11 best brushes for curly hair to detangle and define curls, according to our curly hair expert

The Bounce Curl Define EdgeLift Brush is a viral product that has sold out globally, thanks to its 5-in-1 features designed to smooth, separate and define curls. This styling brush for curly hair was tested and reviewed by Akhila Thomas, digital writer for Yours.co.uk and she said, “This is hands-down the best brush for curly hair that I have tried when it comes to styling and definition. The flexible bristles and the side edge design is perfect for separating and defining curl clumps and when styled the right way, this brush helps you achieve voluminous, smooth and well-defined curls that last until your next hair wash day.”

The brush also comes with a top edge design which is perfect for styling shorter lengths as well as bangs or fringes. The boar bristles make it easy to glide through your hair and the flexibility adds to free movement. “The brush works as a good detangling tool as well due to its wide bristles and the handle is quite strong with a convenient shape for enhanced grip while styling and combing in different directions,” she adds. The pointed tip of the brush can also be used to precisely part hair and help with coiling your hair around the handle to hold and define clumps. 

“I have found that you can use this brush in a number of ways to style your hair as desired and the bristles are placed far apart enough to help you achieve thicker clumps that dry into more defined curls,” she says. While it comes at a higher cost that most similar products, the sturdiness of the material and how effectively it creates frizz-free, smooth and defined curls in a single sweep would make it a long-lasting investment to style your hair.

The Tangle Teezer is a curly hairbrush designed for detangling 3C to 4C curls and coils while also adding definition and promoting healthy hair growth. This brush was tested and reviewed by Sophia Nabulsi, a 31-year-old woman who works full-time and she said it helps provide a smooth, pain-free experience for textured hair when it comes to detangling. “As someone with naturally curly hair, I’ve tried many products to make detangling easier, so I was excited to see how this would compare—especially with its promise to reduce breakage and frizz,” she says. 

The two-tiered teeth are built to glide through knots with less breakage, minimising frizz and defining curl pattern and the bristles are gentle to help stimulate circulation and hair growth, while minimising scalp irritation. 

“My curls are prone to tangles, especially after washing, and need a lot of TLC. Over the years, I’ve tried several brushes, including ones from Denman, which worked fairly well. With the Tangle Teezer, I hoped for a quicker, smoother, and less painful process.”

She tested the brush over four weeks, focusing on ease of detangling, hair breakage, hair fallout in the brush, comfort and control, especially from the handle. She feels the brush lived up to its claims. “The flexible, well-spaced teeth glide through thick curls without tugging and the handle provides good grip and control. It works excellently when used on damp hair and it cut my detangling time down while also distributing conditioner evenly when used in the shower,” she says.

“I didn’t experience noticeable breakage, which has been a problem for me with other tools in the past. Cleaning the brush was simple—I only needed to do it once a week. It’s
compact, travel-friendly, and doesn't take up much storage space, which is great for a busy lifestyle,” she added.

The SHINLEA Detangle Hair Brush is a budget brush for curly hair that is effective, lightweight and comfortable to use.  The spiral ergonomic design allows a soothing brushing experience without causing any damage or split ends. The soft ball-headed nylon needles easily pass through long and thick hair, making it a great tool for scalp massages.

Reviewers have shared that it helps detangle hair very easily without any pain or breakage. “I find it very flexible, has good grip and goes smoothly through your hair. I have long, thick, curly hair and it goes from the roots to the ends in one motion which is impressive,” one reviewer said. However, the brush might not be suitable if you have thin or fragile hair, according to reviewers online. But if you are looking for a sturdy and affordable brush that helps massage and stimulate your scalp, while also removing dead skin cells and increasing blood circulation to promote scalp health and hair growth, this is the product to go for.

This Curl Defining Brush from Amazon is a brilliant find that helps to shape and define curls. This brush was tested and reviewed by Jackie Cairns, who is in her early 60s. As a mum to 2 adult children, and a grandparent to 4, she works full time and has an active lifestyle where she walks every, does yoga and Zumba classes weekly. So she was on the lookout for a tool that made handing her naturally curly mid-length hair that is prone to frizz a little easier. 

“The feel of the brush both to hold and while brushing through my hair is
comfortable. The bristles are smooth, and it easily removes knots and feels like
my scalp is getting a massage,” she said. The premium boar bristles are strategically placed for easy movement to help with detangling, dividing hair into clumps and defining curls. The handle design is sturdy and helps to improve grip. The pointed tip helps to section hair with precision and handle thick curly hair. 

It is a more affordable version of the original Bounce Curl brush, featuring mostly similar characteristics – with the only differences being the superior make of the bristles and better sturdiness of the Bounce Curl one. The tester found that the edge of the brush has grooves which helps to define and that it is easy to get the loose hair out of the brush. She found that it works best on wet hair. “My hair once dried did seem a little more defined than if I just used styling products and a pick,” she added.

Denman Curly Hairbrush D3 is a product designed a range of hair types – from 2C waves to 4C curls to detangle, separate, shape and define curls. This hairbrush was tested and reviewed by Michelle Williamson who said, “I am a 40-year-old woman with lots of experience managing my 3B/C hair that I always brush and style when wet to obtain the best results. I usually use a boar bristle curl-defining styling brush, and my initial thoughts were that this Denman seemed to have very close bristles, and I was interested to see how my hair would clump to achieve a nice, defined curl.”

