The 12 Best Brushes for Curly Hair of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

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Say goodbye to tangles and hello to bouncy, beautiful curls.

In This Article

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

Brushing curly hair is an artform: There are numerous methods, techniques, hot tools, and styling products needed to coax our curls into looking their best. Most important, though, is to use a brush uniquely designed for this specific hair type. “Using a specialized brush meant for curly hair types helps reduce breakage and frizz, defines curls, and improves overall hair health,” says Kee Taylor, a Philadelphia-based curly hair stylist and educator. New Jersey-based hair stylist and hair loss expert Amanda DiChiara adds, “It’s important to brush curly hair as it stimulates hair growth at the scalp and also gets rid of any shedding.”

That said, there’s a different hair brush best suited for every curl pattern, hair type, and styling preference, so finding the right one for your unique needs can feel overwhelming. To make your search easier, we tested 25 popular brushes for curly hair in our NYC-based Lab. We evaluated the performance of each brush on several curl patterns and textures, along with its detangling ability, handle grip and comfort, and how much shedding it caused. Read on to discover the best brushes that will make your curly hair shine.

“The right brush for curls will prevent the hair from getting split ends and remove knots in the hair. I recommend brushing curly hair every time you wash it—some people even prefer to do it in the shower with conditioner so they can style it right after.” —DiChiara

Why We Love It: This Curls brush claimed our best overall spot for its smooth glide, extremely gentle detangling capabilities, and unique customization options. Honestly, we had never used a brush that made such an immediate difference in our curls. From the first pass, the firm (yet soft) bristles glided through our wet hair, working to remove tangles without any tension, ripping, or breakage. Typically, we need at least two passes to completely rid our hair of knots, which in the past has resulted in excessive shedding. With this brush, one was enough to totally detangle, resulting in less hair loss, too. Once our hair dried, we noticed our curl pattern was tighter, bouncier, and more defined than usual. Plus, our coils looked more voluminous.

Who It’s For: We appreciate that this brush comes with interchangeable bristle patterns to accommodate curly hair of all types—from wavy and coarse to thin and ultra thick. Changing out the bristles was as simple as sliding the cushion out, inserting a new pad, and snapping it into place. We’ve broken a few brushes over the years (due to the thick nature of our hair), so we like that the extra bristle pads make this a more sustainable option. And although the brush was a bit heavier than other options we tested, it was still perfectly comfortable to handle.

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Plastic

Cydnie, tester: “My experience in using this brush was incredible. It was the perfect weight, it had a very nice body, and worked with my hair well. It had little to no resistance while brushing.”

Why We Love It: We’ve been searching for a detangling brush that doesn’t snag or rip our hair for years. It took a lot of trial and error, but we finally found one that makes the painstaking task actually enjoyable. With its two tier bristle system, The Ultimate Detangler from Tangle Teezer passed through our thick hair with efficiency and comfort, resulting in a smooth, frizz-free finish. Offered in three sizes (mini, regular, and large), we consider the large to be most effective, while still portable enough for daily use. The design felt lightweight and ergonomic in our hand and smoothly contoured to the shape of our curls as we brushed along. Our curl pattern remained intact without any added frizz, too—a serious win.

Who It’s For: With its flexible design, this brush was created for optimum use on wet strands. It distributed conditioner evenly and detangled even the thickest of curls in one to two passes. Though the plastic handle was a little slippery, it was significantly quicker to work through our entire head with the Tangle Teezer, and it created much less shedding than the existing brush we’d been using at home.

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Plastic

Rosie, tester: “This brush was great! After one to two swipes, my hair was fully detangled and easy to work through.”

Why We Love It: At first glance, $200 seemed like an excessive amount to spend on a hair brush, but one pass of the luxurious boar bristle tool through our 3B hair was enough to convince us that this was worth the steep price tag. Before we even ran it through our hair, we enjoyed how the lightweight, ergonomic handle fit into our hands—it set us up for one of the most pleasant detangling experiences of our life. The combination of boar hair and nylon felt invigorating on our scalp, and as we worked our way down, it effortlessly glided through our hair.

