Wondering which is better for your hair: natural or synthetic bristles? And if they make a difference to begin with? 

Well, to keep it short, the type of hairbrush bristles you use will depend largely on your hair type and goals. No matter whether that choice is simply keeping your tresses detangled or aiming for a full-on runway model blowout or reducing hair breakage. Lucky for you, deciding on bristles is relatively simple (unlike finding the right skincare products).

There are generally three types of hairbrush bristles: natural, synthetic and a combination of both. Let’s learn about the key differences among the three and which you should add to your haircare arsenal.

NATURAL BRISTLES

Typically made from boar bristles and yes, it is called boar bristles because the filament or bristle comes from the wild boar. Boar bristles usually come from India or China where the animals are raised specifically for their hair.

Why Boar bristles? Because boar bristles are ultra-soft and flexible, and is known for it's ability to evenly disperse and distribute your hair’s natural oils from root to tip, resulting in glossy, shiny, naturally healthy and smooth strands, while keeping the scalp and hair clean . Additionally, because boar bristles are ultra-soft, they reduce hair breakage during daily grooming. 

Is it the one for you? Pure boar bristle brushes are excellent for fine, thin or baby-soft hair. Would definitely recommend it for those with straight or fine hair and those with sensitive scalps, as they are ultra-gentle and minimize breakage. Also, they are also great for wavy, curly and/or thick hair to smooth and minimize frizz.

PS: Pure natural boar bristle brushes are usually more expensive, but they’re known to last a lot longer than their synthetic counterparts.

Our recommendation: Oribe Round Brush

SYNTHETIC BRISTLES

Synthetic brushes are typically made from nylon bristles. Other times, they’re made from plastic. Which generally means that they are much lighter on the budget.

Why Synthetic bristles?: They don’t create as much static as natural brushes, help detangle a lot easier, lighter on the pocket and easier to find.

Is it the one for you? Those with extremely thick or coarse hair may opt for nylon bristles thanks to their ability to get knots out. Additional benefits are quick drying, easy detangling and achieving a bouncier blowout.

NATURAL-SYNTHETIC COMBINATION BRISTLES

Best of both worlds? You got it. These hairbrushes are made from both synthetic and natural bristles.

The combination of both bristle types means you get the sheen and luster from the natural but also the detangling benefits of the synthetic.

Is it the one for you? If you can’t decide, try the synthetic-natural brush since they are generally great for everyone and that's why the vast majority of hairdressers use them. Would recommend them particularly even more so for those with long and/or fine to normal hair.

Our recommendation: The Ndure Beauty Boar Bristle Hair Brush 

Note:

If you do have incredibly coarse hair and detangling is your number-one priority (in which case you might want to consider trying a synthetic-only brush), you can try the boar or combination bristles with gorgeous results. 

Hope you have a great hairday!