Stylists Tips
Elevate Your Haircare Ritual: Boar Bristle Brushes 101
A boar bristle hair brush is a lifelong investment for a healthy hair and scalp.
Read on to discover everything you need to know about how to use a boar bristle hairbrush, who it's for and what it does.
Contents
- Benefits of using a boar bristle brush
- What types of hair can use a brush?
- Benefits of hairbrushing
- Can boar bristle brushes detangle?
- How often should I brush my hair?
- Are boar bristle brushes cruelty free?
- What to look for when getting brush
- Does brushing reduce frizz and promote smoothness?
- How to clean your brush
- Synthetic versus natural bristles
- Do boar bristle brushes distribute oils?
- How to use your brush effectively
- Can you brush all hair patterns?
- Brushing curly hair
- Brushing as a holistic haircare ritual
What are the benefits of using a boar bristle hairbrush?
There are so many benefits to brushing hair in general, however a boar bristle brush specifically will give you the most. The benefits of using a natural boar bristle hairbrush include:
- stimulation and blood flow to the hair follicles,
- healthier hair,
- increased hair growth,
- increased shine,
- oil distribution
- and finally stress reduction.
What types of hair are best suited for boar bristle brushes?
The best hair types that would benefit from using a boar bristle hairbrush are fine to thick, and straight to curly.
I don’t recommend a boar bristle hairbrush for tighter curl patterns, as the tension can weaken the hair pattern, however for these hair patterns, the brush can be used on the scalp and many of the benefits will be felt!
Benefits of Hairbrushing
How do boar bristle hairbrushes contribute to overall hair health?
Brushing your hair and scalp are great ways to increase your hair health, however boar bristle brushes contribute in more specific ways. Boar bristle hairbrushes have clusters of boar bristles that have medium flexibility and softness.
Exfoliation
This means that boar bristles can gently exfoliate the scalp and bring blood flow (and nutrients) to hair follicles. Lack of blood flow to follicles can be a reason that hair health declines and hair loss occurs.
Polishing
Due to their size, boar bristles also polish the hair shaft, making sure the cuticle of the hair (the outside) is as smooth as possible. This helps by avoiding the hair tangling and becoming damaged, as well as protects the hair shaft.
Oil distribution
Boar bristle hairbrushes also do a great job of redistributing the natural oils from our scalp. Our scalp oils may feel annoying sometimes but they do have a lot of benefits to our hair and scalp.
Are scalp oils beneficial?
Our scalp oils may feel annoying sometimes but they do have a lot of benefits to our hair and scalp: they act as a micro barrier to the elements and they tend to trap hydration (water) inside which is very important to the hair. These oils generally stay close to the scalp, however, by brushing, they will be pulled further down the hair shaft and expand their protective properties.
Common Questions
Can boar bristle hairbrushes help with detangling hair?
Boar bristle hairbrushes are great for gently removing tangles from most hair patterns and types. With their flexible bristles, they will not damage the hair while detangling. However, for very thick hair, or curlier hair, I recommend a proper detangling brush that can be used on wet hair. Boar bristle hair brushes should not be used on wet hair, ever!
How often should I use a boar bristle hairbrush?
As a Holistic Hair Expert and licensed Hairstylist I personally recommend using a boar bristle hairbrush daily to see the full benefits of healthier hair. I love creating small rituals for myself and my health, and over time the effects of it with healthy hair.
If you have waves or loose curls, and brushing will impact your hairstyle, brush your hair before your refresh or before your wash day.
Are boar bristle hairbrushes cruelty free?
Most boar bristle brushes are not made cruelty free unfortunately, however, because I’m a huge animal lover, the ones that we carry are! The boar is a pig and the bristles are made from its hair. Our boar bristles are harvested without harming the animals and therefore cruelty free!
Your new bestie: the Boar Bristle Brush
The essential
What features should I look for when choosing a high-quality boar bristle hairbrush?
The best things to look for when choosing a high quality boar bristle hair brush are:
- Natural bristles, not synthetic:
Natural bristles tend to do a better job, as well as last longer - Cruelty free practices:
We don’t need to harm animals to have beautiful healthy hair - Wood paddle:
I prefer a wooden paddle to a plastic one for both environmental reasons, but also it will feel more comfortable in your hand to use - Natural rubber pad:
The pad is where the bristles are attached, and you want this to be a flexible rubber to ensure that it works with the shape of your head
Can boar bristle brushes reduce frizz and promote smoother hair?
