This weekend, I cleaned out the drawers in my bathroom. A little New Year’s mucking out was in order. And while I was cleaning out, I disposed of several extra hair brushes that I didn’t need. These are the survivors.
1. Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush ($20). This is the perfect all-purpose brush. It detangles wet hair with ease. If you want a smooth and easy blowout, this brush can give it to you (video tutorial). You can also use it to tease your hair. If you want one brush to rule them all, this is it.
2. Cricket Amped Up Tease Brush ($5). If you want to learn how to tease your hair, skip the comb. A narrow brush with stiff bristles is more effective. Need a tutorial? Check out The Small Things Blog for a video.
3. Spornette Prego 3″ Ceramic Round Brush ($17). The Spornette Prego brushes are my favorite round brush for a smooth blowout. The ceramic barrel helps give you those perfectly curled ends with little effort. The brush comes in several sizes, but the 2.5″ and 3″ sizes work well on most hair types.
4. CHI Medium Ceramic Boar Brush ($14). When I wear my hair up, especially inclement weather days, I want my bangs to get extra attention. A boar bristle brush gives you extra fullness and movement. It keeps my bangs looking light instead of heavy.
5. Philip B. Hairbrush Cleaner ($15). After a few weeks, my pristine hair brushes are coated with product buildup and loose hair. It’s not pretty. To clean out the gunk and hair and that clogs up your brushes, this is the tool. Though, I would recommend doing your cleaning over a trash can, since it can get a bit messy.
6. Swissco Tortoise Comb ($9). Twice-a-month, I like to treat my hair with Ojon Restorative Treatment. Like with most conditioners, for best results, it needs to be combed through thoroughly. This wide-tooth comb from Swissco is the perfect tool for applying conditioner to your hair.
So what are your favorite brushes?
Thank you for this helpful post. Do you have any advice for minimizing heat damage for brushes? My hair dryer is so hot that I find my brushes get burned and then misshaped quickly.
If that is happening to your brushes, you’re hair is much more gentle, and your blowdryer is getting wayyy too hot. If I were you, I would adjust the heat setting on my blowdryer. It may take a couple more minutes to dry your hair, but it will save the heat damage in the end. If your brush is still having the problem afterwards, I would consider using a brush with a wooden body or a round brush. I hope this helps. PS, make sure to condition your hair every other week or so, so you can defer the damage as much as possible!
The Wet Brush (https://www.ts2products.com/wetbrush-store/squirts_wb.html) is so gentle on my fine tangle-prone hair. I love the travel size because it fits in my purse!
The only thing I own is a cheap wide-tooth comb for detangling in the shower. Brushing makes my hair too puffy.
i love my tangle teezer
The Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush is amazing. I would like to know though, how to clean it? My dry shampoo ends up leaving a residue. Can I use gentle soap and water?
Old toothbrush.
Perfect timing! I was just looking at my brushes last night thinking I needed to get ride of some and get some new ones!
Thank you!
I looked at no 5 and thought “Oh my god! How do you use that brush?!?”. Then I read the text and realized what it’s for. I actually need one of those, but never knew they existed. Until now. 🙂
Thanks to a December 2012 post you did on gift ideas (ttp://www.caphillstyle.com/capitol/2012/12/05/gift-guide-glamorous-beauty-gifts-html.html), I’ve been eyeing the Mason Pearson hairbrush but have been entirely unwilling to fork over so much money for a brush. My hair is so thin, it doesn’t tangle, so the “detangling” properties aren’t necessarily needed. Nor it looking all “vintagey” or being an heirloom piece. What I thought I might like about it are its claims to “smoothly distribute the oils throughout your hair from you scalp leaving hair soft and shiny” blah blah. Unlike the toothbrush for your face – the Clarisonic, which you have actually tried and recommend hands down, I wish I knew whether this Rolex of brushes was reaalllly worth the price (despite all the reviews saying it is).
I was coveting a Mason Pearson brush for ages and finally, after telling my mother for every occasion for a few years that was all I wanted (she thought it was too much for a brush), she broke down and got it for me for my birthday this past year. Wow, was I impressed! It is totally worth it for something you use every day. My hair is healthier and shiner than ever and it has never been easier to brush out after the shower!
If it helps, I’ve had my Mason Pearson for nearly 20 years(!).
I have really fine hair too, and it smoothes it out without breakage. I’ve gotten to the point where I won’t use any other brush on my hair. I even bring it to salon appointments because I can’t stand the pulling of other hair brushes.
If you look at the length of time you’ll have it, I think it’s an investment.
My mom got me a Mason Pearson for Christmas 7 years ago – still going strong, so I think worth the price in terms of cost-per-use. I generally don’t use products in my hair, so it has stayed fairly residue-free and would not use this with a hot blow dryer.
[…] on TOP of things and waste no time. Just one week into the new year and you’ll find that CapitolHill blogger went through her bathroom to clean out the junk and keep what’s really necessary. We love […]
It’s Bonnie Sporn from Spornette. Thanks so much for allowing our Prego ceramic rounder to make the cut!! I just blogged about it and put it on our Facebook page. Might I send you our Little Wonder teasing brush for a try? Thanks again!
I rarely buy new beauty products, it’s just a ton of trouble and half the time I’m disappointed, so I stick with what’s worked for me for years (let’s face it decades). But I love volume (and can’t get it outside of a salon since my idea of a blowout involves turning my head upside down and holding a blow dryer near by until it’s more of less no longer wet. that cricket brush is pretty much the best 5 bucks I’ve spend in ages. I can get up-dos with serious lift. Great rec!