The best hair brush for thick hair to help you keep your mane under control. The type of hair brush that you use has a lot to answer for when it comes to managing your hair, which is why you want to choose the best hair brush for the job. We know that many people desire to have thicker hair, but when you've already got a lot of hair, you know just how hard it can be to manage and style, even with the best hair brushes out there. If you don't keep on top of regular brushing, thick hair can get matted and tangled. But equally, more brushing can add to the frizziness and volume, so it can become unruly very easily.
Finding a brush to help you manage your thick hair can seem like such a struggle, which is why we're here to help. In general, we would suggest you look for brushes that have plenty of teeth and longer bristles so you can tackle knots with ease. Redken suggests that paddle brushes are a must-have for those with thicker, coarser hair as the sparser bristles help to penetrate the denser strands to remove tangles and add shine.
The best hair brush for thick hair at a glance:
• Top pick: Sosoon Boar Bristle Paddle Hairbrush - View offer on Amazon UK
• Best brush for damaged hair: Tangle Teezer Thick and Curly Detangling Hairbrush - View offer on Amazon UK
• Best brush for hair tools: Cantu Thick Boar Paddle Brush - View offer on Sephora
You'll find many paddle brushes for thick hair that have boar bristles. They're designed to move through the hair more easily compared to those with synthetic bristles. They'll aid with preventing hair breakage and split ends while minimising frizz. Plus, they'll help to keep your hair shiny and healthy by distributing the natural oils found in your hair. You'll just need to make sure you're keeping your hair brush clean so it's not adding dirt and bacteria back at the same time. We've got some great tips on how to clean your hair brush if you're not sure how to go about it.
To help you keep your thick hair in check, we've rounded up the best hair brush for thick hair so it looks soft, smooth and sleek for longer. Haven't got thick hair? We've got recommendations for the best hair brush for thin hair too.
Best hair brush for thick hair
Top pick
Using this boar bristle hair brush will help to prevent hair breakage and split ends as it easily detangles thick hair, so no need for pulling or ripping. Not only that, but it also helps to remove oil and dandruff to leave your hair looking healthy and shiny.
Customer review: "I use this hairbrush daily and am a big fan. I have thick long hair which is quite often awful to brush with knots -this brush helps a huge amount - yes I still have knots can’t help that but this brush does help in easing the knots out more gentler than other brushes. It’s nice to hold too. Value for money is great"
Pros
- Comes with a wide-tooth comb
- Carved and sanded wooden handle
- Flexible ball-ended nylon bristles
Cons
- Designed to be more effective on dry hair than wet
Best brush for damaged hair
You've probably guessed it from the name, but this Tangle Teezer is made for thick and curly hair. It's got two tiers of Firmflex teeth to gently detangle and glide through your luscious locks. Ergonomically designed to fit into the palm of your hand, it's the perfect size for chucking into your handbag if you need to brush your hair when out and about.
Customer review: "I have thick and wavy hair and usually tie it up unless I have time to straighten it. Brushing my hair can be a nightmare due to knots from having it tied up but this brush does make it easier and hurt less if my hair is not behaving. I would thoroughly recommend this brush if you have thick and wavy hair."
Pros
- Choice of colours
- Reduced breakage
- Adds shine and definition to curls
Cons
- Some may prefer a brush with a handle
Best brush for hair tools
www.sephora.co.uk
Manage your thick hair from root to tip with ease, thanks to the Cantu Thick Boar Paddle Brush. It's got longer, more rounded bristles compared to other brushes so it can reach further into your hair to detangle closer to your scalp.
Customer review: "This is a game changer of a hair brush for me! I love the two kinds of bristles. It smooths and detangles. I have really thick hair that tends to get staticky. This is a great brush!"
Pros
- Helps to smooth hair
- Longer bristles
- Perfect for blow drying
Cons
- Some people may not like the chunky love of this brush
Best for coarse hair
www.lookfantastic.com
Want some help styling your barnet when blow drying? You need this brush. It's designed with HeatFlex bristles that are long enough to reach the scalp through thicker and courser hair types and features a ceramic barrel that emits negative ions to tame frizz and flyaways.
