11 Best Brushes for Curly Hair in 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Your curly hair brush kit just got a lot bigger.
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Listen, if you have curly hair, you're already aware of what a delicate ~task~ it can be to brush it—whether it's untangling 4c hair with plenty of deep conditioner in the shower or cautiously dry-brushing 3a curls pre-wash. However, it's important to note that the choice of brush for your curly hair is crucial and should be considered based on not only your curl pattern but also your hair's condition and texture.
“If a brush feels like it's slipping through your hair and detangling it easily, that's the brush for you,” says hairstylist and texture expert Jasmine “Jazzee” Green. So, how do you find the best brushes for curly hair? That’s where both Green and hairstylist Erinn Courtney come in. Together, we compiled the best brushes for curly hair that won’t create additional pulling, tension, or knots, as long as you’re using them gently and correctly. But first, a quick peek at our top favorites:
Our top picks for the best curly hair brushes in 2024:
Now keep reading to find your new go-to curl brush, along with how to properly detangle your hair type, when the best time to brush your curly hair is, and more below.
Pros
- Brush is easy to hold, according to reviewers
Cons
- Some testers with sensitive scalps found the bristles too sharp
If your favorite curly-hair influencer, editor, or bestie hasn’t yet turned you into a Tangle-Teezer believer, let me convince you real quick: Not only has this Tangle Teezer been specifically designed for curly and coily hair, but it also has a mix of flexible bristles in various lengths to help you brush without yanking. And, FWIW, Tangle Teezers were famously used to brush Chewbacca’s knotted hair in the recent Star Wars films, so if they work for Wookiee knots, they’ll work for your knots, too.
- Bristle material: Plastic
Glowing Customer Review: “I think this is a good brush to add to my collection of brushes and combs because the teeth are a bit closer, so it really helps with getting that trapped dead hair out.”
Pros
- Combs through large tangles with ease
Cons
- Because it went viral, it can be hard to find in stock
If you've been seeing TikTok beauty videos all over your FYP recently, you've undoubtedly seen this viral detangling hair brush running through the largest of tangles and curliest of hair with ease (exhibit A). For less than $20—and a whole lot of pain avoided—you absolutely need to check the Unbrush out. It just works, trust.
- Bristle material: Plastic
Glowing Customer Review: "This brush was all over my FYP on TikTok and I really wanted to try it because my hair gets tangled very easily and I hate brushing my hair because it hurts. So when I tell you that this brush is a game changer, trust me. GET IT!!! Run don’t walk, GET THE HAIR BRUSH NOW!!!"
Pros
- Comes with a carrying case to protect the brush
Cons
- Some testers believe it's too expensive for an edge brush
There's a reason why this edge styler has so many fans in the curl community: Its double-sided design helps you style your edges without additional pulling or tugging. On one side of the tool is a plastic-tipped comb to separate and smooth your edges, and on the other side is a soft-bristle brush to slick them down and style them. And don't worry about grabbing a rat-tail comb—the tool also has a pointed end to make it easy to part and define as you work.
- Bristle material: Plastic, boar
Glowing Customer Reviews: “It feels solid in the hand, and it works well. The silicone bristles are easy to clean, and the protective cap keeps product residue out of my toiletry bag as well.”
Pros
- Glides easily through hair
Cons
- Soft bristles are better at smoothing than detangling
No matter what kind of style you’re creating (getting your hair out of your face for a workout hairstyle, holding it back with a hair clip, pulling it up in a puff or ponytail, etc.), you’ll need a boar bristle brush for a sleek finish. This one from TGIN lightly smooths flyaways and bumps, thanks to its tightly packed natural boar bristles that help move your scalp oils down your strands for added shine. And, because this brush is on the narrow side, it’s ideal for detail work around your neck or ears.
- Bristle material: Boar
Glowing Customer Review: “I use this brush to help sleek my thick, coarse 4c hair and put it in a bun or ponytail. The bristles are not too hard, and my hair responds to it really well. This is definitely my go-to brush on the rare occasion that I use one.”
Pros
- Bristles separate and move to mitigate painful brushing
- Comes with a control bar to lock the bristles into your desired position
Cons
- Flexible teeth don’t offer enough tension for dry detangling or thick hair
Okay, I know this brush looks a little wild, but trust when I say it’s excellent for sensitive scalps. The eight individual rows of teeth actually flex and move as you brush through your hair (here's a visual) so there’s significantly less pulling and pain than with traditional brushes. To make it even gentler, make sure to detangle on wet hair instead of dry hair: Saturate your curls with conditioner, then slowly brush through your ends first to avoid making tangles worse.
- Bristle material: Plastic
Glowing Customer Review: “I have very curly hair, and on days when I don't give it enough care, it gets very, very tangled. I always have this brush in the shower so I can detangle my hair. It doesn't hurt at all, and it detangles faster than any other brush I have.”
