buuk.top / Lecia Landis
Like a snowflake or fingerprint, every set of curls is unique. Different textures, patterns, and shapes come into play, meaning that there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to a routine. Washing and styling might be an obvious one, but the type of brush you use for curly hair is also an important aspect to consider.
“Those with curly hair should always look for solution-type tools,” says celebrity stylist and curl expert Nai’vasha. “This includes things like paddle brushes, gloves, and Denman-style brushes. These all tend to detangle and define in one punch.”
So, to cover all bases, we tapped several experts for their recommendations and even tested a handful of the best brushes for curly hair at home over the course of several weeks. We considered each tool’s material, bristle density, and whether or not it works in the shower on wet hair (since that’s a huge part of a curly hair care routine). After trying out dozens of models, we ranked each brush from one to five; five being the best. The highest-ranked curly hair brushes made the list.
Curls Ultimate Detangler Brush at Amazon
tgin Define + Style Detangling Brush at Amazon
Mason Pearson Junior Bristle & Nylon Mixture Brush at Amazon
Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross Shower Brush at Amazon
Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush at Amazon
Drybar Super Lemon Drop Detangling Brush at Amazon
Ouidad Made for Curls Customizable Detangler at Amazon
Grace Eleyae 8-Row Detangling Brush at Graceeleyae.com
Sisley Paris Hair Rituel The Blow-Dry No. 1 Brush for Thin Hair at Amazon
Best Overall
Curls Ultimate Detangler Brush
Amazon
Comes with 18 bristle rows
Effective for all curl types and patterns
Customizable
Instructions could be clearer
If you have multiple curl patterns on your head (for example, looser curls in the front and tighter coils in the back), this is the brush for you. It has 18 rows of bristles, with nine thinner rows for finer hair and nine thick bristle rows for coarser hair—making it easier for you to customize your brush based on your hair type. We love how lightweight it is (despite having a wide body and thick handle) and appreciate that the bristles are soft but firm, which prevents scalp discomfort while brushing. During testing, we were pleased to discover that this brush glides through the hair seamlessly and removes tangles without ripping or damaging curls and coils in any way. This brush actually helped maintain and enhance the natural curl patterns of our hair, giving them some added volume, definition, and bounce.
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors:
Black, Blue
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
Byrdie / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best Budget
tgin Define + Style Detangling Brush
Ulta
Idea for use in the shower
Doesnt tug or pull curls
Bristles can be too widely spaced for some curl patterns
Featuring wide, gentle bristles, this budget pick from tgin defines curls and loosens knots with ease. Sure, you could find a cheaper brush at the drugstore, but this one performed the best during testing. Because the bristles are decently spaced out, the brush doesn’t snag, pull, or tug at hair—even in the most tangle-prone of curls. Plus, we didn’t notice much shedding during testing. In fact, it was negligible; we only found one hair on the brush when cleaning it. The handle, despite being shiny plastic, has a nice grip and is light enough that it’s easy to hold for a long period of time. Keep in mind, however, that since the teeth are so widely spaced, this brush has a tendency to separate curls (rather than style them). That said, this might be best for use in the shower for detangling and distributing conditioner.
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors: Black
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best Splurge
Mason Pearson Junior Bristle & Nylon Mixture Brush
Saks Fifth Avenune
Handmade with premium boar bristles
Stimulates circulation in hair follicles
Maintains, enhances, and detangles curls
Comes with a cleaning tool
Not a quick fix
Splurging on a hair brush isn’t necessary, but if you’re looking to add a little more luxury to your hair care routine, consider this option from Mason Pearson. Developed (and patented) over 100 years ago, the Mason Pearson Hair Brush is as luxe as brushes get. The brush features some of the finest premium-grade boar bristles—which are gentle on the hair and scalp—plus hearty nylon tufts that detangle hair for a smooth, silky finish. With seven rings of precisely placed bristles, the brush is designed to maintain, enhance, and detangle curls with ease, while the boar bristles distribute the scalp’s natural oils and stimulate circulation in the hair follicles. Each Mason Pearson hair brush is handmade in England and comes with a nylon cleaning tool to remove hair, dead skin, and product from the brush (aka keeping your brush in tip-top shape). It’s worth noting, however, that it’s not a perfect fix for all of your hair and scalp issues—it’ll only supplement an existing routine.
