15 of the best hair brushes for every hair type and style

Whether you have thick, thin or damaged hair, these are the best hair brushes to look after your locks.

girl brushing her hair with hair brush

by Bryony Firth-Bernard |
Updated on

Choosing the best hair brushes for your specific hair type or hair goals is key when it comes to taking care of your hair. At first, it may seem like an easy task, but with so many hair brushes out there for fine hair, thick hair, damaged hair and more, you're left wondering which hair brush is actually going to help take good care of your lovely locks.

It is a good idea to have multiple hair brushes. Choosing the right tools will help you to achieve a flawless look. Finding the best hair brush is essential because it will cause less breakage and prevent damage. So whether you are looking for the best hair brush for thick hair, thin hair or anything in between, we have you covered.

Best hair brushes shortlist:

Best overall hair brush: Wet Brush Detangling Hair Brush
Best for detangling: Tangle Teezer The Original Detangling Hairbrush
Best for thick hair: Cantu Thick Boar Paddle Brush
Best for thin hair: Mason Pearson Pocket Pure Bristle Brush
Best for fine hair: Briogeo Vegan Boar Bristle Brush

Hair brushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes and use different materials for their bristles, all of which are important when deciding what hair brush you should buy, says celebrity hairstylist Michael Douglas. "If it's a smooth blow dry, then a mixture of boar and nylon bristles through a metal barrel is a great combination. But if it's just a brush rather than styling, then a Mason Pearson paddle brush is great. Or for something more cost-effective, a decent quality Tangle Teezer."

Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from customers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Here are the best hair brushes to shop online.

Best hair brushes 2023

Best overall hair brush

Description

Wet Brush is a hair brush brand that has been loved by editors and stylists for years due to its

Pros

  • Suitable for all hair types
  • Can be used on dry or wet hair
  • Flexible bristles gently detangle
  • Comfortable handle design
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Maybe a little soft for thick curly hair

Best for detangling

Best hair brush - Tangle Teezer Tangle Teezer

Rrp: £12.00

Price: £12.00
Alternative retailers
Beauty Expert£12.00View offer
HQhair.com£13.00View offer
Sephora£13.00View offer
Lookfantastic£14.00View offer

Description

The Tangle Teezer Original Detangling Hairbrush first came onto the hair scene in 2007 and has

Pros

  • Small and compact size, easily fits into your handbag
  • Suitable for all hair types
  • Two-tiered teeth technology — long teeth help to remove tangles and reduce breakage, while short teeth smoothen and leave hair sleek and glossy
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Doesn't have a handle
  • Can't be used with heat

Best for thick hair

Best hair brushes - Cantu thick boar paddle brush

Rrp: £10.00

Price: £7.50
Alternative retailers
Sephora£8.99View offer
Boots£9.00View offer
Beauty Expert£10.00View offer
HQhair.com£10.00View offer

Description

The Cantu paddle brush is made with soft boar bristles, it's brilliant for blow-drying styles or

Pros

  • Suitable for thick, long, coil and curly hair types
  • Boar bristles for a soft, smooth feel and finish
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Can make thinner hair static

Best for thin hair

Best hair brushes - Mason Pearson hair brush

Rrp: £73.00

Price: £68.00
Alternative retailers
Allbeauty£68.00View offer
Escentual£73.00View offer

Description

Mason Pearson has been crafting hair brushes for more than 10 decades and is loved by generations.

Pros

  • Boar bristles are gentle yet effective on delicate hair
  • Renowned brand that's making hair brushes for more than 130 years
  • Good travel size

Cons

  • Cleaning brush has to be purchased separately
  • Small

Best for curly and oily hair

Best hair brushes - Denman D3 Medium Classic Styling Brush best hair brushes

Rrp: £11.00

Price: £11.00
Alternative retailers
Beauty Expert£10.00View offer
HQhair.com£10.00View offer
Lookfantastic£11.00View offer

Description

There's a reason why there's a crown in Denman's logo, and it's because it remains an iconic brand

Pros

  • Can be used on all types of curly hair 
  • Round-ended nylon pins separate, shape hair, and define curls
  • Teardrop handle for comfortable grip
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Brush head is quite heavy
  • Nylon pins can feel a little spiky

Best for fine hair

Description

A soft bristle brush is the best hair brush for fine and thinning hair as it can gently glide

Pros

  • Vegan and cruelty-free
  • Lightweight and ergonomic
  • Ballpoint bristles gently massage the scalp to stimulate blood flow and invigorate your roots
  • Pretty colour

Cons

  • Small handle

Best for wet hair

Description

This is one of Tangle Teezers' new and brilliant brushes, specifically designed to gently smooth

Pros

  • Ergonomically designed handle for a steady and controlled grip
  • Two-tiered teeth technology — longer teeth detangle, shorter teeth smooth
  • Available in a range of pretty colours
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Can't use with heat

