It seems like every time a hair tool boasts of new cutting-off technology, we get the feeling that it’s going to be a beauty changer. A great example is the hype on ionic hair tools. From ionic hair dryers to ionic styling tools, and now ionic hair brushes. 

Ionic technology on hair brushes is nothing new, however, as they have been a major trend for years now.  But despite all these excitements, few questions still remain. Do ionic hair brushes really work? Are they really worth it?

Let’s all get the facts straight. Today we are all about ionic hair brushes. Learn everything you need to know about it; how they work and what they do to your hair. In addition to the all-inclusive buyıng guide are hot picks for best ionic hair brushes. 

First things first, what are ions and what do they do to your hair?

Ions are molecules consisting of net electric charge of either positive or negative.  Positively ions are what open hair cuticles up and too much of it causes your hair strands to repel each other, resulting in a frizzy dry-looking hair.  Negative ions, on the other hand, works the opposite, which is to seal cuticles, neutralizing frizz and flyaways.

So you get the idea, we want more of the negative ions and less of the positives. But did you know that hair routine such as shampooing, towel-drying, or even simple activities such as sleeping (where friction between the hair and the pillow occurs),  causes hair to be more positively charged? As a result, hair looks frizzy, static and opens up to problems such as flyaway. That’s where hair brushes that run on ionic technology come handy — to restore ionic balance and leave hair more manageable. 

What exactly is an ionic hair brush?

Ionic hair brushes are thermal brushes that run on electricity, with a cord that can be plug-in into an outlet while some are powered by a battery (some even come in a butane pack). This engineered brush tool primarily works to emit heat that generates negative ions. Mind you, only negative ions (no positive ones). The aim is to eliminate positive ions and restore the hair’s natural electric charge.

How does it work?

Much like other electric or battery-powered beauty tools, ionic hair brushes work with power buttons and temperature setting which you can adjust the heat on. Once turned on, heat emanates from the opening vents to the bristles, generating a constant flux of negative ions. The bristles glide through hair smoothly to flattened cuticles. As a result, hair stays in place and you’ll notice a great reduction in frizz and statics. 

Most ionic hairbrushes are designed to use on dry hair although there are also some that can be used on damp hair. 

Why go for an ionic hair brush?

As mentioned, too much friction between your hair and hard material can cause your hair to frizz. Even excessively running your fingers through your hair creates constant traction that weakens hair structure and causes breakage. Much so brushing your hair with a regular brush or comb. 

Brushes that generate negative ions have reverse effects. Here are some of the hair benefits you can get from an ionic hair brush.

Reduces Frizz and Flyaways: Since negative ions seal broken cuticles, hair strands stay in their place which means no more fuzzy and irregular hair texture.

Adds Smoothness and Shine: You’ll also notice an obvious silky smooth hair with every use because the negative ions seal hair’s natural shine and keep it well hydrated. 

Preserves Hair Structure: Just like regular hair brushes, ionic brushes detangle hair. But they are gentler since they glide through with ease than a regular brush that yanks up hair. This preserves the integrity of hair and wards off hair breakage.

More reasons to ditch your regular hair brush

Hair brushes that are equipped with ionic technology have far more advantages than just keeping your hair healthy-looking. Here are the other benefits of ionic hair brushes

Speeds Up Drying Time: There are reasons why negative ions are also incorporated in hair dryers. They work by breaking down water molecules which reduce drying time. The fact that the brush itself generates heat dries the hair even more. Unlike a standard blow dryer, however, they minimize heat damage and are more hair-friendly.

Styles Hair While Brushing: A great ionic brush can assist with your styling repertoire.  It can tone down waves and curls or gives volume to flat hair that needed an oomph.

Money Saver: To put it in a nutshell, ionic hair brushes are like your detangler, hair dryer and styler all-ın one. No more juggling among beauty arsenals and will save you more money if you are a beauty minimalist that is looking for one tool does all your hair grooming and styling woes. 

BUYING GUIDE: How to choose an ionic hair brush?

One might ask, why can’t I just pick any ionic-powered brush? Well, there’s a far great difference between picking the right brush that is optimal for your hair type versus the wrong one. The first will help you score those highly coveted perfect hair look while the latter may be responsible for your bad hair days. But wıth all the varying features available and different kinds of ionic hair brush, where do you start? 

