10 Best Brush for Curly Hair – Review and Buying Guide

Curly hair looks fun and all, but for those of us who actually have to live with it every day, it can definitely be a pain. For one thing, it’s really difficult to style and maintain, and gets frizzy real fast. Even brushing curly hair can result in knots that eventually damage your hair.

Because of all this, having a good quality brush for curly hair is important, so it doesn’t pull and snag. To help you out, here’s a list of the best brushes for curly hair that are guaranteed to tame those curls and keep them manageable.

Read also related articles: Best mousse for curly hair, best hair dryers for curly hair, dafni hair brush review, ionic hair brush, and best hot air brush.

10 Best Brush for Curly Hair

The thing with curly hair is that it’s different for everyone- from curl patterns, textures, and types, there are so many different sets of curls, and as such, finding the right hair brush can be difficult.

So, to make things easier for you, we’ve done hours of research and surveyed professional stylists to find the best brush you can use for your curls. We also listed our favorite features from each product to help you make your choice easier.

1.  Denman Classic Styling Brush

Our first pick is the Denman classic styling brush, which is a really soft and luxurious hair brush specially made for curly hair. It comes packed with lots of must have features to help you achieve those perfectly defined curls easily.

This brush is designed with seven rows of nylon pins that are sculpted with nylon ends to add definition to your hair, and features edges that create tension and shape when you blow dry and style your hair.

Plus, it also works amazingly on gently detangling strands while shaping your curls for a perfect hold. It even reduces frizz, adds shine and volume to your hair, and straightens your curls, all without tugging or pulling on your hair and scalp.

2.  Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush

Running a close second is the Crave Naturals glide thru detangling brush, which can comfortably be used on all types of hair, including wigs and extensions, due to its superior construction featuring firm yet soft and gentle high quality plastic bristles.

These bristles are uniquely shaped into a cone that gently glides through your scalp and helps your hair retain its shape. It also gently detangles your hair and separates it sideways so it doesn’t get ripped out of your scalp, all while minimizing breakage and split ends.

In fact, it even works on both wet and dry hair with no risk of hair damage. It also promotes blood circulation by massaging your scalp, which helps in promoting healthy hair growth. All in all, a useful must have tool for those with curly locks.

3.  Boar Bristle Hair Brush set

Taking the third spot is the Boar bristle hair brush set, which actually comes as a pack of two superior hair brushes that are both guaranteed to work wonders on eliminating knots and tangles on even the tightest of curls.

The brushes are made of nylon bristles that are excellent in gently detangling thick and curly hair, all while spreading your hair’s natural oils more evenly around the hair, as well as stimulating your scalp to produce a healthy amount of these natural oils.

This works as you brush your hair from the roots down to the tips, since the scalp receives a gentle massage. All this promotes healthy hair growth, so your hair doesn’t just look amazing, it feels amazing, too.

4.  Bomeiyi Natural Boar Bristle Hair Brush

In fourth place is the Bomeiyi natural boar bristle hair brush, which is wonderful for reducing frizz and hair breakage while simultaneously improving your hair texture, as well as making it more manageable and easier to style.

This brush is also highly effective in redistributing your hair’s natural oils throughout your hair strands to make them healthier and shinier due to this deep conditioning effect that works on each hair strand.

What’s even better is that this hair brush lets you go longer without the need to wash your hair, and even reduces your need for excessive hair products to keep your hair looking neat. It also comes with a complimentary cleaning tool to keep the brush hygienic at all times.

5.  Detangling Boar Bristle Hair Brush Set

Ranking fifth is the Belula detangling boar bristle hair brush set, which, like the two brushes above, come as a set of essential brushing tools to help you manage, tame, and style your beautiful curly hair effectively.

For every purchase, you’ll get a paddle boar bristle hair brush, a nice wooden comb, a spa headband, and a travel bag so you can conveniently carry all these things with you anywhere you go.

The hair brush, in particular, works great in easily detangling knots while remaining gentle on your scalp, especially since it features nylon pins designed for the job. It also helps evenly distribute sebum throughout your hair strands from the roots down to the tips. Meanwhile, the wooden comb is an excellent tool for detangling wet hair.

6.  Spornette Mini Styler 3/4 Inch Round Brush

Up next is the Spornette mini styler round brush that lets you style your hair without any fuss. It’s an excellent boar bristle brush for various tasks such as styling, setting, and adding volume to curly hair, especially for short hairstyles.

