13 best hair brushes for painless detangling and silky smooth strands in 2025
Can you use a hair brush on wet hair?
Trichologist Deborah Maguire says that you can use any brush designedfor wet hair. She says: 'Hair is more fragile when wet, so you'll want to use a wet brush like a Tangle Teezer (£14, Amazon.co.uk) or a wide-tooth comb and pair this with a conditioner or leave-in spray to help detangle and glide through the hair without tension.'
Do different hair types need different brushes?
Maguire says: 'There are brushes that are more suitable for different hair types and results.' Different bristles work for different hair textures. Maguire explains: 'Boar bristles create lovely shine and smoothness, and are best for straight, fine and wavy hair, as they're super gentle and help to distribute the scalp's natural oils.' They can help to minimise frizz, too.
For wavier and curlier hair, Maguire says: 'Nylon bristles help with detangling and volume and are better suited to 2A-3B hair. They offer more grip than boar bristles and are brilliant for getting through slightly thicker textures without causing breakage and static.' However, Maguire suggests that a mixture of nylon and boar bristles can help 2A-3B hair achieve volume and bounce.
For afro textures, Maguire says: 'Plastic or silicone bristles offer flexibility and are therefore good for 3A-4C hair. The bristles glide through curls and coils quite easily, reducing tension and breakage, especially when detangling wet hair.'
Wooden bristles are a good choice for scalp health. 'They're natural, anti-static, eco-friendly and provide gentle detangling and scalp stimulation.'
What is the best hair brush for detangling?
For Maguire, this depends on your hair type: 'Paddle brushes are good detanglers for straight and wavy hair, as they have flexible bristles and ball tips. On curly or coily hair, you want to use a detangling brush with flexible rows or a wide-tooth comb.'
What is the best hair brush for heat styling?
When it comes to heat styling, you have options. 'A brush with a mix of boar and nylon bristles helps with smoothness, shine and volume when styling with heat,' says Maguire. 'This type of brush is also good for people with long extensions.'
If you're in a rush, 'a ceramic vented brush will speed up drying time and help prevent heat damage', adds Maguire. Meanwhile, to help define curls while using heat, 'a traditional wrap brush, like a Denman (£11, Boots.com), is good for gentle heat styling'.
Can a hair brush boost scalp health?
'Not only will [a hair brush] stimulate blood flow and healthy hair growth, but dead skin cells will be removed from the scalp, preventing congestion,' says Maguire. 'Brushing helps to spread natural oils throughout the hair, not only mitigating the build-up of product but nourishing those lengths.'
The verdict: Hair brushes
While the best hair brush for you will depend on your hair type and preferred styling techniques, overall, it was Ziggy's flexi brush that came out on top for us. The flexible design minimised tugging and frizz with ease, and there are variations of this brush available for multiple hair types. For travel, it was The Detangler that proved most effective, while, for curly hair, Bounce Curl's edgelift brush helped create effortless curl definition. Lastly, Cantu 's elongated comb and boar-bristle combo was found to be a top pick for curls and afro coils.
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