Pros
- Can help type-4 hair clump and type-3 hair curl
Cons
- Teeth are not flexible enough for gentle detangling
The classic Denman brush has been a curly-hair staple (say hi to the 84,000+ positive reviews) for good reason: It can do a little bit of everything for any curl type. A Denman brush can help define coils on type-4 hair, and it can also help create curls on type-3 hair. It can section, brush, detangle, and style. How? Because it has a rubber base (which creates tension when twirling) and stiff nylon bristles (which easily grip sections of hair). The result is a hair-defining MVP that deserves a spot in your kit.
- Bristle material: Nylon
Glowing Customer Review: “This Denman brush is sturdy and glides easily through my thick, curly hair when it is wet or dry without pain. It does not pull or get tangled in my hair when I am brushing, so it’s great for natural or transitioning hair.”
Pros
- Available in four widths depending on your hair length
- Comes with four sectioning clips
Cons
- Some testers say the brush comes apart after a few uses
More than 8,700 reviews rave about how this round brush helps create a sleek blowout on curly hair, thanks to its natural boar bristles (that increase shine) and its nano-ionic plate behind the bristles (that helps reduce flyaways). The brush’s lightweight design and non-slip handle also make it easy to grasp while blow-drying, even if your hands are covered in slippery product residue.
- Bristle material: Boar, plastic
Glowing Customer Review: “This is an incredible brush. I'm so glad I did not buy the $60 one from the salon. It has great grip and gives a fabulous blowout for my thick, coarse, curly hair and my daughter's thick, wavy hair.”
Pros
- Mix of short and long teeth easily loosens knots
Cons
- Can be hard to clean hair out of the bristles, according to testers
Because your hair becomes extra fragile when wet, it’s more prone to breakage when you’re detangling it in the shower. So if you’re working with finer, looser curls and want to minimize the chance of damage, try brushing your dry curls right before hopping in the shower with this gentle, silicone-bristle brush. The mix of long and short teeth will help you work through knots without creating more tension and breakage.
- Bristle material: Silicone
Glowing Customer Review: “The short, wide surface grabs all my hairs, and I can tell it gets my hair products through every single strand.”
Pros
- Easy to hang up in the shower for drying and storage
- Water won’t soak in and warp the brush
Cons
- Brush handle can be hard to grip for left-handed testers
This detangling brush was actually made to be used in the shower, and all the little details are *chef’s kiss*. The open-vented back allows water to slip right through without pooling—or molding—in the base, and it also makes the bristles easy to clean, since you can easily grab hair from every angle. And once you’re done combing through your curls (loaded with conditioner first, obvs), you can rinse the brush and hang it up in the shower by its hooked handle. Breezy.
- Bristle material: Nylon
Glowing Customer Review: “This brush easily detangles, hangs nicely, and the hooked end fits nicely around my palm to give leverage to prevent slipping and increase pressure when needing to brush my thick hair sturdily.”
Pros
- Comes with a rat-tail comb for sectioning
Cons
- Not vegan (contains real boar bristles)
This paddle brush is the ultimate MVP when it comes to creating sleek styles on curly hair, whether you’re smoothing your hair back into a high ponytail or blowing it straight before a protective hairstyle. If traditional boar-bristle brushes tend to leave your hair looking poofier—and not at all detangled—try this dual-bristle brush instead that uses both nylon and real boar bristles to brush and smooth hair without catching.
- Bristle material: Boar, nylon
Glowing Customer Review: “This brush is amazing. It has longer prongs that help detangling, and it cuts down on frizz and gives a great shine. I started French braiding my hair into two pigtails when I had nowhere to be as a protective style. This brush has made it far smoother of a process, and my hair feels very soft and nice.”
Pros
- Durable, according to reviewers with thick hair
Cons
- Have to go over tangles a few times to loosen them
K, this is cool: This wide-tooth comb has two rows of teeth spaced an inch apart, so it's able to catch and release more knots with each pass (think: a tag-team effort). It's basically the upgraded version of your classic shower comb. Smooth a deep conditioner throughout your hair, from roots to ends, then gently work through your curls, section by section, to detangle and distribute products at the same time.
- Bristle material: Plastic
Glowing Customer Review: “This is a great detangling comb. I’ve been able to cut down my detangling time in half. It’s easy to clean as well.”
What type of brush should you use for curly hair?
The type of brush you use on your curly hair is entirely dependent on how you’re using it. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different types of brushes and what they’re used for:
- Paddle brush: Most common type of brush that detangles and styles wet or dry hair, depending on the bristle type and paddle shape
- Detangling brush: Loosens knots and tangles on wet or dry hair
- Boar bristle brush: Smooths, lightly detangles, and adds some shine to dry hair
- Wide-tooth comb: Detangles wet or dry hair, but best on conditioned hair in the shower
- Edge brush: Smooths, lays, and styles edges and baby hairs
At the bare (brush) minimum, all curl types can benefit from keeping a wide-tooth comb in the shower for detangling and distributing products through wet hair. But the rest of your brush kit will depend on your styling needs. A boar-bristle brush can help detangle and smooth a fresh blowout or silk press, while a detangling brush can help you work through knots before stepping in the shower. Basically, you can never have too many brushes if you've got type-3 or type-4 hair.