It can also smoothen hairlines, create tension, and smoothen coarse hair effectively. The brush design and construction make it great for all hair lengths and are super helpful when it comes to blow drying and styling hair.

Moreover, it’s made with gentle bristles that feel amazing on your scalp while being effective in setting and lifting your hair strands without causing any pulling or tugging sensation. Perhaps the only catch is that it’s on the slim side, so if you have thick hair, be prepared to spend more time on combing through it. Otherwise, it’s a great brush.

7.  Spornette Deville 2 Inch Round Boar Bristle Hair Brush

Another excellent brush from Spornette is the Deville round boar bristle hair brush, which is particularly amazing when it comes to blow drying your hair and styling it by defining your curls and waves, adding volumes, lifting your roots, and more.

This is because it’s made with the finest bristles that are highly effective in smoothening hair strands, especially under the presence of heat. Also because of this, the Deville is an absolute must have if you want to achieve that perfect blowout style.

These bristles even give you the ideal tension needed to add bounce and lift on your hair roots, as well as add natural volume and shine to each hair strand. All in all, it’s suitable for all types of hair, especially on short and medium length hair.

8.  Curly Hair Solutions Flexy Brush

You might also want to check out the Curly Hair Solutions flexy brush, which is the dream hair brush that really cares for your curls and is gentle on the scalp, giving you the perfect tool for addressing scalp care, cleaning, and exfoliation.

This is due to the unique open cushion structure and superior construction that works like magic when it comes to brushing your hair from roots to tips while detangling your hair strands and getting rid of knots.

Not only that, but it also effectively eliminates product build up and bacteria on your hair and scalp, so it looks and feels clean and healthy for longer. Even the brush itself is designed in such a way that it’s easy to clean, so that’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.

9.  Spornette Ion Fusion 3 inch Ceramic Round Brush

Yet another amazing hair brush by Spornette is the Ion Fusion wide ceramic round brush, which is basically a one stop solution when it comes to achieving those perfectly soft and smooth curls with a nicely added volume and definition.

The three inch barrel size alone is perfect for brushing through medium length to long hair, without the risk of snags or getting hair strands caught in the grooves of the brush, especially since the handle is designed with no ridges and gaps.

As such, this brush is excellent in flawlessly detangling your hair regardless or length and texture. The aerated ceramic barrel even works in keeping your hair soft, and works with a blow dryer to dry and style your hair quickly and without causing heat damage.

10.  Osensia Curly Hair Brushes for Women

Last but definitely not the least is the Osensia curly hair brush for women, which is a lightweight brush that creates smooth gliding movements to gently yet effectively manage thick and curly hair without yanking, tugging, or ripping hair from your scalp.

It features a blended construction of nylon and boar bristles that are both great for your hair and gentle on your scalp, so you don’t have to worry about hair and scalp damage. It promises zero tangles, is comfortable to use, and works on both wet and dry hair.

Plus, it also offers a gentle massage on your sensitive scalp, and even features 17 rare earth minerals to stimulate healthy hair growth while adding a natural shine to your hair strands. Given all this, it’s no wonder it’s a popular favorite for adults and kids alike.

Best Brush for Curly Hair Buying Guide

Using the right hair brush for your hair type, style, and texture means all the difference in maintaining good hair health, but finding the right hair brush can be a difficult task, so we are here to help you. Below is a short guide on everything you need to know about hair brushes for curly hair, and more.

Different types of hair brush

Check out these different types of hair brushes to help you pick which one is best for the type of hair you have:

Paddle brush- for detangling (dry)

As the name suggests, a paddle brush typically features a wide, flat, and rectangular surface that lets the brush comfortably move through your hair while smoothing it and keeping the hair’s natural patterns and curls, as well as easily detangling knots.

When buying a paddle brush, be mindful of the bristles. Thin hair needs softer and more flexible bristles, while thick hair requires studier nylons and synthetics to run smoothly through your hair’s textures.

Wide tooth comb- for detangling (wet)

If you want to detangle wet hair without risking breakage, damage, and split ends, a plain wide toothed comb should be your go to. It also works great in distributing leave-in conditioners, treatments, and other hair products.

When combing your hair at night after a shower, make sure to gently brush from bottom to top, then tie your hair into a loose bun to avoid morning tangles.

Detangling hair brush- for detangling (wet and dry)

Another suitable tool for detangling wet (and dry) hair is a detangling hair brush, which features wide toothed plastic bristles that gently yet effectively undo stubborn knots without causing you pain and damage. These firm bristles even work great in adding volume to your otherwise fine hair when dry.