Boar bristle brushes are very effective at reducing frizz and smoothing hair due to their gentle and even tension on each hair strand. This allows them to not only pull oils down form the scalp, evenly distributing them, but also polishes the cuticle which is a main factor in frizzy hair.
How do I clean and maintain a boar bristle hairbrush?
Cleaning your hairbrush regularly is very important to maintain the health of your scalp and hair. We know we need to wash our makeup brushes and our face clothes, and our hairbrush is no exception. Since it’s used to exfoliate our hair and scalp, skin cells, products and even dust can accumulate which should be cleaned off regularly. I recommend washing your hairbrush every month or even more depending on your usage.
- Remove all hair and debris from the brush using a comb.
- Fill a small bowl or your sink with warm water, and a bit of shampoo, mix
- Place the head of the brush in the water, with the bristles facing down. Ensure that the pad is fully saturated with water and let sit for 5 mins.
- Remove from water, and use an old toothbrush to scrub between the bristles and on the rubber padding
- Rinse well and place on a towel, again face down to ensure no water is trapped inside
What sets boar bristle brushes apart from synthetic alternatives?
Natural vs synthetic boar bristle hairbrushes are going to be very different. Synthetic bristle brushes will use plastic or nylon materials to mimic the boar bristles in natural hairbrushes. In my experience, plastic brushes tend to cause more static in the hair and are known for not lasting as long as natural boar bristles brushes. Some people prefer using a brush that is created without the use of animal materials, however, the boar bristle brush we carry is actually cruelty free (no animals were harmed to make the product)!
From a sustainability perspective, natural boar bristles will be the best, as they will last much longer and are more likely to break down, as plastic never does! Unfortunately they are not likely to decompose, as there are rubber parts to the brush, however less of them will end up in the landfill due to their quality and durability.
Synthetic and Boar Blends
There are also hairbrushes that contain a mix of nylon and boar bristles, and these, are the best for hair. The boar bristles will gently exfoliate the scalp and polish the hair shaft, while the nylon pins will help with detangling.
Do boar bristle brushes distribute natural oils?
Yes! Boar bristle hairbrushes are very effective at distributing your natural scalp oils effectively. Because the brush contains small clusters of bristles, they are able to pull the oil and sebum from your scalp, and provide the benefits they provide to your hair farther down the hair shaft.
Our natural scalp oil has so many benefits to our hair and scalp: they act as a micro barrier to the elements and oxidative damage as well as trapping hydration (water) inside which is very important to the hair. These oils generally stay close to the scalp, however, by brushing, they will be pulled further down the hair shaft and expand their protective properties.
How to use a boar bristle brush effectively
Brush down the shaft
Always brush down from your scalp to the ends, never up. This will ensure that you are smoothing the hair cuticle down, versus pushing it up creating frizz and possibly damage
Brush dry hair
Only use your boar bristle hairbrush on dry hair, never wet. Wet hair is more fragile, prone to stretching and using the improper brush can easily cause breakage. For brushing wet hair I swear by this shower brush!
For hair growth
If your goal is stronger hair or more growth, brush your hair upside down for added blood flow and stimulation. For best results, make sure to use professional, non toxic haircare and scalp treatments.
Do boar bristle brushes work well for different hair patterns and lengths?
Boar bristle hairbrushes tend to work well on all lengths and all hair patterns. No matter if you have very short hair or super long, you will still get the full benefits of using a boar bristle hair brush, such as hair growth, healthy scalp and shiny hair! For different hair patterns, however the technique may change depending on the curl.
Straight and wavy hair
Brushing straight and wavy hair is great for overall health, shine, detangling and more! Especially good for hair that is on the finer side for fuller hair growth.
Curly and tight curly hair
For tight curls, the brush should be used on the scalp only, and not on the hair. Since curls have lots of bends in them, using too much tension can weaken the hair.
I give a full tutorial here on instagram for how to brush tighter curls!
If you don't want to brush your hair but you still want the benefits, a scalp massage will still promote a healthy scalp environment (and feels amazing)!
Can boar bristle brushes contribute to a holistic haircare routine?
Holistic haircare is the understanding that everything is interconnected to create the whole. As in, you’re a whole person, not just a head of hair, and many things contribute to healthy hair, not just products.
I have talked about hair brushing rituals as a part of a holistic hair care routine for the past decade due to it’s beautiful and accessible ability to support healthy hair growth. Incorporating hair brushing with a boar bristle hairbrush into your routine will not only be good for your hair and scalp, but also promotes relaxation and stress reduction, which are both beneficial for healthy hair, and a healthy YOU!
