9 Hair Brushes To Help Style The Look You Want

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THE BEST HAIR brushes will style your hair and improve your its overall health. While there's not really a one-brush-fits-all option, the perfect fit for you is determined by your hair type and preferred look. Whether you have long, thick locks or thin, fine hair, you want the best hair brush to work with your mane and not against it.

For starters, we recommend choosing a hair brush that is equipped with a strong handle and a blend of comfortable bristles. Beyond the ability to eliminate knots and snags, the best hair brush should also stimulate the scalp and remove any flakiness (aka dandruff) so your hair looks fresh and healthy, no matter the length.

If you’re struggling with flat hair, a standard styling hair brush will give it more volume and support. For those with frizzy hair, a brush can easily eliminate frizziness while stimulating the follicles on the scalp for improved growth. And if you’re in a rush after washing your hair, a vented hair brush will help your hair dry faster. Really, when it comes to the best hair styling products for men, the possibilities are endless. We’ve rounded up the 10 best hair brushes that meet a variety of needs below to remind you just how low-maintenance grooming can be.

What To Consider

Hair Type

For fine or thin hair, hair brushes with tighter bristles are better since they can easily smooth and detangle. For thick hair, opt for brushes with bristles that are farther apart because they can better detangle and run through the hair without damaging it.

Bristle Material

The bristles on hair brushes are often made naturally or synthetically. Natural bristles typically come from the hair of boars; they can distribute your hair’s natural scalp oils evenly and give it a natural shine, and sometimes even increase blood flow by stimulating your scalp. And because these bristles are very close together, they’re great for fine or thin hair. On the other hand, synthetic bristles are often made with nylon and are often more spaced out, meaning they’re better for thick, coarse hair. Nylon bristle hair brushes can glide through pretty much any hair texture, making them versatile for styling and excellent at detangling.

Hairstyle

For styling your hair, dense, boar bristle hair brushes are considered better for holding and setting hair for curls or your preferred hairstyle. Other than that, some hair brushes are meant for styling long hair versus short hair. Be mindful of that before you buy.

How We Selected

For the past two years, we consulted with Men's Health's Grooming editors and writers on the top hair brushes for men. Experts including our contributor, Cristina Montemayor, and our Deputy Editor of Commerce, Christian Gollayan, tried dozens of hair brushes and evaluated their feel and effectiveness. We also considered top-reviewed hair brushes that had great customer ratings on e-commerce websites that we trust.

Men's Detangler

Beloved by stylists, this best-selling hair brush uses patented flexible bristles that stimulate circulation for improved hair growth. Additionally, its ergonomic design adapts to a variety of needs.

This brush is made to use when the hair is wet to help detangle and prevent knots from forming. When your hair has tangles, it's more likely to break off, leading to increased hair loss. Gently brushing your hair while it's wet is one way to encourage healthy hair growth. We love that it works for a bunch of different hair types including straight, curly, textured, thick, and wavy hair.

Premium Boar Bristle Brush

Get two hair brushes for the price of one. This is a multi-purpose brush for the ultimate smooth style. One side uses boar bristles that help distribute your hair’s natural oils for healthy hair for smoothing and styling wave style, while the nylon bristles on the opposite side help to reduce frizz. Plus, this option is made of real wood with special UV coating to prevent against moisture and wear.

Hair Brush

The curved design of the popular Baasha makes styling and detangling different hair types a breeze. And a bonus—the covered bristles provide a subtle massage effect that keeps the scalp healthy. The anti-static bristles glide effortlessly through every hair type, reducing unwanted static and adding shine. With 11 rows of vented bristles for faster drying and styling, it's a vented brush that is a great tool on its own, but when used with a blow dryer, the vents allow air to flow through the brush and directly onto your hair, resulting in a faster dry-time. No more walking out of the house with wet hair! This brush gives you that perfectly tousled look in just a few minutes.