Ceramic round brush- for natural curls

If you want to enhance your natural curls, or transform your straight hair into a wavy one without using heat styling tools, a ceramic round brush is a great option, especially one made with synthetic bristles that detangle hair and wrap it around the brush. This is because the ceramic barrel becomes heated and thereby molds the hair into bouncy and shiny curls.

Round hair brush- for blowouts

Longing for that salon quality blowout without spending hundreds of bucks? With the right round brush and a blow dryer, you can totally pull this off. The brush tames frizz, adds bounce, and tames hair to just the right volume and wave.

Two things you need to keep in mind are: one, fine hair works best with natural boars and mixed bristles, while thicker hair is better suited with metal and ionic barrels. Two, smaller brushes are great for tight curls, while bigger brushes create subtle waves or even straighten hair.

Vented brush- for quick drying

Drying your hair quickly with or without the use of a blow dryer is possible with the use of the right vented brush that allows air to pass through freely through the brush and your hair strands. Just brush your hair from roots to tips, following the motion with your dryer if you opt to use one.

Teasing hair brush- for added volume

When it comes to those with particularly dull hair, teasing hair and adding texture is great to create that illusion of fullness, and for that, a teasing brush is just what you need. It’s especially beneficial if you’re trying updos, ponytails, hair extensions, and the like. That said, it’s not as suitable for fine and fragile hair that is prone to damage.

Rat tail comb- for sectioning

A really important tool for hair styling is a rat tail comb that allows you to section your hair into specific parts that look clean and precise. It features a long and skinny end that works amazing when it comes to pulling off double dutch braids, as well as for backcombing hair.

Boar bristle brush- for styling

More specifically for styling, there’s also the boar bristle brush, which creates those high shine waves and curls. This brush makes use of boar bristles that gently glide through your hair without pulling and snagging, all while distributing natural oils and conditioning dry ends. As such, it’s also highly preferred by those with fine hair.

Loop brush- for extensions

Finally, there’s also the loop brush, which is made especially for hair extensions, since it features looped bristles designed to easily glide through your hair and over wefts without the risk of getting caught and pulling them out. This brush works equally great on clip-in and permanent hair extensions.

How to expertly manage curly hair

Once you have the right hair brush for your hair type and style, the question is, how do you use it properly so it does its job correctly without risking damage to your hair? After all, even with the right brush, curly hair can still be somewhat difficult to manage. Well, here are a few proven and tested tips and tricks that you can follow:

Detangle your hair strands

Before using your new hair brush, the first thing you need to do is to actually smooth things out and tackle those stubborn knots with the use of a wide toothed comb, especially since a typical hair brush can leave you with serious damage if you run it through snarled hair.

Work your way up

Rather than the standard practice of combing from roots to tips, it’s better if you start from the bottom by grabbing a small section of your hair, then slowly working your way upwards in order to avoid hair stress and prevent breakage. This way, you don’t yank your hair or experience any pulling sensation.

Comb it wet and brush it dry

To easily detangle stubborn hair and curls, a great practice is to just take your wide toothed comb in the shower, and work it through your hair that is lathered in conditioner in order to effectively detangle it without risking breakage. And, once your hair is clean and dry, that’s when you can use a brush to style your hair.

Use the right hair care products

There are a lot of amazing hair care products you can use to help keep your hair smooth, shiny, healthy, and frizz free, such as detangling sprays, essential oils, treatments, conditioners, and so on. Apply these on your hair before brushing so it spreads evenly without too much buildup.

Keep your brush clean

Now, no matter how great your hair brush is, it can only do its job effectively if you keep it in good condition and prevent excessive build up of hair strands and follicles, dirt, product, and bacteria. After all, you don’t want to spread these things throughout your hair and scalp, right? So, it’s important to clean your hair at least weekly to keep it fresh and clean.

Final Thoughts

While it can be fun to hit the local shops for the best hair care products every once in a while, don’t forget the basics, which includes getting the best brush for curly hair. Don’t just opt for the cheapest plastic brush you can find, unless you want to keep having bad hair days.

Rather, invest in a high quality hair brush made with the right materials, such as the ultimate favorite of professional and home stylists, the Denman Classic Styling Brush. It’s super popular due to the way it easily and effectively detangles strands, enhances curls, and adds definition and volume to your hair.