“Since having my two children and a worsening thyroid issue, I have struggled with thinning and lack of body. So, I have been hoping for some increased volume and definition with this brush,” she said,
The brush comes with 7 rows of sculpted round-ended nylon pins that run smoothly through your strands without creating much friction for easy movement. The staggered pin pattern and the 'teardrop' shaped handle provides maximum grip, comfort and balance to make styling and combing easy to give you.

Our reviewer agrees and says, “The length of the bristles was good, and it felt nice on the scalp, making it easier to define curls from the root and it does make detangling and combing easy.”
However, she didn’t feel that the brush's style lent itself to defining curls as well as
other options. “I wasn’t very happy with the way my curls clumped. They were too thin and by the end of the day, were frizzier than I would like,” she added. 

But overall, it offers good value for money, is easy to hold and glide through hair, has a nice bristle length and great for a scalp massage with the rounded bristles.

The Love Cocobo Detangling Paddle Hairbrush is made with bamboo and natural rubber making it 100% biodegradable, recyclable, vegan friendly and cruelty free. It is an eco-friendly product with easy grip, spaced out bristles and a soft touch paddle that makes detangling easy without pain or breakage. You can use it on wet and dry hair and is suitable for a range of hair types including thick, thin, curly, wavy or straight hair.

Reviewers have shared that it helps to comb the hair without flattening curls, causing any frizz or excessive pulling. A minor thing noticed by one of the reviewers was that the handle can feel a bit too big if you’ve got smaller hands. But overall, this hair brush with soft wooden bristles and a flexible rubber cushion will make for a sturdy tool to manage thick curls and also give yourself a gentle massage to stimulate hair follicles and increase blood flow circulation to promote good scalp health.

The Tangle Teezer Wide Tooth Comb is perfect if you are looking for a 2-in-1 tool that can handle thicker knots and also comb through detangled curls. The dual sided comb can help maintain hair as textured as 3C-4C. “This comb has become a staple in my haircare routine as it is sturdy and gentle on the hair while detangling, ensuring a pain-free experience,” one reviewer shares.

However, some of the reviewers have mentioned that it takes some time to figure out how to use the wide toothed side without the other side getting tangled in your hair. It is also recommended to keep the brush away from heat. The handle is easy and comfortable to hold according to the users and it also leaves natural curls defined. As a comb that is effective on wet, damp or dry hair, it can be used to spread products evenly through the hair as well.

The Bouclème Detangling Wet Brush is a biodegradable, detangling wet brush that can be used in the shower to get knots out of your hair as well as to comb products like conditioners, hair masks and styling products evenly through the length of your hair. “It helps to get through frizzy, knotted hair quickly without tugging and it is quite easy to clean as well,” one reviewer mentioned. “I have thick hair that reached my hip and it is great to give your scalp a massage and even remove build-up as well,” another user added. 

It was voted ‘BEST HAIRBRUSH’ in the Stylist Best Beauty Awards 2024 and some of the features that earned this title are – a flexible head for ease of movement and painless detangling without pulling, biodegradable build with plant starch and compatibility with a range of curls and textures. Overall if you are looking for a brush that will last and work in the shower, this is the one to go for.

The ghd The All-Rounder Paddle Hair Brush is designed for detangling, smoothing and blow-drying with ease. The key features include a broad flat base, making it ideal for styling large sections of hair. The soft-touch, non-slip finish on the handle offers good grip and ease of movement, especially mid to long hair types. “I have thick hair and I feel this brush makes detangling easy and it is not a hassle to clean afterwards too,” one reviewer says. The bristles being sturdy and set with considerable space between makes it easy for hair to glide through, making it a good option if you are looking for a brush suitable for curly hair that is fine or thick to use while blow-drying or heat styling.

The Denman D81M Medium Finishing Brush with Mixed Bristle is the perfect brush for curly hair if you are struggling with frizz and lacklustre hair. Reviewers have shared that the brush does not feel too spiky and therefore makes combing and detangling easy without any hair pulling, breakage or pain. The brush helps to detangle with the air-cushioned pad that is designed for ultimate comfort and the brush are made with a combination of natural and nylon bristles that minimize frizz and friction. This helps to smooth the hair cuticle and make your curls look smooth and polished.

If you have very long, thick curly hair that is a bit hard to manage at times, the Kent Mega-Phine Taming Brush - PF17 is the perfect brush to go for. It comes with a cushioned pad made with a beech wood handle and rubber inserts. This makes it a strong and sturdy tool to detangle, comb and style long, thick hair without slipping, breaking or getting tangled in the hair. “I've got long and thick, mixed hair and wanted a brush that was affordable but while also providing great quality. This brush has ticked those boxes for me,” one reviewer said. You can also use it on wet and dry hair.The large paddle makes sure it can accommodate large quantities of hair that is textured and thick. The air cushioned head also helps to massage the scalp and promote good scalp health and hair growth.