Best hair brush for hair extensions

Balmain Hair Extension Brush
Price: £20.99
Alternative retailers
Secret Sales£9.54View offer
Sephora£11.99View offer

Description

This soft nylon bristle brush created by Balmain is designed to gently detangles both your own

Pros

  • Gentle on extensions
  • Glides smoothly through hair
  • Compact size good for taking on the go as well as using at home

Cons

  • Well-rated but not genuine Balmain

Best eco-friendly hair brush

Regrowz Bamboo Eco- friendly
Price: £9.99

Description

We love Regrowz because the brand only uses natural products, and all ingredients used are

Pros

  • Eco-friendly
  • Affordable price
  • Bamboo bristles
  • Suitable for all hair types

Cons

  • Hairs can get stuck in the brush after use

Best hair brush for creating volume

Best hair brushes - best hair brushes ghd Size 3 Ceramic Vented Radial Brush
Price: £20.95

Description

When looking to create lots of volume, you probably think you'll need a 'bigger brush', but

Pros

  • Smaller barrel creates volume, bounce and curl
  • Long handle and lots of bristles for good control
  • Metal barrel helps hair dry faster
  • Smooth and frizz-free result

Cons

  • Narrow handle can be difficult to grip

Best hair dryer brush

Best hair brushes - Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser
Price: £39.99 (was £49.99)

www.boots.com

Description

This 2-in-1 hair dryer brush by Revlon is ideal for medium to long hair and dries hair while

Pros

  • Reasonably priced
  • Ionic technology dries hair faster with less damage

Cons

  • Can get a little hot while using

Best smoothing brush

Description

If you suffer from frizz, then you'll want a hair brush that really works your scalp to promote

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Rubber grip on handle for extra comfort
  • Detangles and smoothes
  • Ideal for medium to long hair

Cons

  • Plain design

Best paddle hair brush

Best hair brushes - Aveda large wooden paddle brush
Price: £24 (was £26)

www.sephora.co.uk

Description

Paddle brushes are good for detangling and smoothing out hair, especially if you've got a lot of

Pros

  • Suitable for short and long hair
  • Good for detangling and smoothing hair
  • Vegan friendly

Cons

  • Can take some getting used to if you're not used to using a bigger brush

Best budget hair brush

Best hair brushes conair hair brush
Price: £6.36 (was £7.07)

uk.iherb.com

Description

This gel grip hair brush is ideal for everyday use, with its easy-to-hold handle and

Pros

  • Cheap
  • Gel handle for easy grip
  • Good for detangling
  • Vented base helps speed up blow-drying 
  • Suitable for all hair types

Cons

  • Bristles may be a little stiff

Best hair brush for short hair

Description

Denman tends to have fewer bristles, meaning this hair brush is ideal for shorter hairstyles as it

Pros

  • Flexible bristles for less pulling and friction on your short hair
  • Vented, helping your hair dry quickly
  • Curved head helps create natural movement and volume
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Quite small

Best hair brushes FAQs

How should I clean my hair brush?

Just as you wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner, Michael says you should clean your hair brush too. "Rub a generous dollop of shampoo into the brush and rinse, followed by the same with some conditioner on. Try and remove all the dead, shedding hair during this process."

Is it best to brush my hair wet or dry?

You may have heard that your hair is more fragile when it's wet, and therefore you should avoid brushing it in this state. However, it actually depends on your hair type and texture. "Brush your hair wet if it's curly and dry if it's straight," says Michael. "But don't over brush, as the static will separate hairs causing flyaways galore." If you have straight hair, brushing it wet can cause it to overpull and break, which is why brushing it dry is safest. Whereas if you have curly or textured hair brushing it wet can actually have the opposite effect and reduce breakage, keeping your curls intact.

How often should I brush my hair?

It's recommended to brush your hair twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, as this will help to distribute your scalps' natural oils throughout your hair. However, this is subject to your hair type, as curly and textured hair shouldn't be brushed dry as it just causes frizz.

"One universal rule is it's important to remove shedding hair," says Michael, "but if you've got naturally curly, then only do that when the hair is wet. So don't get up in the morning and put a brush through wavy or curly. The friction causes static, and nobody wants that!"

Michael Douglas quickly established himself in the high-stakes hair styling circuit, tending to the tresses of the world's most famous supermodels, such as Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Yasmin Le Bon. Michael moved through the fashion week calendar year on year as a go-to name for styling before embarking on editorial shoots for the likes of Vogue, Glamour, Grazia, and Marie Claire and working on global beauty campaigns for famous beauty houses.

Bryony Firth-Bernard is a product writer for Yours, What's The Best, and A Modern Kitchen, specialising in fitness. On the weekend she loves whipping up new recipes in the kitchen and spending time with her friends and family.

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