How To Brush Your Hair: 7 Tips For Brushing Your Hair The Right Way

Strokes of genius.

By Emily Gaynor and Kristi Kellogg, Teen Vogue

Wondering how to brush your hair — the right way? Depending on the type of hair you have — thickness, texture, length — the way you should approach the act of brushing is different. Also, the types of brushes you should use vary based on hair type. We went straight to the hair professionals to get expert answers. Read on to find out how often to brush your hair, what type of brush you should use and our more in our complete guide to hair brushing.



1.

Don't Brush Your Hair More than Necessary

Ever wondered how often should you brush your hair? Every kind of hair can benefit from being brushed, but the myth of needing to brush your strands 100 times a day to make it extra shiny. This just isn't true. In fact, too much brushing can lead to damage. Over-brushing will lift the cuticles of your hair and break it, which makes your hair look dull because light won't reflect on it. For that reason, you should only brush your hair as much as it needs in order to be untangled and smooth!



2.

If You Have Curly Hair, Use Your Fingers or a Paddle Brush While Your Hair is Wet

If you have a curly or wavy hair, Fugate says your hands are your best tools. "Most girls who have curly hair should put their hands on their scalp and then rake their fingers through," he says.

Here's exactly how to brush curly hair: Put some leave-in conditioner or gel on your fingers and use your fingers to distribute the product and slide through any tangles. Or, you can run through your strands with a paddle brush to distribute the product if you prefer. Her fave? The Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush.



3.

Avoid brushing wavy or curly hair once it's dry..

"Once the drying process starts, put all brushes away," says Shorter. Shorter recommends staying away from combs, if possible, because they aren't flexible. "A wooden paddle brush allows hair to glide through the grooves easily," she explains.



4. 

For Curly or Wavy Hair, Use a Paddle Brush Followed by a Round Brush While Blowdrying

For wet, curly hair that is about to be blown straight, Shorter recommends brushing through it with a paddle brush to detangle and work the product through. Then, she switches to a Denman brush for the blow-dry. "When you blow dry curly hair, you're using higher heat and there's more frequent rotation with the heat," says Shorter. "You need a brush that won't melt," she adds.

The Denman brush has grip that allows the curls to stretch into their temporarily straight state. Once you've smoothed out your curls, Shorter says you can go back and style with a round brush for added body.



5.

If You Have Slightly Wavy or Straight Hair, Brush It While It's Wet or Dry

People with straight or only slightly wavy hair are able to brush their hair safely while it's wet or dry. Here's exactly how to approach either option.

How to Brush Straight Hair While Wet

When you get out of the shower, brush your hair before styling. First, apply a lightweight leave-in conditioner like the Sally Hershberger Hydration Spray for fine hair, or Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Oil-in-Creamfor thicker hair. Next, hairstylist Matt Fugate recommends using a comb, as long as you don't rip the comb through your strands. "You have to be mindful of the angle," he explains. "If the teeth are pointed down, you get too much tension which pulls the hair. If you angle the teeth up a little, you won't rip or break any hairs," he adds. Also, start at the bottom (cue Drake) and work your way up. "When you comb from the top down, if there's a knot, you end up tightening it. If you're gentle and start at the bottom, you won't cinch it," he explains. If you don't have a comb handy, you can do this with a paddle brush, but Fugate warns not to engage the entire brush. "For the initial brushing, use the first couple of rows to be very soft and gentle. Then, once the tangles are out, you can go in and do a full swoop," he explains. 

How to Brush Straight Hair While Dry

Most people with straight or slightly wavy hair can benefit from drying brushing that distributes natural oils from the scalp down. "Every other day you should grab a paddle brush, or a Mason Pearson, and brush from your roots to your ends," says Fugate. "Make sure you use a brush with soft enough bristles to stimulate the scalp without causing damage," he explains. If you're equipped with a soft-bristled brush, you don't run the risk of snagging your hair. When a brush has harder bristles, you're more likely to snap every snag as you pull the brush through — aka breakage central. Fugate explains that dispersing your natural oils down your hair shaft makes hair naturally smooth and shiny without the drying elements that come from silicones in hairsprays.
For Color-Processed or Damaged Hair



6.

When Blow Drying Straight Hair, Grab Any Brush.

As for what brushes to use while blow-drying straight hair, anything is fair game — you can use a wide variety of brushes to get the job done. "Use either a paddle, mixed bristle, or metal brush when blow-drying straight hair," says hairstylist Tippi Shorter.

If you're going for max volume, reach for a round brush with a large barrel. Try the Ion Pink Ceramic Thermal Round Brush $6.99 sallybeauty.com.

If you're looking for a more sleek and smooth look, stick with the paddle brush. Try the Full Paddle Tangle Teezer Blow Styling Tool, $35 sephora.com.



7.

Clean Your Hairbrush Regularly

No matter what kind of hair you have or brush you use, one rule applies across the board: clean your hairbrush regularly. Your brush holds onto the product and debris you brush out of your hair everyday — if you don't keep the hairbrush clean, you'll end up brushing that debris right back into your hair (ew).

A good rule of thumb is to clean your brush every two weeks. To clean your hairbrush, soak it in a mixture of water and clarifying shampoo for three to four minutes and pick out any loose hair. (Make sure not to soak wooden brushes any longer than that or it can damage the wood). Not only will your hair stay cleaner this way, your brush will also last longer.

See more at: Teen Vogue