You invest money and time researching the best products to use for your hair. But what about hair brushes? Did you know that using the right type of hair brush for your hair is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your hair is in the best health it can be in? Be kind to your hair by using the best brush for it. Not sure what kind of hair brush is best for you? We have researched and compiled a list of the best brushes for your fine hair.
Fine hair vs Thin Hair
Fine hair refers to your hair’s texture, which is determined by the size of each individual hair strand. If you have fine hair, each of your hair strands are smaller in circumference, while those with thick hair have bigger and wider individual hair strands. Though it is often (mistakenly) used interchangably, fine hair is different than thin hair. Thin hair refers to the amount of hair a person has, not the size of each strand. So with fine hair, you can still have a lot of hair - or a little hair. It simply refers to the thickness of each strand.
What makes a great hair brush?
There are many hair brushes out there, all claiming to be the best hair brush. For fine hair, you will want to find a gentle hair brush with soft and natural bristles. A brush with a cushion is ideal, as it allows for more flexible brushes, meaning it won’t pull excess hair out.
It also depends on what you are looking to achieve for your hair style. While boar hair bristle brushes are excellent in many ways, most of them are not the go-to brush for voluptuous curls, as they tend to straighten your hair out. For high-volume curls, you definitely want to use a round brush. Though, there are a few good boar bristle round brushes that can help you add volume to your hair (we’ve even included one on the list below).
Top Hair Brushes for Fine Hair
Detangling Hair Brushes
That dreaded moment when you realize how knotted your hair is and how much it will hurt to detangle it doesn’t actually have to be dreadful. Tangled hair is - unfortunately - a fact of life for most of us. But the related hair loss and breakage associated with those awful tangles doesn’t have to be. We have selected the best detangling hair brushes that will be gentle on your hair and scalp, and will reduce hair loss and breakage.
Tangle Teezer Salon Elite Hair Brush
The Tangle Teezer brushes are considered the best hair brushes for detangling hair by many product reviewers. It has even been dubbed the “magic brush” by one reviewer. Knots are troubling for those with fine hair because many brushes cause breakage and can yank your hair out. Having a good detangling brush is really important for fine hair. This Tangle Teezer brush has flexible bristles that are gentle to your hair. Plus, it can be used on wet or dry hair.
The Wet Brush Pro Select Original Detangler
You will be hard pressed to find a better brush than this one. Say goodbye to painful brushes and hello to pain-free brushing. These bristles effortlessly glide through your hair without hurting or pulling out hair. Again, this hair brush can also be used on wet or dry hair.
Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush
This brush will remove any knot or tangle pain-free. Besides detangling fine hair while minimizing breakage and hair loss, reviewers love this brush because it creates a smoother and frizz-free overall look as well.
Michel Mercier Detangler Detangling Hair Brush
The structure of this brush and its bristles was specifically designed to reduce hair loss and breakage while seriously untangling knotted hair. This brand has designed three different types of brushes for different hair types - fine, normal, and thick. The fine hair brush has been specifically designed to gently detangle fine hair without causing any breakage.
Wet Brush Shower Flex Hair Brush
Wet Brush knows how to make a good hair brush. Their Shower Flex brush is no different. If you like to brush your hair out in the shower, especially with a conditioner or leave-in hair treatment, this is the brush for you. It is designed specifically to make detangling easier and gentler on your hair. Reviewers with fine hair attest to the amazing ability of this brush to detangle wet hair gently without pulling hair out or causing hair breakage.
Beauty by Earth Detangling Hair Brush
The fine and flexible bristles on this brush were designed to carefully and gently detangle your hair causing the least amount of hair damage. This brush can be used wet or dry, so you can brush your hair at your convenience. Plus, this brush is sustainably sourced, created out of 100% bamboo. This brush gets great reviews from those with fine hair because of its ability to detangle knotted hair without causing hair loss or breakage.
Boar Bristle Hair Brushes
Hair stylists highly recommend boar bristle hair brushes because the natural bristles are gentler on the hair and the scalp, causing less damage and hair breakage than other hair brushes. There are several good boar bristle hair brushes out there, but these are the best ones for fine hair. It is recommended to brush your hair with a boar bristle hair brush only when your hair is dry.
GranNaturals Boar Bristle Hair Brush
This boar bristle paddle hair brush is great for dry, brittle, and fine hair. It helps redistribute oil from your scalp to the rest of your hair, so the natural oil adds volume and a healthy looking shine to the rest of your hair.
Dovahlia Boar Bristle Hair Brush Set for Women and Men
You can get a matching His and Hers brush set with Dovahlia’s brush and comb combo set. The boar bristles creates a natural conditioner to your hair by naturally and gently brushing the oil from the roots to the tips. As with other boar bristle hair brushes, it is recommended to use this brush on dry hair only, as brushing wet hair with this brush may cause hair breakage.
