How to Brush the Hair? Best Hair Accessories Review

Today on the blog – a hair post! I know some of my readers are hair junkies, looking forward to every article about hair care. Here it is! 🙂

You’re going to learn:

How to brush hair and what accessories to use? How often to do it?

I want to make you aware of the great importance of regular brushing on the hair condition. Pricey products aren’t enough if you damage your hair while washing, blow-drying and combing. There’s a wrong belief that if you often brush your hair, it may lead to some damage. Far from the truth; brushing is bad when you don’t follow some basic rules. I guess most of you don’t know how to brush hair the right way – here are my tips.

1. When to brush the hair?

Combing strands out before washing is the most important. Doing so, you save yourself from tangles and tearing. There’s a popular question about brushing wet hair. It depends on the accessories and hair types. Combing wet strands is recommended only if your hair’s naturally curly. To do it, use Tangle Teezer or wide-tooth combs, preferably made from natural materials. Remember that wet hair is much more fragile and prone to mechanical damage. Let’s treat it gently. After blow-drying, feel free to brush your strands any time they’re tangled. Do it also before sleep to remove impurities and dust that gather throughout the day.

2. How often to brush?

You must brush your hair every day and as often as possible. Greasy hair is an exception (the problem may get bigger). It’s similar in case of curly hair that needs brushing just before and after washing routine (too much combing may intensify the strawlike hairdo). You should observe your hair and decide when it needs a brush. There’s no daily limit. It’s even the other way round – you should do it often because regular brushing:

• prevents tangling and frizz;
• increases blood flow to the scalp;
• removes impurities, dead hair and dead skin cells;
• allows for better absorption of products;
• spreads the protective sebum onto hair.

3. How to brush the hair?

To be honest there isn’t one method that suits all. Every hair type needs a bit different routine yet there are a few rules that everyone must follow. Never pull or tear your hair! You must be patient and calm while brushing your hair. Sometimes, you need to devote more time to gently detangle the hair, strand by strand, because one stroke isn’t enough to tame a voluminous hairdo. For easier combing, apply a conditioner or styling primer (reminder: the products must be as natural as possible). I love applying a liquid silk to damp strands; it smells amazing, delivers beautiful smoothing and extremely easy brushing. If your hair’s difficult to detangle, start with the ends and move on to the roots gradually.

4. What accessories to use for hair brushing?

The question brings us to the second part of the post – the best hair brushing tools. The accessories are as important as the method you use. Forget all plastic combs or accessories with sharp edges which may catch on hair and cause damage. Wooden and natural-bristle combs and brushes make the best choice. Tangle Teezer is an exception and a kind of innovation. You should choose accessories that go with the hair type. Use this short cheat sheet:

• curly hair loves wooden or bamboo, wide-tooth combs or wooden brushes;
• fine and fragile hair is easy to damage so a delicate, natural-bristle (e.g. boar) brush is the best solution;
• thick and frizz-prone hair needs a flat brush that’s made from nylon or synthetic and natural bristle;
• normal and long hair is going to like Tangle Teezer-like brushes with elastic and short teeth that additionally massage the scalp.

MY HAIR BRUSHING ACCESSORIES

1. Tangle Teezer. Brushing with Tangle Teezer is super relaxing. At first I didn’t believe in the brush because I thought that plastic didn’t work well for hair. It turns out the brush is amazing for my dense and tangling strands. Tangle Teezer features very elastic teeth and it glides on hair, detangling (without pulling) and massaging the scalp at the same time. Since the brush is plastic, I use it for spreading conditioners and oils onto hair, too. Tangle Teezer is very easy to clean, it’s handy and extremely easy to use. I recommend testing it because even the biggest sceptics give it a try and think the brush is brilliant and innovative. The power of simplicity.
2. A wooden, wide-tooth comb. I usually use it for detangling wet strands when I want to work an oil or leave-in conditioner through hair. I don’t get my TT dirty and reach for the comb.
3. A boar-bristle brush. Hairbrushes that are made from natural bristle have the advantage over other accessories. They enrich strands with keratin which is the natural building block of hair. What’s more, a dense brush ensures effortless detangling and adds smoothness. I use it most often for stroking my hairdo in the evening and relaxing in front of TV.
4. A round, styling brush. It’s an accessory I can’t do without during the blow-dry routine. I usually let my hair air-dry not to expose it to the heat damage. When I use a blow-dryer, I always set a cool airflow and use a round brush for styling the hair. It’s a good alternative to a flat iron!

Summing up, there’s a question I want to ask you:

Do you clean your hairbrushes and combs?

Sadly, I think that few of my readers do. It’s a huge mistake which may leave you with scalp irritation or infection. While brushing, impurities, dead skin cells, sebum build up on the accessories. If you don’t clean your hairbrush/comb, it becomes a perfect place for the bacteria to develop. How often to clean hairbrushes? Every day would be the best solution but I do it once a week or every two weeks. I believe it’s enough. Use an anti-bacterial soap or shampoo and a small brush to clean the hard-to-get gaps between the bristles. Girls, just do it! 🙂