Bristle Material: Premium boar, Nylon | Colors: Black and red
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best for Thick Natural Hair
Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross Shower Detangling Brush
Amazon
Creates definition
Works for all curl types
Comfortable grip
Can break easily
A great shower option, this brush from Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern Beauty detangles thick hair without causing breakage. During testing, we noticed that this brush does an excellent job of distributing conditioner throughout wet hair, taking note of how effortlessly it glides through curls. We found that it was helpful when trying to style and define hair without creating frizz—something that’s easier said than done. The only thing we didn’t love was the fact that if it’s handled too aggressively, it can break. Try your best to be delicate with it, after all, you’re managing your gorgeous hair!
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors: Black
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best for Tightly Coiled Hair
Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush
Amazon
Flexible bristles
Wide handle for comfortable grip
Prevents hair loss and shredding
Might not work well on dry hair
Known for being one of the best detangling brushes on the market, natural hair expert and celeb hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood’s Detangling Brush is a must-have for those with tightly curled or coily hair. It features widely spaced flexi-bristles that work as well on tight curls as they do to detangle knots and take down braids. Not only is it a great option for tight curls and coils, but it’s also lightweight, easy to clean, and takes up minimal space—a huge win for low-maintenance folks. During testing, we loved how nice it felt on the scalp and how quickly it eradicated tangles and tension.
Bristle Material:Nylon | Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, Purple
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
Best for Loose Curls
Drybar Super Lemon Drop Detangling Brush
Sephora
Works on wet and dry hair
Flexible bristles that work through tangles
Soft-touch finish
Plastic bristle tips can fall off
Whether your go-to hairstyle features soft, loose curls or you’re blessed with natural ones, this brush from Dybar is a good one. It features flexible bristles that easily untangle wet or dry hair without painful pulling or tugging and features a soft-touch handle that’s lightweight and slip-free. As for the performance, we were pleased to find that the brush glides easily through hair, helps form curls, and reduces frizz—a win, win, win. After testing for several weeks, we noticed that some of the plastic bristle tips fell off. While it isn’t the biggest deal, the uncapped bristles can be slightly uncomfortable on the scalp if you brush too hard. We wish the brand would rectify that issue for pain-free styling.
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors: Yellow
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best for Shower
Ouidad Made for Curls Customizable Detangler
Can add or remove bristles
Extra long, no-slip grip
Helps distribute product
Stiff and hard
As the name suggests, Ouidad’s Made for Curls Detangler is designed specifically to remove tangles, knots, and tension in curly hair. Though we found the most success using this tool in the shower, you can use it wet or dry. Either way, it’ll detangle curls with ease. We especially love that this brush comes with the ability to add or remove bristle rows to create the perfect tension for your unique curl pattern. The bristles are stiff and hard, unlike other brushes intended for curly hair, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover that it does a fantastic job of distributing product throughout the hair in the shower and eliminates pulling and breakage.
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors: Pink
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best Detangler
Grace Eleyae 8-Row Detangling Brush
Grace Eleyae
Ergonomic handle and flexible design
Separate bristles
Might not work as well on tighter curls and coils
If you deal with tangles, check out this Hrace Eleyae Detangling Brush. It’s ergonomic—meaning it’s designed for efficiency—and won’t grab a hold of tangles and cause pain or excess hair breakage. Instead, it relies on flexible bristles that evenly distribute tension through your hair as you comb through it, reducing pulling (and, therefore, shedding). During testing, we noticed that combing this brush through our hair was significantly easier when hair was wet (rather than dry), and it tackled tangles quickly and painlessly. We would like to point out, however, that this brush might not work as well on someone with a tighter curl pattern or thicker strands of hair.
