Hair Brushing Mistakes That Could Be Ruining Your Hair

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Brushing your hair is pretty straight forward, right? Unfortunately, not. In fact, detangling your tresses incorrectly can lead to a myriad of hair concerns including split ends, frizzy locks, dandruff, and even hair loss. The good news is there’s a super easy fix and once you eradicate the brushing faux-pas, you’ll be amazed at how much healthier your mane can be! Here are common brushing mistakes you could be making, and what to do instead…

Hair Brushing Mistake 1: You’re Using the Wrong Brush  

A hairbrush is one of the most overlooked beauty tools, which is crazy considering we use it almost every day. Don’t just grab any hairbrush and tug it through your hair. Just like when you carefully shop for skincare that suits your skin, you need to find a hairbrush that’s suitable for your hair type and texture. By finding a bristle and brush format that caters to your thickness, length, and texture, you’ll be able to detangle your hair with ease and most importantly, minimal damage.

Source: Denman, Harry Josh, Cricket

For example, if you have thick hair, you should use a nylon brush like the Harry Josh Detangling Brush, $19, as the flexible bristles will smooth your hair without adding any unwanted volume. In comparison, if you have fine hair, look for a soft brush with boar bristles like the Denman 100% Boar Bristle, $21, as it’ll smooth your locks without tugging while simultaneously dispersing natural oils throughout your hair, adding shine. Alternatively, if you have kinky or coily hair, a wide-tooth comb like the Cricket Ultra Smooth Detangler Comb, $6, is ideal as it won’t pull the hair strands or disrupt your curl pattern.

You should also alternate between brushes depending on the style you’re aiming to achieve. Round and metal brushes will add volume when blow-drying your hair, while flat brushes will allow you to achieve a sleek finish. We’re obsessed with the Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Finishing Tool, $18, which is designed for dry-styling. The brush has longer teeth with softer tips which lightly detangle and smooth cuticles for an insanely shiny finish – we’re not sure how, but it works! In general, we’d also advise against brushes will ball-ended bristles as your hair can wrap around the ball, tangle, and rip out. For more deets on finding the right hairbrush, check out our hairbrush guide.

Hair Brushing Mistake 2: Brushing Your Hair From Scalp to Tip

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While most people brush their tresses from their scalp to the tip, this can be extremely damaging as it’ll pull and tug any knots, causing tension and damage from the mid-section of the hair, thereby increasing the likelihood of frizz and brittle ends. Instead, start brushing from the ends of your hair and work upwards. Then finish by going all the way through your hair from scalp to tip.

Hair brushing Mistake 3: Not Brushing Your Hair Before You Shower

Your hair’s most fragile and prone to damage when it’s wet. Therefore, to minimize breakage you should detangle your hair when it’s dry before you hop into the shower. Trust us, when you start brushing your hair pre-shower, you’ll be amazed at how much easier the washing process is and how much less hair comes out.

Hair Brushing Mistake 4: Using the Same Brush for Dry and Wet Hair

As we’ve mentioned, your hair is at its weakest when it’s wet, which is why hairstylists will use different brushes for wet and dry hair. You’ll also notice many brands have hairbrushes targeted for wet hair, which typically, have more flexible bristles to prevent pulling on wet strands. Our go-to wet brush is The Tangle Teezer The Original, $12, as the brush fits in the palm of your hand for easy brushing.

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Hair Brushing Mistake 5: Over-Brushing Your Hair

Ever wondered how often you should brush your hair? Brushing your mane too frequently will lift the cuticles of your hair and break it, which can lead to dull hair, as the light will no longer reflect on your tresses. Instead, only brush your hair when it’s actually tangled.

Hair Brushing Mistake 6: Not Cleaning your Brush

Regardless of your hair type or your brush of choice, you need to clean your hair tools regularly. Not only does your brush hold on to excess hair, but it collects product and scalp debris (eek) – if you leave your brush a really long time between washes, you’ll even see a build-up of oils on your bristles.

You should be cleaning your brush at least every two weeks. To clean it properly, start by removing any loose hair, then soak the brush in a mixture of hot water and a clarifying shampoo for approx. four minutes. This will not only boost the longevity of your hairbrush, it’ll also prevent your hair from becoming greasy faster – it’s a no-brainer!

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