Customer review: "Love love love this brush. It really smoothed the frizz in my coarse thick hair. It didn't tug or feel like my hair was catching in it. Great value for money and I'm very happy with it and the results it gave."
Pros
- Bristles made from natural boar hairs to effortlessly remove knots and tangles
- Infused with Vita-Boost to minimise breakage and protect against damage
- Bristles are aligned in a spiral for easier and smoother styling
Cons
- Designed more for styling from wet hair rather than brushing
Best for use on wet hair
www.boots.com
This Boots brush is designed with longer, denser bristles to make brushing thick hair seamless and painless. Best used on your wet hair to help with drying, the tufted bristles offer a greater grip while blow drying and create a smoother finish overall.
Customer review: "I bought this brush at Boots while visiting the UK from Canada. I am an absolute hair styling fanatic - my blow dryer and brush are almost like life support for me :-) This ceramic brush is the VERY BEST ever and believe me, I have bought 100's over many years. So SAD that I can't get this in Canada!!"
Pros
- Dense bristles
- Smooths hair
- Helps to create volume in the roots if needed
Cons
- One reviewer found it hard and uncomfortable to grip because of how long it is
Best for lost lasting shine
If you like to blow dry your hair straight, you need this brush. It's vented, allowing heat to be better distributed, reducing the time needed to fully dry your hair and leaving it looking sleek and shiny. The bristles have nylon pins at the ends to help get through thick and tangled hair, massaging the scalp without scratching or pulling.
Customer review: "I have very thick wavy - curly hair and I’m head sore. This is really comfortable to use and even when I have knots in it like dreds this brush can work through it. Better than tangle tease!"
Pros
- Promotes healthy hair by dispersing natural oils from the scalp to the rest of your hair
- Detangling hair without making it frizzy
- Vented to make blow drying easier
Cons
- One reviewer commented that their hair can get caught in the handle
Best for curly hair
Would you believe this Tangle Teezer has 325 teeth? They've got the same two-tiered design as the Thick and Curly Detangling Hairbrush we featured earlier on in our list, but they've got added flex to make it easier to get through wet hair. You can use it in the shower to brush through shampoo and conditioner when you're washing your hair or use it for effortless detangling afterwards.
Customer review: "Great hair brush. I have long, thick wavy hair which gets matted so easily, creating so much frizz and knots. This brush is gentle in the shower on wet hair with plenty of conditioner. I have used it on dry hair, it works well, my hair just frizzes too much when I dry brush it. I would definetly recommend to others, who like me have thick long hair and are looking for something gentle x"
Pros
- Designed for thick, curly and long hair
- Evenly distributes product through your thick hair
- Removes knots and reduces breakage
Cons
- Won't work as well on dry hair
Best for tackling frizz
www.ghdhair.com
For detangling, smoothing, taming and blow drying, you can't go wrong with the ghd Paddle Brush. It won't generate static while you're brushing out those knots so you can create all the smooth, sleek styles you desire.
Our review: "I've been using the ghd Paddle Brush for taming my mane for years now and I don't think I could go back. My hair is SUPER thick, especially towards the top of my head, and the paddle brush makes light work of tackling knots. The bristles feel soft against my scalp (when I can eventually feel them through all that hair) and they do a great job of keeping my hair tangle-free."
Pros
- Large surface area to tackle bigger areas at a time
- Doesn't leave hair feeling frizzy
- Great for putting your hair up
Cons
- Feels heavy compared to other brushes
Best for easy brushing
www.lookfantastic.com
As you know if you have thick hair, you need a more powerful detangler than what a standard brush can provide. In comes the Denman D90L. The dual-length bristles glide through knots and tangles with no problems at all, leaving your hair feeling glossy and soft. We love the pattern on it too - it's un-BEE-lievably cute.
Customer review: "Have used this for the last couple of weeks, probably my favourite Denman brush now! My hair can knot quite quickly, especially in the colder months, and when it's very windy, so needed a brush can do the job. This brush goes through any knots without any issues, is easy to clean, and doesn't cause any static build-up like some brushes can. And I'm not losing as much hair as I have done with some brushes. Plus the bee design is a bonus ☺️ will probably buy another one to keep in my bag. Definitely worth the money."
