Kristina is the founder of Lockenbox & Lockenexpertin. She has been intensively involved with the topic of curly hair care since her youth, when her straight hair suddenly turned into curls.
The slogan "Don't Brush Your Curls" is long outdated.
So, let’s not wait any longer and dive into the world of curling brushes together.
The ultimate guide to curling brushes
The world of curl products and accessories can sometimes feel like a jungle. One of the most common questions we receive as the Lockenbox team is: "Which brush should I choose?"
This guide is intended to help you make decisions or serve as a source of inspiration.
What different types of brushes are there?
- have wider-spaced bristles
- glide relatively easily through the hair
- have as their main task the gentle detangling of the hair, the styling aspect is only secondary
Styling brushes, on the other hand:
- often have closely spaced bristles
- often consist of nylon and/or (vegan) boar bristles
- are often not suitable for detangling hair because the bristles are too close together, making it difficult to glide through effortlessly
- are primarily for styling techniques such as curl clumps, brush coiling and brush styling
But don't worry: in our range you will of course only find brushes that are ideal for curls and waves.
It can help detangle hair, create curls, implement various styling techniques, and distribute styling products more evenly. Some brushes, with the right technique, can even transform the entire curl pattern. More shine, definition, and hold can be the result.
Which curl brush is right for me?
Now let’s take a closer look at the different brushes.
With this brush guide, you should be perfectly equipped to find your brush. Let's get started!
- Rainbow Curls | Detangling & Styling Brush
The Rainbow Curls Detangling & Styling Brush is, as the name suggests, a multifunctional brush: although it is primarily a detangling brush, you can also use this curling tool for one or two clever styling techniques.
- Ideal detangling brush: This brush has widely spaced, flexible bristles. This allows it to glide easily through wet hair, gently detangling delicate strands.
- Suitable for all styling techniques: The A brush helps create clusters of curls and promote curl formation. A simple way to create clusters of curls is to work in a leave-in conditioner, section the hair, and then brush it away from the scalp. Alternatively, you can even use the brush to try the brush coiling method. Unlike finger coiling, this method uses the brush to shape the curls.
- Suitable for all hair thickness and density
- Suitable for all curl types: Whether waves, curls, or afro hair, the detangling brush can be used with the Widely spaced, flexible bristles can be used very well for all curl types
- Suitable for wet and dry areas
- Not ideal for blowouts: if you like to occasionally blow-dry your hair straight with a brush, this brush is not suitable.
Conclusion: This brush is our all-rounder, a must-have in your kit. It gently detangles hair and can also be used for various styling techniques. It's the perfect starter brush as well as a suitable styling brush.
Expert tip:
For the perfect curls, the brush should be used on wet to very wet hair.
It's recommended to first apply a curl cream or leave-in conditioner. Then, section your hair and brush each section away from your scalp, twisting the brush slightly to create volume and promote curl formation.
- Denman | D3 Original 7-Row
Who hasn't heard of the Denman brush ? It's one of the most celebrated brushes among curly-haired people because it's the ultimate styling brush. The Denman D3 It is not for nothing that it has a regular place in the top salons of the world.
We will now explain to you which styling techniques the Denman D3 is best suited for and which hair textures this brush is ideal for.
- Ideal for thick hair : this brush is best suited for thick hair as the bristles are widely spaced and therefore glide better.
- Ideal for brush coiling: the Denman D3 is best known for its efficiency during brush coiling . The brush's rounded edges make it the perfect shape for creating perfect corkscrew curls using the brush coiling method.
- Suitable for all hair thicknesses and curl types
- Suitable for wet and dry areas
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Not ideal for thin hair: since the bristles of a styling brush are spaced further apart, the hair does not remain as ideally in the bristles as necessary to achieve the ideal result for brush coiling or brush styling
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Not a detangling brush : This brush isn't suitable for detangling hair. It doesn't glide through hair as effortlessly as a regular detangling brush. The bristles are n't flexible enough for that.
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Not ideal for blowouts (blow-drying with a brush)
Conclusion: A popular brush that is ideal for thick hair and is especially perfect for brush coiling .
