14 Best Brushes for Curly Hair of 2023, According to Testers

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Your curly hair brush kit just got a lot bigger.

You already know that brushing your curly hair can be a delicate ~task~, whether you choose to detangle your 4c hair with gobs of deep conditioner in the shower, or to gently dry-brush your 3a curls before your wash-day routine. But you may not know that the curly hair brush you use actually matters and should be chosen based not only on your curl type, but on the health and texture of your hair. "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:

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.

If your favorite curly-hair blogger, 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 varying 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.

THE REVIEWS: "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," writes one reviewer.

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.

THE REVIEWS: "I use this brush to help sleek my thick, coarse 4c hair and put it in a bun or ponytail," writes one reviewer. "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."

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.

THE REVIEWS: "I have very curly hair, and on days when I don't give it enough care, it gets very, very tangled," one tester writes in a review. "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."

The classic Denman brush has been a curly-hair staple (say hi to the 63,000+ 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.

THE REVIEWS: "This Denman brush is sturdy and glides easily through my thick, curly hair when it is wet or dry without pain," writes one tester. "It does not pull or get tangled in my hair when I am brushing, so it's great for natural or transitioning hair."

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.

THE REVIEWS: "This is an incredible brush," one tester writes. "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."

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.

THE REVIEWS: One tester writes, "The short, wide surface grabs all my hairs, and I can tell it gets my hair products through every single strand."

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.

THE REVIEWS: One tester writes, "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 sturdily brush my thick hair."

This silicone-tipped brush is a holy-grail for anyone who deals with persistently itchy, irritated, or gunked-up scalps, whether from box braids, high-puff hairstyles, or curly hair in general. Its flexible base curves, wraps, and bends around your wet or dry hair as you brush (meaning less tension on your curls), while its thin, bendable bristles double as a gentle scalp massager in and out of the shower.

THE REVIEWS: According to one tester, "Best scalp brush I’ve ever used because it's like a sturdy flexible silicone. Immediately after one use on dry hair, my scalp and hair felt silky. I’m amazed. It's a very relaxing tool to use as well."

Fact: The wider and longer the bristles are on a brush, the easier it'll be to work through thick curls without having to aggressively yank. This best-selling curl brush has seven rows of flexible teeth to help you detangle knots with significantly less pulling, and the backless paddle allows you to use it in the shower without worrying about mold.

THE REVIEWS: "I have very dense 4c hair, and this cut down my detangling time by at least 30 mins," one tester writes. "I don't have to make the sections as small when using this too."

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.

THE REVIEWS: "​​This brush is amazing," writes one tester. "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 have 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."

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.

THE REVIEWS: One tester writes, "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."

Who wants to travel with a whole kit of hair brushes taking up space in their bag? Instead, opt for a brush that can detangle and style your hair, like this curved, multi-bristle brush from TGIN. It can gently loosen knots on both wet and dry hair, but it can also help smooth curls into a bun or ponytail without completely flattening your curl texture (lookin’ at you, boar-bristle brushes). Truly, a one-and-done brush, which is exactly what you want in your toiletry bag.

THE REVIEWS: "It is sturdy and has strong bristles that don't bend," writes one reviewer. "The bristles go through my curls without being rough, even though the brush is durable."

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.

THE REVIEWS: "It feels solid in the hand, and it works well," writes one review. "The silicone bristles are easy to clean, and the protective cap keeps product residue out of my toiletry bag as well."

Want a blowout without all the ~hard labor~ of dealing with a blow dryer and a round brush? It's time to welcome this blow-dryer brush into your curls’ life. The brush uses a mix of plastic teeth (for easy detangling) and nylon bristles (for tension and shine), along with a heat-conducting metal barrel, all of which work together to straighten your curly hair better than traditional hot-air brushes. 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.

THE REVIEWS: "I have thick curly hair and usually have to blow-dry, which leaves me with nothing but frizz, and then go in with a flat iron section by section," writes one reviewer. "I used this in about 30 minutes and only had to use my flat iron to smooth out some hair closer to my roots near the face. My hair is silky, has a nice blowout look, and it was so much less work!"

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:

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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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