Who It’s For: For those prone to tangles, this brush gets rid of knots without any snagging or ripping. The brush quickly and gently smoothed out our hair without disrupting our curl pattern, leaving it soft and damage-free. When it came to the brush’s overall performance, we had no complaints. We were a bit disappointed to discover the handle was made of plastic, but considering the bristles are extremely high quality, we can overlook the less-than-luxe base.

Curl Pattern: 2A to 3B | Bristle Material: Boar, nylon

Mariah, tester: “I absolutely loved this brush; it is perfect for my hair type and glides so smoothly through the hair. You can really feel it moving through softly and it didn't pull or damage my hair at all.”

Why We Love It: The wooden bristles on this brush felt incredible on our scalp, providing a soothing massage and an effective detangling experience in one. It efficiently glided through our wavy hair’s knots and styled our dry strands without much effort. The handle felt smooth and comfortable to hold without being slippery, and the light pressure created a soothing massage effect.

Who It’s For: In our Lab test, this brush’s wide-spaced wooden bristles worked best on wavy hair and looser curls. The brush moved through our tangles faster, more seamlessly, and with far less tension than others we’ve tried in the past. Plus, we were impressed by how the tool also functioned as a static reducer, leaving our strands frizz-free and perfectly smooth, especially when we applied the Crown Affair leave-in conditioner through our curls first.

Curl Pattern: 2A to 3B | Bristle Material: Beechwood pins

Jenna, tester: “I liked the handle on this brush—it was smooth to hold. I also really liked how the bristles felt on my head. It was soothing and got the knots out easily.”

Why We Love It: Our fine, thin strands tend to get extremely tangled, and we were pleasantly surprised by how smooth our hair felt post-brushing with this pick. We attribute this to the brush’s customization options, which allowed us to add and remove bristles to flexibly accommodate our detangling needs and styling preferences. While using the brush, our curl pattern stayed beautifully intact, which is something we’ve struggled with in other brushes. The smooth grip was easy to hold, and though the tool was lightweight, we were still able to apply firm pressure to our scalp.

Who It’s For: With fewer and more sparse bristles that won’t tease out natural curl patterns, this Ouidad detangler is ideal for fine hair. If your hair is prone to severe knots (like ours), you might feel some minor tugging and snagging during the detangling process. The brush didn’t glide through our roughest tangles with the same ease as some other options we tried, but considering how soft and silky our hair felt afterward, we’re okay with a bit of dragging.

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Plastic

Maria, tester: “This brush was a little tough on my super tangled hair, but I liked the flexibility and thickness of the bristles, and holding it was comfortable.”

Why We Love It: This Briogeo brush glided right through our long curly strands more efficiently than any other brush we tried. To our surprise, it took less than five minutes to completely detangle our hair, and we didn’t experience any pulling or snagging in the process. The nylon material mimics the feel and effects of boar bristles while being vegan, cruelty-free, and exceptionally gentle. They felt very soft, yet firm enough to move through large knots with ease. Our tangles came undone with just a single pass, minimizing the length of our wash day routine and leaving our curls smooth and defined. With each additional pass, we noticed our coils clumping in groups, creating a nice volumized look that even enhanced our natural curl pattern. Plus, we noticed less overall shedding with this brush than with others we’ve used in the past.

Who It’s For: The nylon bristles on this brush offer a sustainable alternative to boar hair for those looking for one by mimicking the material’s gentle detangling effects.The silicone handle also never slipped from our hand, making this a great option for shower use. And though the brush is definitely heavier than others we tested, it still felt plenty comfortable to handle (no arm workout here).

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Nylon

Mariah, tester: “This brush is very nice, easy to use, and combed through my hair with no problem.”

Why We Love It: While the bristles on this brush were noticeably firm, we didn’t feel any pulling or tugging as we detangled our thick strands, and we appreciated how little shedding occurred compared to our normal routine. The flexible pad design also contoured to our hair as it moved along our head, a feature that helped distribute product evenly.

