Asian woman brushing her hair and looking in the mirror

Hair Brush 101: Are You Using the Right Brush for Your Hair Type?

Choosing the right hair brush isn't something you should brush off. Know the different types of hair brushes and their functions in this simple guide.

A hair brush is used to detangle, smoothen, and keep your hair neat and well-groomed. It’s a mainstay in any beauty arsenal. But did you know that there are different types of hair brushes? While almost all brushes can detangle your hair, there are specific brushes for every hair need and, most importantly, for different hair types.

Are you using the right hair brush for you? Find out in this simple guide.

Hair Brush 101: The Different Types of Brushes

1. The Detangling Brush

Photo of a peach detangling brush on a white background
Say goodbye to tangles and knots with a detangling brush! Credit: Shutterstock

As its name suggests, this brush is designed to help get rid of knots and tangles in your hair. It has flexible bristles to help reduce the tugging and pulling as you brush your hair, which helps minimize hair damage. You can use this on dry and wet hair.

Perfect for: Any hair type

Bottle of TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Serum

Editor’s tip: Brush your hair easily by applying TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Anti-Frizz Shine Serum. It has keratin and marula oil, giving your hair five benefits in one amazing system. This hair serum detangles knots, calms frizz, makes your hair soft, adds shine, and tames flyaways. It leaves your hair silky, smooth, and full of movement. 

2. The Wet Brush

Hair brush: An image of a wet brush in hot pink color with black bristles and pink tips
The wet brush is designed as your after-shower brush. Credit: Shutterstock

This hair brush will be handy for you right after a shower. With its cushion and soft bristles, it will loosen your tangles with gentle care. Just brush the ends of your wet hair first before working your way up.

Perfect for: Any hair type

Bottle of Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Hair Fall Defiance Ultra Conditioner

Editor’s tip: Worried about hair fall and breakage? Use Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Hair Fall Defiance Ultra Conditioner. It has revolutionary fiber actives that penetrate up to a cellular level to make hair stronger and prevent breakage. It also gives your hair the benefits of three keratin products in one: keratin relaxers to tame frizz, keratin serum to revive hair from intense damage, and keratin essence that helps in strengthening your hair. 

3. The Cushion Brush

Hair brush: A wooden cushion brush with white bristles and black tips
The cushion brush is soft on your scalp and gentle on your strands. Credit: Shutterstock

Just like the wet brush, the cushion brush is designed for detangling your locks while they’re wet. You can even remove rows to suit your needs.

Perfect for: Curly hair types

4. The Paddle Brush

Hair brush: A wooden paddle brush with black bristles
This big hair brush does a lot of combing in one stroke, thanks to its big size. Credit: Shutterstock

With its wide bristles and coverage, you’d be paddling through your tangles and smoothening them! The paddle brush will also help tame your frizz without causing any breakage.

Perfect for: Fine hair

5. The Round Brush

Hair brush: The round brush in three different sizes, each in a bronze and brown color combinatiton
From small to large curls, there’s a round brush for you. Credit: Shutterstock

If you love blowout hairstyles, this hair brush is your best friend. This will help you achieve your desired volume and curls in sizes you want.

Perfect for: Medium to thick wavy hair types

6. The Mixed Bristle Brush

A wooden hair brush with mixed bristles of nylon and boar in brown, black, and white combination
A mixed bristles brush has the right balance of toughness and softness on your hair. Credit: Shutterstock

Because of the boar bristles tossed in, this hair brush’s detangling magic gets topped up with the trick of distributing your hair’s natural oils even to the ends. Shiny hair dreams do come true!

Perfect for: Fine, straight, and oily hair types

7. The Vented Brush

A blue and black hair brush with vents on its head and blue-tipped bristles
Like windows, the vents of this hair brush gives the air and heat an open access to your hair. Credit: Shutterstock

Always on the go? The vents on this hair brush will help speed up your hair’s drying time. This is also perfect for girls who constantly style their hair with heating tools as the heat gets better access to your hair, decreasing its exposure and potential damage.

Perfect for: Medium to thick straight hair types

8. The Teasing Brush

Teasing brush with wooden body on a white background
Minimize the hair breakage when backcombing by using a teasing brush. Credit: Shutterstock

While you can use a tail comb or a fine-tooth comb to tease your hair, the teasing brush allows you to do so more gently. This is because teasing brushes have boar bristles, which gentler on your hair and doesn’t generate much tugging and pulling. This allows you to backcomb your hair with less risk of getting damaged hair.

Perfect for: Adding volume to straight and wavy hair

Tube of Dove Keratin Repair Conditioner

Editor’s tip: If your hair is damaged because of frequent backcombing, switch to Dove Keratin Repair 1 Minute Serum Conditioner. It has keratin-infused serum capsules that go deep into your hair to repair it from within. It nourishes your hair and leaves it more healthy-looking. 

9. The Wide Tooth Comb

Hair brush: A slim black comb with wide teeth
The wide tooth comb is as great as your finger-comb in styling your hair. Credit: Shutterstock

From drying your hair to managing your thick mane, the wide tooth comb will do great wonders for you. Unlike other brushes with bristles that gives stress on your hair, this type of hair brush gently combs through your hair without separating your strands too much.

Perfect for: Thick hair

10. The Straightening Brush

Flatlay of a straightening brush, clips, and a succulent
If you have thick hair, you can clip some sections first while straightening the rest of your hair. Credit: Shutterstock

Smoothen and straighten your hair by using a straightening brush. Some straightening brushes have different heat settings that you can work with depending on your hair’s thickness, while some only have one. If you often straighten your hair, this brush can help you save time compared to using a flat iron. Just remember to use it on dry hair, as your hair is weak when wet, and letting it come in contact with heat can cause damage.

Perfect for: Frizzy and unruly hair

Photo of Dove Amino Restore 1 Minute Serum Conditioner

Editor’s tip: Reduce frizz by washing your hair with Dove Amino Restore 1 Minute Serum Conditioner. It has amino-infused serum capsules that go deep within your hair to nourish it from within. It leaves your hair silky smooth in just one minute. 

Styling your hair doesn’t only need the right look and products. You should also have the right tools, like a hair brush that’s exactly perfect for you. Now, go check your dresser if you have the hair brush that you need.