Here in Kalista, we’ll walk you through the overwhelming world of hair brushes. The following are the factors you need to consider in buying the right ionic brush for your hair needs. 

RIGHT SHAPE

Unlike regular hair brushes that come in many shapes, there is only two hair brush shapes for electric brushes; the flat and the round. Each shape comes with a special function and may work with a specific kind of hair. 

Flat Brush:

• Best For Straightening
• Recommended For: Thick and Course Hair

The brush features either a rectangular or oval plate that is likened to a shape of a paddle. Flat brushes are great for straightening and toning down curls. For those who want to keep their wavy curls and still want to use flat brushes, aim for a wider rectangular surface as the brush can still glide through tresses smoothly without breaking the pattern of your curls. Because of their wide surface, flat brushes are great to use with thick hair as they can hold a greater amount of hair strands. 

Round Brush:

• Best for Curling Hair and Blowouts
• Recommended for: Short and Fine Hair

Resembling a barrel, round brushes are ideal for creating a volume and body. They are great for blowouts but you can also use this type of ionic brush in prepping dry hair for styling. 

BRUSH SIZE

In choosing the sizes of the brush, it is important to consider the type of hairstyle you are aiming for. If you want tighter curls, for instance, opt for slimmer barrels whereas barrels with larger sizes are best for loose curls.

It is also worth considering the type and length of the hairstyle. Small-sized barrels don’t work well with longer and thicker hair as they can get ahold much of the hair and will be time-consuming for curling. With these being said opt for longer barrels with a larger width if you have a greater amount of hair to work on.

The same rule applies to paddle brushes. The overall width of the plate determines how much hair can the brush hold for straightening. Narrower blades are for longer and thicker tresses while smaller ones are for short and fine hair. 

PLATE MATERIAL

Different brands offer different types of plates. The plate can either be ceramic, tourmaline and titanium. Each delivers a varying performance in terms of speed and distribution of heat.

Ceramic

• Recommended for: Fine and Damaged hair.

Mostly used in round brushes, ceramic heats up quickly and generate negative ions evenly, all while gliding easily through hair to reduce hair damage and breakage. More so, the gentle infrared heat they emit works well with fine and chemically treated hair.

Tourmaline

• Works with All Hair Type

Comparatively, tourmaline plates emit more negative ions, reheats faster and delivers a more even heat than ceramic. The only downside, however, is it will cost you more depending on the amount of crystals that are incorporated in the brushes because tourmaline is normally a rare gemstone. 

Titanium

• Recommended for: Thick and Course Hair

This metal plating is not the most common although some brands still incorporate it because of its excellent heat transfer and durability. The heat is too much for fine hair and is better used for thicker hair. 

Additional Shopping Tips:

• Choose a brush that is plated with the aforementioned rather than coated to get the most out of the heating technology. Coated types also get peeled and chipped after regular use and one that thing that you should watch out for.
• Ceramic and tourmaline are great alone, but titanium is not good on its own because of high temperature. For an even heat distribution, go for a titanıum hair brush mixed with either tourmaline or ceramic plating.
• It is also worth mentioning that a combination of ceramic and tourmaline is worth investing in to rip off the benefits of each plate type. 

BRISTLES

There aren’t too many options in bristles when it comes to ionic brushes. Some are rigid and best suited for thicker hair while some are flexible that work best on fine hair. Because the bristles are normally constructed with airflow vents, they are often made of heat-conducting materials, like a ceramic for instance. Once the bristles heat up, it works with ionic technology to neutralize positive ion while effortlessly gliding through hair. 

HEAT SETTINGS

Hair brush with a wider range of temperatures can accommodate different hair types. High heat settings are great for thicker courser hair but fine and chemically processed hair cannot cope up with such. So fine haired-peeps be better off with multiple heat adjustments and always do keep your brush on the lower temperature setting. 

Wider variations of temperature also allow more styling precisions. Most heat adjustments are accompanied by a cool shot button that locks a hairstyle in place.

WATTAGE

Much like temperature settings, levels of wattage is relative to hair types. Higher wattage is great for thick hairs while lower wattage is safe to use for fine and fragile hair. There are ionic brushes that can go as high as 2000 but those that fall within 1300 to 1875 watts are safe enough to use by every hair type. 

