Hair Brushing 101: All You Need to Know

Brushing your hair is one of the most basic parts of hair care. It's one of the first pieces of hair care you learn as a child. Before you learned how to use shampoo, your mum taught you how to brush your hair.

But if you're not careful, your brushing routine might be doing more harm than good. 

Improper brushing can lead to breakage, thinning, and frizz. 

If you want the healthiest, most beautiful hair possible, follow these brushing tips!

Different Strokes For Different Folks

Depending on your hair type, you'll have to change your brushing technique. What's right for straight, fine hair can wreak havoc on curly, thick hair.

If you have curly hair, use a paddle brush or your hands while your hair is wet. Once it's dry, put the brush down, as this can cause tangles.

If your hair is straight, you can brush your hair while it's wet or dry. But be careful what brush you use while wet-brushing. Dampness weakens the root of your follicles, which can cause breakage if you use the wrong brush.

Different brushes and combs have different purposes, too.

Boar-bristle brushes: add shine

Nylon bristle brushes: help with straightening

Paddle brush: best for detangling

Round brush: helps with styling and adds volume

Rat-tail comb: best for precise parts

Using the wrong brush for the wrong thing can have unintended consequences. If you have any questions for your own unique hair type, ask your stylist.

Started at the Bottom, Now We're Hair

Your scalp secretes an oily substance called sebum that is instrumental in keeping your hair hydrated. 

Many people believe that you should brush from the root of your hair in order to distribute the sebum along the length of your hair. This can actually make knots worse—which completely defeats the purpose of brushing. 

Instead, start at the bottom of the hair and work your way up. 

Don't Overdo It

How much brushing is too much? We all remember the annoyingly-perfect Marcia Brady, who gave her hair 100 brush strokes a day for perfect hair.

Breathe a sigh of relief, because not only is 100 strokes unnecessary—it can also cause damage!

Five strokes should be enough to get out any tangles. If you go too far beyond that, you run the risk of over-stressing the roots and causing breakage.

Not to mention that over-brushed hair can get frighteningly frizzy.

Keep Your Brush Clean

Brushing your hair doesn't only keep it well-styled and free of tangles. It also distributes your hair's natural oils to keep your entire head healthy.

But if your brush is dirty, you might not be getting that benefit.

When product and loose hair and assorted other gunk gets stuck on the brush, it absorbs those oils instead of spreading them. 

Clean your brush every two weeks. Put a little shampoo in water and soak your brush for around four minutes. Make sure you don't soak wood brushes for too long, or they might crack.

How To Brush Your Hair Properly

Now that you know how to brush your hair the right way, expect your hair to look more luscious and beautiful than ever!

But if you want to go even further, try some of these leave-in treatments!