Which hairbrush suits me best: boar bristles, plastic or wood?
A boar bristle brush, a plastic brush, or would you prefer a wooden one?
Hairbrushes for healthy and shiny hair
Let's leave styling brushes aside for a moment. At the end of the day, a hairbrush should detangle our hair, not pull it out and give us the desired fit. At best, it should be gentle and care for our hair.
Pretty clear ideas, and yet not so easy to find. This article is intended to shed some light on the subject and help you choose the right hairbrush.
Boar bristle brush, plastic brush or wooden brush?
Get into the ring!
Properties of boar bristle brushes
As the name suggests, the boar bristle brush is a hairbrush in which the brushes are made of boar bristles.
The brushes differ, among other things, in their brush bodies. Some are made of plastic and have integrated nylon bristles in addition to the boar bristles. These are usually used to give the bristles a certain strength.
Other boar bristle brushes are set in brush bodies made of natural wood and thus represent a genuine natural product.
But what can it actually do?
The boar bristle brush is truly a miracle brush. Its bristles have a similar surface structure to our human hair and are therefore gentle to handle. - No pulling and tearing of the hair.
The boar bristles are particularly distinguished by the fact that they absorb the natural sebum (hair oil) and distribute it evenly to the ends of the hair when brushing through. As a result, our hair cuticles are gently smoothed - goodbye to brittle hair - hello to natural shine!
What's more, boar bristle brushes are naturally anti-static.
So no more electric hair flying in all directions....
Another positive aspect is that the boar bristles are collected as a by-product. This means that the wild boars are not killed for their bristles. This is where the sustainable and efficient idea comes into play.
One disadvantage is that the cleaning of the boar bristle brush is more time-consuming than that of other hairbrushes. Similar to our hair, it also needs to be cleaned of dirt regularly for it to work its wonders.
With regular use, you get 5 benefits of the boar bristle brush, which builds up and maintains your hair in the long term.
Properties of plastic hairbrushes
There are a variety of plastic brushes that are especially good as styling brushes. Plastic is known to be very resistant. It is also particularly suitable for detangling hair, as long as they are made of soft synthetic material.
In addition, plastic hairbrushes are wonderful when it comes to combing conditioner into wet hair and is also easy to clean.
The disadvantage of a plastic brush is that it electrifies the hair as it is combed through, which works against taming the hair. The hair flies in all directions, just not to the hairstyle we had hoped for.
Moreover, from an environmental point of view, it is not a sustainable product and, once cleaned out, contributes to more plastic waste.
Properties of wooden brushes
Wooden brushes also come under the heading of natural hairbrushes. Their natural and round bristles gently massage the scalp and stimulate blood circulation.
When choosing a wooden brush, it is important to have a good cut and quality of the wood. The ends of the bristles should be soft and rounded, otherwise it can damage the hair. Brittle wood can break the hair and leave unwanted damage.
As a rule, the wooden bristles are anchored in a pneumatic cushion made of rubber. These ensure that the bristles can nestle evenly against the scalp for comprehensive brushing. Unfortunately, this precludes the brush from being one hundred percent natural.
Summary
The different types of hairbrushes each have their advantages and disadvantages in use. When choosing a brush, look at the quality of the material. If in doubt, cheap products can leave injuries and damage in the hair.
If natural and gentle care of the hair is important to you, the boar bristle brush and the wooden brush are a good choice. Boar bristle brushes also have the advantage that they repair the hair in the long term and provide a natural shine.
In terms of sustainability, these brushes also contribute to less plastic waste and ensure healthier and stronger hair growth with regular use.
A plastic brush is more recommended for styling as, although resistant, its nature electrically charges the hair and only serves its purpose when exposed to heat.
Different brushes, with different focuses. However, if you had to choose just one brush, e.g. to go travelling, I would definitely pack my boar bristle brush! With this brush, I not only detangle my hair, but also care for and repair it sustainably. Once you've had the pleasure of using a boar bristle brush, you'll find it hard to do without, but see for yourself.