Kent OG2 Beechwood Hair Brush and Facial Brush for Beard Care - Exfoliating Natural Boar Bristle Brush for Mens Grooming, Hair Care, and Beard Straightener for Men's Skin Care

Like we said, Boar bristle brushes are great for styling coarse and wavy hair. Take Kent’s beechwood version. Like most of its kind, this one will get you that smooth, ripple-like pattern, and gently distribute oils from the scalp—promoting shine and reducing frizz. One of our grooming testers has used this brush to freshen up his waves every night before setting a durag on top for a solid hold. We recommend repeating the same process in the morning to keep your waves in top shape. Plus, this brush can be used on your beard, too.

Static Free Fast Flo Brush

A vent brush is a crucial tool for styling hair, as it features widely-spaced bristles and openings that allow for efficient airflow. Enter Cricket’s Static Free Fast Flo Brush. This option received a seal of approval by JayR Mallari, A celebrity barber based in San Francisco, CA.

“I highly recommend [it] for men's styling due to its innovative design that effectively reduces static and frizz, providing a smooth and polished finish,” he says. “The brush's fast-flowing bristles effortlessly detangle and style hair, making it a versatile tool for various looks.”

We love that its anti-static feature ensures a hassle-free styling experience, and helps with quick and even drying. That said, it’s a reliable grooming accessory that enhances styling precision and promotes healthier hair by minimizing heat damage during the styling process.

Wooden Paddle Brush

Mallari also recommends Avenda’s wooden paddle brush, thanks to durable wooden construction, ensuring longevity and sleek styling. “The brush's wide surface area effortlessly detangles and smoothens hair, making it an ideal tool for achieving a polished and well-groomed look,” he says. We love this brush’s wide, flat design and flexible bristles, which distribute natural oils from the scalp to the ends and keep hair in optimal condition.

Pocket Nylon Hair Brush

If you have particularly thick hair, consider a nylon hair brush. The softness of the bristles provides a strong but gentle detangling experience for more sensitive scalps. With 5 rings of fine boar bristle and nylon tufts to gently massage the scalp and release natural oils, your thick hair will be taken care of.

Round Ceramic Brush

You can create creates smooth curls with this volumizing brush that helps reduce frizz and add shine. The ceramic barrel heats up during blow-drying, which helps lock in volume and curl. With a vented design that allows for maximum airflow—which means faster drying time—it helps detangle and tame fine hair. This brush is best for thin, straight hair.

Conair Salon Results Hairbrush for Men and Women

Affordable and all-purpose, this simple option has nylon bristles and a no-nonsense design and is a perfect introductory hair brush. Best yet, it can effortlessly work styling products through the hair.

Why You Should Use a Hair Brush

No matter your hair type—but especially if you have long or thick hair—hair brushes for men are essential. They're great for dispersing your hair products and natural hair oils evenly (the latter can prevent dry ends, frizzing, breakage, etc.), and setting the basic structure of your hairstyle. A good hair brush like can also massage your scalp to stimulate blood flow. If you've got curls and tangles, hair brushes can tame them better than curls. Lastly, hair brushes can remove hair that is ready to shed.

What Brush is Best for Thinning Hair?

Every hair type has an ideal hair brush, and if you're having more bad hair days than good, you brush may be to blame. A soft bristle brush is best for thinning hair because it gently detangles without pulling out your hair at the root. Boar hair is similar in structure to human hair and both contain keratin, which is the protein that forms the strength of your hair. A soft, boar bristle brush helps distribute your scalp oils to the rest of your hair, which encourages healthy hair growth.

How to Brush Your Hair?

Men should be brushing their hair every day, especially if you regularly apply product to your roots and ends. You want to brush in long, even strokes using light to moderate pressure. If you have tangles at the ends of your hair, start by brushing the lengths first before brushing all the way through from the roots. Brushing isn't so much about brushing out the lengths but about massaging the scalp. If you want healthy hair that grows long and strong, start with a healthy scalp. Gentle daily brushing will help maintain scalp health by increasing circulation to the scalp and distributing those natural oils from root to tip.

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