoothing effect on the hair.

Can you imagine styling a high pony without a smoothing brush? It just makes things easier, plus it is great for defining hair texture. It highlights the waves/curl patterns.

People who love to wear low-cut also use the smoothing brush to define the waves on their hair.

8. Loop Brush

If you love to rock hair extensions and wigs, then you should add the loop brush to your collection of brushes. Here’s why:

The loop brush is designed for hair extensions (wigs, tape-in, clip-ins, etc.). The design of the bristles allows you to achieve smooth hair without the risk of damage.

The loops are created to allow hair strands to glide through for a smoother finish without snagging or pulling at anything (Especially for hair extensions). If you are looking for a hair brush that won’t destroy or reduce the lifespan of your hair extensions, get a loop brush.

This is one of the most hair-extension-friendly brushes. The design is perfect for your wigs, tape-ins, clip-ins, and even weaves.

9. Edges Brush

No brush helps to tame hair around the edges or define face-framing baby hairs more than the edge brush. This two-sided brush features tightly packed bristles on one side (usually on a single row), a cute little comb on the other side, and a flat defining surface at the tip (think of a blunt blade).

The edge brush is useful for almost any hairstyle, even braids. The tiny comb, the defining brush, and the blade help to give a sleek, polished look. Use a defining gel or edge control for better results.

10. Vented Brush

Vented brushes are one of the most common brushes you can find at your local supplier. Have you ever wondered why it is vented?

It is vented to allow for free air passage into the hair strands and scalp. The vented brush features bristles arranged across horizontal lines. Each line of bristles is divided by a vented area that runs to the end.

The vented brush is great for quickening the process of air drying your hair (whether hot or cold air). The vent allows for easy air passages while hair drying for smoother hair and a quicker drying process.

11. Curved Brush

The curved brush, as the name implies, features bristles that are arranged on a curved surface. The goal of the curve is to mimic the head’s natural curve. The curved bristles allow the brush to catch almost every hair strand, which results in overall smooth and beautiful-looking hair.

The curved brush is especially great for styling ease.

12. Soft Bristle Brush

Soft bristle brushes are just like the boar brushes. The major difference is in its extra soft bristles for an even smoother look. This brush is great for taming stray hairs and styling in general.

13. Wide Tooth Comb

Wide-tooth combs feature wide spaces between teeth and work best with curly hair, you can detangle your curly hair without any damage. Likewise, if you use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your curly wig, it won't cause shedding or tangles, just remember to detangle the wig gently, from the end to the root.

14. Rat Tail Comb

A rat tail comb is a necessary hairstyling tool, whether you use it to part your hair, section your hair for coloring, or slay your baby hair. A rattail comb is always a girl's first choice. If you are a girl who loves wearing lace front wigs, a rat tail comb is also your good friend to help you tame and blend the lace.

What Type of Brush Should I Use for My Natural Hair and Wigs?

For Natural Hair

The type of brush to use on your natural hair largely depends on hair texture and density. For people with fine hair, the boar brush, soft bristle brush, or curved brush works great.

You want to choose brushes with soft bristles that can capture most of your hair strands without pulling at them. Also, the length of your hair plays a role. The longer the hair, the more brushes you may require. You can combine the paddle brush for the tip and the boar brush for the roots and body of your hair.

For thicker hair strands, a detangling brush or paddle brush will work great for your hair.

For Wigs

When it comes to choosing the right hair brush for your hair extensions and wigs, consider choosing one that is extension-friendly, like the loop brush. Check the following before you buy brushes for your wig:

For tight curls like curly wig, deep wave wig, water wave wig: detangle brush(detangle and define curls).

For bouncy and wavy wig: Wide tooth comb & paddle brush.

For short straight wig: Bristle brush, rat-tail comb(to tame flyaways), detangle brush.

For long straight wig: Paddle Brush, detangle brush.

That’s It?

There’s usually no one-size-fits-all when choosing a hairbrush. Your hair texture, type (natural hair or extensions), and styling needs determine the kind of hair brush you need to get.

What hairbrush are you getting next?