- Behairful Brush | Detangler Curling Brush
Next up is the well-known Behairful Brush, which consists of a blend of nylon and boar bristles. The Behairful Brush is also a multifunctional brush.
- A good, but not perfect, detangling brush: the Behairful Brush, like the Rainbow Curls Detangling Brush, is great for detangling hair. However, the nylon and boar bristles can cause tangling in larger knots.
- Especially good for curls: the nylon and wild boar bristles create beautiful curls with relatively little effort.
- Not ideal for brush coiling: the Behairful Brush can also be used for brush coiling, but is not as ideal as the Denman brush.
- Generally suitable for all hair thickness and density, especially good for fine hair
- Suitable for all curl types
- Ideal for blowouts (drying with a brush): thanks to the nylon bristles, the brush glides smoothly through the strands, while the boar bristles at the bottom create plenty of volume. The nylon and boar bristle blend holds the hair firmly in the brush, allowing for a successful blowout.
- Suitable for dry areas only (not for use in the shower)
Conclusion: The most versatile, ideal for fine and thin hair. Suitable for both curly and straight styles. Anyone who enjoys blow-drying their hair straight over a brush without damaging it will love this brush.
- Rainbow Curls | Clump & Define Adjustable Octopus Brush
Now we come to a more specific styling brush . This octopus brush is specifically designed for curl control.
- Specially created for curl bundling: The brush supports the styling process by dividing the hair into small curls with its flexible bristles . You can adjust the size of the curls yourself using the included adjustment clip .
- Ideal for fine hair: the even curl bundles create even volume
- Size of the curl bundles can be adjusted
- Suitable for brush coiling: this styling brush is also well suited for brush coiling, although not as ideal as the Denman D3 brush.
- Suitable for all curl types
- Suitable for wet and dry areas
- A good, but not perfect, detangling brush: the Octopus Brush, like the Rainbow Curls Detangling Brush, is good for detangling hair. However, the stiffer brushes don't glide through the hair quite as smoothly.
- Not ideal for blowouts (blow-drying with a brush): the brush cannot hold the hair well enough in the bristles for a blowout and also does not provide the necessary volume.
Conclusion: The styling brush requires the least effort , as the size of the curls is adjustable. Perfect for anyone who wants quick but effective styling . Especially great for fine hair.
- Bounce Curl | Define Styling Brush
Most of you have probably been waiting for this Bounce Curl brush . Almost always sold out, this brush is the new trend in styling . Today we'll take a closer look at the pros and cons :
- Specially designed for sectioning small curls, this brush's special feature is its side edges, which allow you to effectively and effortlessly separate strands of hair into small bundles. This creates brilliant definition in small curls.
- Not suitable for large bundles of curls: the notches on the side make it more difficult to style large bundles of curls.
- Great for fine hair: The even curl bundles create consistent volume. The brush is, of course, suitable for all textures.
- Not suitable for brush coiling: due to the notches on the side, brush coiling cannot be applied with this brush
- Suitable for all curl types: Ideal for Waves, curls and coils
- Suitable for wet and dry areas
- A good, but not perfect detangling brush: Like the Rainbow Curls detangling brush, this brush works well for detangling hair. However, the vegan "wild boar" bristles don't provide quite as much glide.
- Not ideal for blowouts (blow-drying with a brush): the brush is difficult to use for a blowout due to the notches on the side.
Bottom line: if you love small, defined curls and volume, this is the brush for you! The cool thing is: sectioning and bundling curls or waves usually takes a relatively long time. With this brush, you can actually achieve this effect faster. In our opinion, the hype is justified, but the applications are very limited.
Conclusion
We hope this brush guide is helpful in helping you decide which brush is best for you.
To make a final decision, you should consider what you want to achieve with the brush , because every brush has its strengths and weaknesses and was usually developed with a specific goal in mind.
In summary, the Rainbow Curls | Detangling & Styling Brush is a very good starter brush because it can serve several purposes at once: detangling and styling.
Many styling brushes are not ideal detangling brushes , but a detangling brush is almost indispensable in the range of curly hair.
In our opinion, the ideal long-term setup is the following:
- A curling comb
- A detangling brush
- A styling brush
With this equipment, you can spontaneously and freely carry out your styling routine in the way that suits you best.