Mason Pearson Sensitive Boar Bristle Hair Brush
This is a top quality hair brush, and your hair will thank you for using it. It is designed for sensitive and fine hair, and is very gentle on the scalp. Reviewers noted the difference between this brush and other boar bristle brushes, remarking that the Mason Pearson brush makes a bigger difference in the quality and appearance of their hair than other brushes.
Spornette DeVille Cushion Oval Boar Bristle Hair Brush
Reviewers with fine hair love this brush because it leaves their hair smoother and softer, without pulling out their hair. They also noted the improve shine in their hair, thanks to the brush spreading natural oil evenly throughout their hair.
Careme Blow Dry Round Hair Brush with Natural Boar Bristles
If you have fine hair, you know that blow drying and styling fine hair is tough. You have probably also tried tons of blow drying brushes, hoping to finally find a brush that works for your hair. Search no more! This vented round brush has a combination of boar bristles and nylon, which allows it to hold onto your hair while you blow dry, while still being gentle on your hair. Reviewers with fine hair marvel in the brushes seemingly miraculous ability to beautifully style fine hair, unlike any other round hair brushes they have tried.
What Kind of Hair Brush is Right for Me?
A hair brush that works great for one person may not be the right brush for you. One thing to think about when determining what kind of hair brush is best for you is what your styling goals are, your lifestyle, as well as what type of hair you have. For instance, if you have curly hair, a boar bristle brush may not be the best option for you, as it tends to straighten hair. If you are on the go a lot and usually leave the house with your hair wet, allowing it to air dry rather than blow drying it, you do not need a round brush, but would instead do well with a detangling brush that is designed for wet and dry hair so you can brush it when it is wet, before leaving the house.
What are the different kinds of hair brushes?
- Vented brush - best for those with thin, straight hair. Not a good brush if you are looking for a brush that gently detangles hair.
- Wide tooth comb - This brush detangles wet hair. It is not as gentle as other brushes meant for detangling wet hair. You may find you lose more hair using this brush than you would using a wet brush.
- Round brush - you will want to use this brush when blow drying your hair. The smaller the brush, the tighter the curls. You can even use this brush to achieve straight hair when blow drying by keeping the brush taught and straight while blow drying.
- Natural bristle brush - made of boar bristles, the brushes are soft, gentle on hair, and distribute your hair’s natural oils from the roots to the ends, resulting in a great all-over shine.
- Teasing brush - adds serious volume to the roots of your hair by creating little knots. It is best to use a boar bristle teasing brush for fine hair to reduce breakage while teasing hair.
- Wet brush - can be used on wet or dry hair, and is much more gentle on hair than a wide tooth comb or a paddle brush.
- Paddle brush - most common type of hair brush. Helps reduce frizz and fight tangles. This is a better option for those with normal hair.
Should I brush my hair when it is wet or dry?
Your hair is more fragile (read: susceptible to breakage) when it is wet. For this reason, some people recommend not brushing your hair when it is wet. On the other hand, if you have tangly or unruly hair, you know that not brushing out the knots when your hair is when is a kiss of death for your hair. So, what do you do? You can still brush your hair when it is wet, as long as you use the right hair brush. Be sure to look for a detangling hair brush that is designed to brush wet and dry hair. These brushes are gentler and will not cause hair loss or damage when you brush your wet hair with them. Remember to always brush your hair starting from the ends, slowly working your way up to your roots. If you like to blow dry and style your hair, you will want to brush it through when it’s wet. Whether you brush your hair when it is wet or when it is dry depends on your ultimate style goal, your hair type, and personal preference.
Tips to care for fine hair
Now that you are on the right path to selecting a great hair brush for your fine hair, here are some general tips so you - and your hair - can live your best life
- Don’t wash your hair every day. Instead, try washing it every other day, if you can get away with it. Use a volumizing shampoo to avoid limp hair strands.
- Try to avoid using conditioner on your roots. Instead, use conditioner on just the ends of your hair.
- The same rule applies to styling products - avoid products from mid-length to your ends to avoid weighing down your roots.
- Always use a heat protectant when blow drying your hair, and only start drying when your hair is already 80-90% dry, to reduce heat damage.
- With that being said, air dry your hair as often as possible, saving the blow drying for special occasions.
- Dry shampoo is your friend! Apply dry shampoo at night, rather than in the morning, to allow your hair time to absorb excess oil.
Now that you know what kind of brush is best for your fine hair, you can treat your lovely locks with the love and kindness it deserves. Your hair will thank you for knowing how to be gentler on it and knowing when to use different hair brushes.