LOOKING FOR YOUR PERFECT IONIC HAIR BRUSH? FIND YOUR BEST MATCH HERE

When it comes to caring for your hair, we can’t emphasize enough how having the right ionic brush in your beauty tools is important. But it is easy to be attracted to a certain type of design or get easily swayed with clever marketing Yet it doesn’t quite take you that hair look you’ve always wanted (much like a date gone bad!).

 At Kalista, we always want the best for you. That’s why we have done the legwork and rounded up the top best ionic hair brushes available right now.  

1. MiroPure Enhanced Hair Straightener Brush

Tames down unruly curls, no matter what hair types

A top-seller in its class, this hair brush boasts of a wide range of temperature settings — 16 different heat adjustments to be exact, ranging from  300℉ and 450℉. This means that whether your hair is thick or thin, you’ll be able to choose the right temperature setting to manage your messy curls.

The high-density brush is also adept in banishing frizz and flyaways owing to its double ionic generator. On top of that, it takes advantage of the benefit of ceramic heating technology that enables that plate to heat up in just 60 seconds and generate an even heat distribution. The ceramic and ionic infusion is what also gives your hair its lustrous shine. 

2. BIO IONIC Bluewave Nanoionic Brush

For your styling and volumizing needs

What makes this brush stands out is its unique square-roundish shape that adds tension for faster drying and increased volume. The bristles are angled in such a way to help with facilitating maximum tension for styling, cored in honeycomb shaped-vent for an added airflow and an even more increased styling. 

More to the wavy bristles are the infusion of nano ionic minerals to give lackluster hair its needed shine and condition, hence reducing frizz and flyaways. Additionally, the bristles are moderately stiff and work for both fine and thick hairs. 

3. MEXITOP Ice Ionic Hairbrush

Bye-bye hair loss and hair damage. Hello, healthy hair!

Of course, achieving that perfect hair look is the ultimate dream. But wouldn’t you want one that does the job while deeply conditioning hair? If so, MEXITOP Ice Ionic Hairbrush is your best bet. 

Besides the ionic conditioning, this hair care protection tool is fully equipped with the right technology that moisturizes hair and smoothens knots. In fact, your hair will feel rejuvenated with a greater definition. Even better, it is specially designed to deal with hair that is prone to hair loss.

The brush comes with two detachable heads, one for normal use while the other one is the ice core aluminum head that enables heated hair to cool down. The tool can either be powered by a battery but can also be charged using your gadgets with its USB design.

4. Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Round Brush

Excellent styling tool for sporting gorgeous bouncy curls

Want to step up your curling game? Combining the qualities of a brush and a curling iron is this Ion Round Brush coming from one of the leading manufacturers of salon-quality beauty tools, Paul Mitchell. Its good on its own but the aluminum barrel facilitates a retainable heat in the core of the corkscrew bristles to make styling easier with a blow-dryer.

Another good all-rounder, the aluminum vented barrel also helps in drying and can be used damp hair. Of course, the feature wouldn’t be complete without its Express Ion Complex that baths hair with negative ions, leaving it silky and smooth to the touch. 

 5. Osensia Ionic Flat Hairbrush

The multi-purpose brush lets your hair dazzle in style

Drying,  straightening and detangling in one tool? These ionic brushes are up for the challenge. 

The key lies in their professional-grade bristles. Not only are they infused with ionic rich minerals but they are also antistatic and heat resistant, so rest assured you’re achieving that stunning straight hair withy silky smooth finished. 

But it gets even better, the nylon bristles are also incorporated with cushioned ball tips that gently massage the scalp. Because a healthy scalp means healthy hair growth. 

Osensia offers the flat brush in two shapes; oval and paddle. Both come with an ergonomically design soft-grip handle with a section pin tip at the end for effortless hair styling.

6. ALDOM Ionic Massage Hair Brush

Turns unmanageable hair into smooth and shiny — all while massaging scalp

This one is for ladies and gents whose brushing routine seems to be a play of tug of war. Aldom Ionic Massage Hair Brush is a high-end detangler that glides through hair, gently unraveling even toughest tangles without snagging or pulling. Construction includes an emission port that continuously unleashes an abundance of negative ions to reduce hair frizz and add shine.

As the name suggests, the hair brush dual function to massage the scalp. It releases vibration that helps promote blood circulation, thus soothing fatigue and stress. Some even raved about how it relieves headaches. But the benefit goes beyond relaxation since massaging scalp also help distribute oil from your scalp through your hair, leaving a more healthy-looking hair.

