Paddle or oval? Bristle or pom pin? When faced with the task of finding your perfect brush, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed. Well, we’re here to help! From sculpted styles to effortless flowing locks, we’ve created a universal guide to help you select your ultimate hairbrush. Based on hair types as well as preferred finish, read below as we explore the different bristle types and brush shapes available, and which combination is best suited to your hair!

Pictured: The Pneumatic Kotibé Wood Brush with Pom Pins by ACCA KAPPA

The Bristle Type

Your ideal bristle type is usually dependent on the thickness of your hair. It is also worth considering the purpose of your new brush, i.e. for detangling, pom pin brushes are always a safe option whereas natural bristles are fantastic for polishing and smoothing hair.

Natural Bristles

100% pure boar bristles.

Ideal for: Thin to medium thickness hair

Benefits: Leaves hair polished and shiny. Adding sheen and volume, natural bristles work the scalp’s sebum down the length of the hair keeping it healthy and hydrated. Redistributing oil, the bristles help to remove any trapped scale, dirt or pollution from the scalp leaving roots less greasy.

Shop the natural bristle collection here.

Porcupine

Pure boar bristles and nylon monofilament, also known as mixed bristles.

Ideal for: Thin to medium thickness hair

Benefits: Designed to protect the hair's natural beauty by reducing damage and breakage, porcupine or mixed bristle brushes maintain all benefits of a pure bristle brush whilst providing additional detangling capabilities. Gently polishing, the additional nylon filaments delicately untangle and effectively penetrate thicker hair helping to tidy from the roots to the ends.

Shop the mixed bristle collection here.

Pictured: The Pneumatic Kotibé Wood Brush with Mixed Bristles by Acca Kappa

Pom Pin

Heat-resistant pom pins. Vegan-friendly. 

Ideal for: All hair types, even thicker hair

Benefits: Featuring rounded epoxy tips, pom pins delicately massage the scalp helping to improve micro-circulation. Effectively penetrating even thicker, pom pin brushes are perfect detanglers and the heat resistant design makes them ideal for preparing the hair for styling. Lightweight and easy to clean, these brushes can even be used on wet hair.

Shop the pom pin collection here.

Looped Nylon

Looped nylon filaments. Vegan-friendly.

Ideal for: Straight or delicate hair.

Benefits: Great for gentle brushing, our special looped nylon bristles move easily through the hair, effectively detangling without damaging the structure. Gently massaging the scalp, the brushes stimulate micro-circulation for healthier hair follicles.

Shop the looped nylon collection here.

Wooden Pins

Cone-shaped wooden pins. Vegan-friendly. Plastic-free.

Ideal for: All hair types, even curly hair

Benefits: Ergonomically designed to reduce structural damage to the hair while brushing, the cone-shaped wooden pins easily penetrate the hair to provide fuss-free, gentle detangling. Featuring rounded tips, each wooden pin gently massages the scalp helping to improve the micro-circulation for healthier hair follicles. Hand-finished and never varnished, the Beechwood is naturally anti-static.

Shop the wooden pin collection here.

Pictured: The Natura collection by Acca Kappa

The Shape

The larger the brush pad, the more hair the brush can handle at once- therefore, when selecting the size and shape of your brush you’ll want to consider your hair’s overall length.

Rectangular, mini and travel-size brushes are ideal for short to mid-length hair.

Full-size oval and paddle brushes, however, are best suited to mid-length to longer hair.

Like what you’re reading? Why not checkout some of our other blogs?

• Common Winter Hair Woes and How to Solve them... Learn more
• The White Moss Collection... Learn more
• The Benefits of a Great Hair Brush... Learn more