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors: Black
Byrdie / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Best for Blow Drying
Sisley Paris Hair Rituel The Blow-Dry Brush for Thin Hair
Nordstrom
Smooths out frizz
Bristles provide a strong hold on individual pieces of hair
Bristles can fall out over time
Round brushes are really helpful when blow-drying and styling hair, and this model from Sisley Paris is no exception. Not only does this brush help form curls and eliminate frizz, but the bristles also offer a nice massage on the scalp. The flexible yet sturdy bristles come in a mix of short and tightly-packed or longer, free-standing ones, which work together to grab a hold of hair while styling. Even those of us that have super thick hair found that the brush was gentle, even when working it through knots and tangles. The bristles made their way through the hair with ease and never tugged on ends or caused breakage. The only con is that the bristles can become loose and fall out over time, but that’s not unheard of for brushes like these.
Bristle Material: Nylon | Colors: Black and tan
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Jessica Juliao
buuk.top / Joy Kim
Final Verdict
The best brush will be one that works with your curl pattern, but as far as versatility is concerned, we can’t go past the Curls Ultimate Detangler Brush. Designed specifically for curls, it detangles and shapes without pulling, and while we love it on damp hair, it still works like a treat when strands are dry. We also love the tgin Define + Style Detangling Brush. It has a unique ability to ease out knots without disturbing curl patterns.
Meet the Expert
What to Look for in a Brush for Curly Hair
Bristle Density
The density of a brushs bristles or teeth is important and should be tailored to your hair type. For styling or blow-drying curly hair, you typically want quite a bit of density so your brush is strong enough to get through your hair without bending or breaking. This also ensures that you get good tension for smoothing out your hair, especially when blow-drying. We like the Curls Ultimate Detangler Brush for this. When it comes to detangling, try a wider-toothed comb like the Grace Eleyae 8-Row Detangling Brush.
Weight
The heavier the brush, the more energy it requires to use. Lightweight brushes (like the Drybar Super Lemon Drop Detangling Brush, for example) make it easier to detangle and style quickly—no need for a workout here. However, be careful not to choose a brush that feels flimsy or cheap. These tend to break faster and sometimes break while you’re using them.
Size
A smaller-sized brush, like the Felicia Leatherwood Detangling Brush, works best for those with thick, tight curls. It also helps to brush through the hair in sections, which may take some time, but it’s worth the work. A larger brush or longer comb is ideal for fine to medium hair with looser curls. But, as always, test out a few brushes and see which one suits your hair best.
Nai’vasha recommends detangling curly hair by starting from the ends and moving towards the roots, working in smaller sections. “I only like to brush curls during the detangling, shampooing, and conditioning process as well to not disrupt the curl pattern. Otherwise, I simply shake or fluff the hair.”
“I like to shampoo brushes using the teeth of a comb to remove residue before allowing them to air dry,” says Nai’vasha.
It ultimately depends on the density of your hair. If you have dense hair, look for a thick brush with strong bristles. If you have less dense hair, try a brush that offers a bit more flexibility so it’s gentler on your strands.
Look for a wide-toothed comb that’s safe for wet hair and use in the shower. It’s smart to use your wet brush in the shower while you have a deep conditioner in your hair so your curls are properly prepped and have a bit of slip to work with.
To prevent curly hair from getting frizzy when you brush it, try brushing your curls out in the shower when your hair is wet. Apply a conditioner and use a wide-toothed comb.
Generally, a comb with widely spaced bristles is the best, as they don’t pull on hair in the same way that fine-toothed brushes do.
How We Tested
buuk.top editors did extensive research on popular brushes for curly hair, taking expert recommendations and consumer reviews into account before choosing 14 to test out first-hand. Each tester considered each tool’s material, bristle density, whether or not it works in the shower on wet hair (since that’s a huge part of a curly hair care routine), and how hair looked after consistent use before deciding on a rating from one to five. Those with the highest scores made the list.
Testing the Best Brushes for Curly Hair
Why Trust buuk.top
buuk.top staff commerce writer Caitlyn Martyn has several years of experience in the beauty industry and has covered all things skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care. An avid product tester, Caitlyn likes to try the latest and greatest products to let readers know what’s worth it and what’s not.
Emily Algar is an experienced freelance writer who covers all things beauty. Her work has also appeared in Popsugar, Vogue Australia, Grazia, Cosmopolitan, and more.
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