The shape of the brush is also unique. It is likened to that of a computer mouse but a bit bigger. 

It’s portable, to say the least, so you rest assured you’ll have that frizz-free hairstyle wherever and whenever. 

7. Osensia Ionic Ceramic Round Brush for Blow Drying

Perfect for an at-home salon blowout

This hair brush is the round barrel version of Osensia’s paddle ionic brush, another proof that Osensia is on top of their game. Just like any other Osensia’s brush collections, the anti-static bristles are made out of nylon and designed to resist heat as high as 428°F, topped with a perfectly cushioned softball tips that gently exfoliates and adds shine. 

However, unlike its flat brush counterpart, ceramic is added into the ionic-infused plate for an instant hair boost and reduced drying time. The handle is padded and made to fit conveniently in your hand without heating up. This one also has a pin tip so you can easily section hair as you tousle or subtle your dream curls. 

8. KINGDOMCARES Hair Straightener Brush

For a quick major touch-up wherever you go

We all need that slender hair brush we can conveniently carry for when we need to fix up kinks while we travel. KINGDOMECARES Hair Straightener Brush delivers just that. With the help of its 23  ceramic heating pieces that hold a great portion of hair with each pass, the hair brush straightens staticky locks in just a matter of minutes while ionic technology ensures a smoother and polished style.

More to the feature is a multiple heat setting ranging from  284°F to  365°F that works well with every hair type and even safe to use by fragile and chemically treated hair. Built with safety in mind, the brush retains a constant heat temperature to ward off scalding injuries. Indeed KINGDOMCARES does truly care!

9. Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer 

Frizz-free blowouts up to half the time  

The time spent on drying and styling hair can be a big-time eater. Revlon made a hair tool that addresses such concern —  a hair dryer and volumizer enveloped in one brush so you can style while you dry. Moreover, the innovative airflow vents together with its ionic and ceramic technology dry hair faster. No wonder This hot air brush is  Amazon’s number one bestseller in hot-air brushes. 

It also doesn’t disappoint when it comes to hair coverage. The unique oval design gives hair that added volume from roots to end for full-bodied results. It runs on a 1100 watt power that is backed up with multiple heat settings, providing flexibilities for all hair types. Meanwhile, the nylon tufted bristles of boar technology entangle hair with a gentle grip for less hair breakage. 

10. CNXUS Ionic Hair Straightener Brush 

Because when it comes to tangle-taming tool, your regular brush just won’t cut it

Ideal for everyday brushing, this electric-powered solves all your hair knotting concern. It detangles and straightens without snagging hair. Instead, it glides through the hair gently to preserve its overall integrity. 

Its well-rounded hair care features include an advanced MCH ceramic heating that is considered to be much superior to PTC counterparts. As such, expect more rapid and uniform heating. To create stronger resilient hair that is more resistant to damaging factors, the heat generates ion that deeply penetrates into the hair core. It also gives hair a noticeable shine with every use. 

The adjusted heat temperature has 5 levels to cater to any specific hair type. You won’t even have to worry about forgetting to turn off as the electric brush shuts down by itself when not in use.

We can’t let you go without mentioning that this brush is also suitable for men’s beards!

Ionic Hair Brush Top Picks

When it comes to hair brushing, there are no one-size-fits-all. That’s why our top picks for today include two different types of brushes in flat and round categories.

For Flat Brush: We highly recommend MiroPure Enhanced Hair Straightener Brush. It has the widest range of temperature setting among the flat brushes featured here (16 heat settings) — this means it can cater to any hair type. This is also one of the few brushes that harbor the benefit of MCH ceramic technology ( which as mentioned is a superior of its kind). This of course apart from its ionic benefits. All smart features work hand-in-hand to produce a salon standard straight style while caring for your hair. The icing of the cake is the heat resistant glove which makes it more convenient and safe to use. 

For Round Brush: Garnering 4.5 in Amazon review ratings is Osensia Ionic Ceramic Round Brush for Blow Drying which for the most part is why it had made it in our top favorite round ionic brush. Because we cannot just ignore honest customers’ feedback, right? It has the ability to dry hair in just a fraction of time. You can even sport gorgeous curls while you are it. Another thing that we like about the ceramic ion thermal barrel is that it’s available in 5 sizes, accommodating every hair length whether you are after tousled waves or kinky curls!