Should you brush curly hair wet or dry?
Whether to brush your hair wet or dry will depend on your hair texture and style. For tight, type-4 textures specifically, “it's best to detangle your hair when it’s wet and loaded with conditioner for added slip,” says Green. “When you add conditioner to wet hair, it softens and relaxes the hair cuticle, making it easier to detangle."
In general, wet-combing will help keep your curl pattern intact (but isn't great at detangling every last knot), while dry-brushing will easily detangle your hair, but also undo your clumps and curl pattern. Not sure which is best for your hair? Try both: Brush your dry hair before hopping in the shower, then comb through it with conditioner after shampooing. Wet hair is more fragile and prone to breakage, so detangling on dry hair first can help mitigate damage.
How can I brush my curls without ruining them?
First things first: Brushing your curls won’t permanently “ruin” them. Once you get your hair wet, your curls will spring right back to their natural pattern. Still, if you want to keep your defined curls, make sure to only brush them before or during your shower. Then, you can use a Denman-style brush or wide-tooth comb (depending on your curl type) to help section and style while the hair is still wet. And remember: Don’t rip through your hair when combing. “Detangle in small sections, working your way from tips to roots,” says Courtney, to help prevent breakage.
How often should you brush your curly hair?
How often you brush your hair will depend on your texture and damage levels, but you generally shouldn’t brush curls more than two to three times a week. “There are really only two reasons for anyone to brush their curly hair: to detangle and to style,” says Green. Brushing your hair too frequently can increase your risk of breakage from all the tugging and pulling (especially if you have a tight texture that a brush can’t glide through).
That doesn’t mean you can’t brush your hair more frequently—it’s your hair, and you know it best. But it’s not your only option, says Green, noting that “if you're not ready to wash or wet your hair, you can gently use your fingers to separate some of the knots.” And to help prevent additional tangles between brush days, smooth a lightweight hair oil through your ends every night to help keep your strands smooth, says Courtney. Sounds basic, but the flatter your hair cuticle is, the less likely it'll be to knot, so embrace the oil.
What to look for in the best curly hair brush:
Think about the purpose of the brush
Choose a curly hair brush based on your styling goals. Do you want a brush to define your wet curls? Go for a wide-tooth comb, which can help clump your curls while lightly detangling them. Trying to work through tangles quickly before braiding, twisting, or showering? Look for a wide paddle brush with ball-tipped plastic bristles. Need a brush that'll help you smooth your topknots and low buns? Opt for a boar bristle brush.
Look for additional features
A backless brush won’t hold onto water or get moldy, which makes it ideal for in-shower detangling. Meanwhile, a brush with removable rows will allow you to customize the width of your teeth spacing for styling, detangling, or brushing. And a brush with stiff bristles and a beveled base will help you define your curl pattern right at the root.
If you're looking for a tool to cut down on styling time, consider opting for a blow-dryer brush. No, it won't leave tight textures with the same ultra-sleek finish as a silk press or a flat iron, but it'll help stretch and straighten your curls for braids, twists, and updos. Just make sure to spritz on a heat protectant first.
Don’t get hung up on one single brush
Remember: There’s no one-size-fits-all curl brush, because curly hair has needs. You’ll likely rely on a mix of brushes depending on your texture and styling habits, so instead of looking for the unicorn brush that doesn’t exist, work on building up a kit of go-to curly hair brushes instead. You should definitely have a brush for detangling and a brush for styling, but you can always add the extras, like a dry detangling brush, an edge-control brush, and a paddle brush, depending on your goals and hair type.
Meet the experts:
- Jasmine “Jazzee” Green is a hairstylist at Collective Plus salon in New York, NY, where she is an expert in working with all hair textures, braiding, and haircutting. She has worked with celebrities like Jill Scott, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, and Angela Lewis.
- Erinn Courtney is a hairstylist and natural hair expert in Los Angeles, California with StyleSeat. She’s experienced in braiding, installing faux locs, hair extensions, and haircutting. Some of her celebrity clients have included Zendaya and Big Sean.
Why trust 'Cosmopolitan'?
Siena Gagliano is an associate editor at Cosmopolitan who writes beauty, with over three years of experience writing in the makeup, skin, and hair spaces. She’s an expert at researching and writing beauty stories, like the best curl creams and the best clear sunscreens. She regularly works with the industry’s top hairstylists and professionals to assess new formulas and products.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with four years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from wavy hair products to natural hair braid ideas. She’s an authority in all hair categories but is an expert when it comes to curly hair brushes through many interviews with experts and hairstylists.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
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