You may have heard that a boar bristle brush is the best brush to get and use on your hair. This doesn’t really take into account the type of hair you have. The hairbrush you select should match the type of hair you have, whether it’s curly or straight.
Straight hair does work very well with a boar bristle brush. A boar bristle brush is natural and can help distribute the hair’s natural oils to increase shine. It can also be used for curly hair IF you want to blow dry it straight too, but not if you want to retain the curl.
Curly hair shouldn’t be fussed with too much. It is better to use pick or your fingers to separate curls without increasing frizz than it is to brush through them. If you are brushing wet hair than a flat paddle brush will help to remove knots without increasing frizz. Then let it dry, scrunch, and separate curls with a pick or your fingers.
When you are selecting a hairbrush, make sure it fits well in your hand and that you can maneuver it easily. You want to be able to give your head firm downward strokes from the roots to the tips of the hair without losing your grip. There are brushes with soft finishes that can be gentler on hands that may have lost their flexibility or ease of movement. Be sure to pick one that is light too, instead of one that is too heavy and unwieldy.
Above everything, avoid nylon bristle brushes. They do not distribute the oils in your hair and can even tangle it more while you are brushing. Instead, opt for animal bristles, like a boar bristle brush. These have nice rounded tips that won’t damage the hair while brushing, causing split ends like nylon brushes might do.