How the brush is made: Oribe works with artisans at an Italian resin manufacturer that helps create custom-colored cellulose acetate sheets that are blended, and then hung to age for around eight weeks. To finalize the artisanal marbled resin design of the Flat Brush, the sheets are sent to a brush and comb manufacturer to hand-polish the brush into its shape.
Materials: Italian cellulose acetate resin, boar bristles, rounded nylon tips, 97% natural rubber cushion
Best for Thinning Hair: Snow Fox Skincare Gua Sha Hair & Scalp Brush
Why it’s worth it: The bristles on this brush are extra long with needles that stimulate all of those little pressure points that invigorate your scalp. Specifically, they are intended to benefit individuals with thinning hair and all hair types for that matter. With a firm feel against the skin, this brush, as the name suggests, grants the sensoriality that a gua sha brings to your skin-care rituals. A note on craftsmanship: This brush is completely cruelty-free and every purchase gives back to the Taiwanese artisans that hand develop and assemble each brush together.
How the brush is made: Woven by Taiwanese brush makers and families with a mix of stainless steel, gold, and titanium brush needles.
Materials: 24-karat gold plated needles, hand-carved beechwood, stainless steel, rubber
Best for Travel: Aerin Large Gold Hair Brush
Why it’s worth it: Aerin’s Gold Hair Brush in compact form is the epitome of quiet luxury—and the hair accessory to have on hand in your tote or suitcase. (You know, in case you need to comb out a knot with 24-karat gold-tipped bristles.) The brand has both a gold comb and brush on hand to suit your detangling and style needs, and is made in Italy.
Materials: gold-tipped ivory bristles, acetate, 24-karat gold
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of boar bristles?
Hairbrushes made with boar bristles can have an impact on breakage, frizz, and shine, according to Santiago. “Boar bristles do so many different things: you can use them to massage your scalp, which removes buildup and stimulates hair growth,” she says. “They lightly clean the hair by removing buildup throughout and evenly distributing oil from the scalp.” As boar bristles continue to reign as the material of choice amongst many luxury hairbrushes, it’s important to note that it too, can softly remove tangles on second-day blown-out hair per se, when you simply do not want to compromise on the form that your blowout or loose waves delivered in the first place.
Do hair brushes need to be replaced?
No need to worry about having to toss the brush you paid a pretty penny for after a certain period of time. To ensure your luxury hairbrush remains fresh and like new, Santiago advises washing your hairbrush once a month. “Use a clarifying shampoo once a month to remove buildup left behind [on the brush],” she says. Additionally, she says it’s best to remove the strands you shed onto your brush that have accumulated after everyday use at least once a week. A nice (and $9) assist we look to in doing so, is the Jenny Patinkin HBB Hair Brush Brush.
What are the benefits of luxury hair brushes?
Brushing your hair regularly already has a multitude of benefits, especially as it helps minimize hair shedding. So when you couple that with investing in specialty crafted hairbrush that will elevate your styling regimen. “these brushes are designed in a specific way to help with manageability from varied lengths in bristles,” says Tauber. “They can also have a higher level of comfort from the handle down to the pneumatic cushion—the pad that the bristles sit on.”
Meet the Experts
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for any review, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While some can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and concerns, many are created with specific consumers and their needs in mind. When reviewing tools, we also take into account testers’ experience levels. For instance, an innovative new blow-dryer may feature industry-leading technology, but if the only people who find it intuitive to use are professional hairstylists, we have to consider this when determining whether it is worthy of a recommendation.