Pros
- Super-soft nylon bristles glide through the hair
- Air-cushion pad for smooth damage-free grooming
- Fun bee print
Cons
- The bristles can get damaged if you use direct heat on them
Best for its ergonomic design
www.lookfantastic.com
Brushing and getting the tangles out of your thick hair can take time, which is why this WetBrush has been finished with a curved handle so you can avoid discomfort from holding the brush for long periods. It's got super-soft bristles that minimise the risk of pulling and tugging, which is just what people with thick trusses need!
Customer review: "Easy and gentle detangling for long thick hair like mine, very happy with the purchase."
Pros
- Reduces hair damage and breakage
- Perfect for use straight out of the bath or shower
- Easy-to-hold handle
Cons
- Designed to be used on wet hair more than dry
Best for the environment
www.marksandspencer.com
If having an eco-friendly hair brush is important to you, we'd recommend this one from M&S. It's made with bamboo bristles and a natural rubber cushion so it's completely vegan, plus it's gentle on your scalp and hair.
Customer review: "Superb paddle brush. High quality and my hair seems to have less breakage since using it. Goes through wet or dry hair really well."
Pros
- Free from animal-derived materials
- Easy to clean
- Great for wet and dry hair
Cons
- Isn't specifically designed to detangling for thick hair
Best hair brush for thick hair FAQs
How should I brush my thick hair?
If you've got thick hair, you know that sometimes brushing it can make it even harder to manage. As you probably know, thick hair has a tendency to go frizzy and poofy when it's brushed when it's dry. For this reason, it's best to give your hair a good brush and comb out while it's still wet. Hair is easier to brush through when it's damp so you can get out those knots and tangles before blow drying into the style of your choice.
We're often told that it can be damaging to hair to brush it while it's wet but if you pick a hair brush or comb with wide teeth, this won't affect the condition of your hair. Many of our best hair brushes for thick hair top picks can be used on wet hair, with some even designed to be used in the shower and bath.
How to manage thick hair?
One way to manage your hair is making sure you clean your hairbrush to ensure you are not damaging it when brushing.
We know that many people want to know how to get thicker hair too, but when you've got a lot of hair, it can be hard to know how best to style it. Luckily, with some help from L'Oréal Paris, we've got some tips to help you tame your mane.
Choose the right shampoo and conditioner
The first step to managing thick hair starts with the products you use to wash it. Choose a shampoo and conditioner that will help your hair look and feel smoother. We'd also recommend looking at ingredients for ones with nourishing oils, such as marula oil, which will help to moisturise and hydrate hair that is dry and provide frizz control too.
Wash your hair in cool water
Did you know that washing your hair with hot water can strip it of essential oils? This can leave hair feeling dry and looking dull. This can lead to the appearance of frizz, which can make thick hair look even bigger. Cooler water will keep your hair cuticles sealed, making your hair look healthier and stronger. So the next time you start your hair wash routine, consider turning the water temperature down.
Add a hair treatment to your routine
Does your thick hair feel rough? Incorporate a hair treatment into your weekly hair care routine. Rough hair can look frizzy and poofy so a mask will help to nourish it and help it retain moisture. This will make your hair less prone to dryness.
Apply products before and after blow-drying
Using a hair cream or oil before styling your hair can help control your hair and keep it in place. Not only will they provide frizz control, but also offer heat protection to ensure your hair doesn't get damaged. Once your hair is dry, apply a serum as this will help to soften and tame hair, leaving it looking shiny and polished.
Get a haircut
To make your thick hair easy to style day-to-day, ask your hairdresser for a more manageable style. Many people with thick hair opt for layers so they can still have long hair but without some of the weight. If you prefer a shorter style, ask for a graduated bob. Of course, if you're not sure what style you would like, your hairdresser should be able to recommend a style that is best for your hair type and texture.
Rosie Floyd is a Pets, Homes and Garden Product Writer for Yours, specialising in home appliances, décor and furnishings, as well as all things dogs. After completing her Journalism & Media degree from Coventry University back in 2015, she started her career writing about must-visit holiday destinations, moving on to creating content around outdoor living and garden buildings, before joining the team at Bauer.
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