Brush Up On Hairbrush Basics

Hairbrushes are like candy for little girls. Bright colors and fun sparkles get them noticed, taken of store shelves and placed into hair care routines. This method works great until you look around and see an aisle stocked with hairbrushes and combs of all shapes and sizes. Not all of them come in fun colors, but they all serve a unique purpose for styling your hair. Understanding what these different tools do for your hair will give you more control over your style and protect you from unnecessary breakage.

Hairbrushes matter

Hairbrushes are great tools to maintain gorgeous hair. Brushes work natural oils through your hair for an overall healthy shine. The motion massages your scalp, which is super relaxing and stimulates blood flow. Extra blood circulation promotes hair health from its roots. Be gentle when working through snarls and tangles. Aggressive brushing can damage your roots and cause hair to fall out. Using the right hairbrush for your hair will also help prevent damage.

Paddle brushes

A typical brush has a larger surface area and long bristles to work through snarly hair. Paddle brushes will feature different kinds of bristles, which will affect your hair differently. Stiff, synthetic bristles make it easier to work through knots in thick hair. Natural bristles are flexible and soft. If you have fine hair these bristles will give you smooth hair with a healthy shine. Brushes specifically for wet hair have extra stiff bristles to detangle wet hair without causing damage.

Round brushes

Round brushes are great for getting curls and extra volume. They come in many sizes to give you greater styling control. Smaller round brushes mean smaller curls. Larger round brushes will add big curls to your style. Ceramic round brushes work with the heat from your blow drier to curl hair without a curling iron or wand. Wooden round brushes with softer bristles require more technique, but will give you desirable curls.

For blowout curls, start in the middle of your hair and turn the brush through the ends, following with your blow drier. Use the cool air setting on your blow drier once you finish a section. This will help curls hold their shape and reduce frizz. Change angles as you move through sections of your hair for a more natural look. Stylists suggest waiting until your hair is mostly dry to get the best results.

Vent brushes

Vent brushes are also made to work with blow driers. They’re designed with gaps in between the rows of bristles. These spaces allow for air to flow through them and dry hair faster. Less time spent drying your hair means more time to enjoy your morning coffee. It also limits your hair’s exposure to heat, which can reduce damage. Vented hairbrushes are a great tool, but they’re not very helpful when it comes to styling.

Combs are important too

Brushes have many uses when it comes to hair care, but they’re not always the best hairstyle tools. Combs are better at working through tangles and snarls. Before you brush and style your hair, comb through it to detangle the knots. Start toward the ends of your hair and work toward the roots to avoid ripping through knots.