Who It’s For: The plastic bristles on this Grace Eleyae brush are long enough to glide through thick, textured hair with surprisingly little pressure. Beyond the bristles themselves, we were quick to notice the brush’s ergonomic handle: It felt distinctly comfortable and stable in our hands. The shape of the brush head was also unique compared to other options we tried. It widens towards the top into an angle, which makes it ideal for working through large sections of hair. Targeting sections along the hairline was another story. We found it hard to grab specific strands without accidentally picking up more hair than we’d intended. It wasn’t a big nuisance but important to note if you’re creating more stylized looks with detailed parts and edges.

Curl Pattern: 3A to 4C | Bristle Material: Plastic

Samantha, tester: “This contoured to my hair as I brushed, which made it easier to run it through the strands without pulling on some sections or ripping pieces of hair out.”

Why We Love It: During testing, we found ourselves actually using less conditioner than usual because this brush helped distribute product more evenly and efficiently. It contoured to our hair as it glided through each strand, detangling every knot without much work. As a bonus, the wide grip was comfortable and easy to handle, and we didn’t experience excessive shedding.

Who It’s For: This brush is both strong and flexible, with bristles that penetrate through very coarse curls to reach the scalp with minimal effort. After styling, our curls felt smooth, bouncy, and refreshed. The design of the brush kept our ringlets clumped together for a full and defined look, which is something we struggle to achieve with our thick, coily curl pattern. While we wouldn’t suggest it for our wavy- or fine-haired friends, we were thrilled to find this rare magic tool that made our natural curls pop.

Curl Pattern: 3A to 4C | Bristle Material: Plastic

Destine, tester: “This brush detangled my hair really well, and the bristles did reach my scalp.”

Why We Love It: We were slightly hesitant to try this brush on type 4 hair due to the ball tipped bristles (after testing out similar brushes we were expecting a battle), but we couldn’t have been more surprised by how seamlessly it slid through wet hair and detangled our tight knots—all in a single pass. The brush is incredibly lightweight; it felt nearly weightless in our hands and only required slight pressure to reach through to the scalp. The narrow handle felt a little unnatural to hold, but the matte finish made it grippy enough to maneuver comfortably. As for those ball tipped bristles, they created a soothing massage that didn’t get stuck in our strands or cause extra tangling.

Who It’s For: This brush expertly targets knots and tangles without breaking up naturally coily curl patterns, making it perfect for those with this hair type. Post test, we decided that we actually preferred this tool over the popular Tangle Teezer and Denman versions, as it enhanced our natural curl pattern by shaping our coils into soft corkscrews, something those popular brushes have never been able to do.

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Nylon

InStyle / Jessica Juliao

Danielle, tester: “I feel like the brush helped enhance and shape my curls. It did a great job at breaking up knots and tangles without ruining my natural curl pattern.”

Why We Love It: The Drybar Lemon Drop Brush glided through our wet hair like silk, forming well-defined curls along the way. Plus, the velvety matte handle provided a textural no slip grip ideal for in-shower use. The soft and malleable bristles easily worked through our curls without creating tension, and similar to the Verb Brush, the ball tips massaged the scalp while detangling. When used on wet hair, we were able to shape our curls into our desired coiliness, starting with a nourishing shampoo for curly hair, for a speedy wash and go air-dry routine. When we tried blow drying with the brush, we were surprised that our hair remained frizz-free and silky, which is not usually the case when we use a hot tool to style our curls.

Who It’s For: We find the signature Drybar yellow hue irresistible—it's a fun addition for anyone who likes an aesthetically pleasing bathroom counter. It may not be the most convenient tool to clean because the bristles are tightly packed, but it's not any more difficult than brushes of similar design.

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Nylon

Tayla, tester: “I would recommend this brush because it is visually pleasing, effective, and not overly expensive.”

Why We Love It: A round brush that won’t completely rip apart curly hair is a rarity, but this one from Sisley Paris made blow-drying our curly hair a breeze and gave us the softest defined curls. The mixed length bristles felt amazing on our scalp, providing a gentle massage and working double duty to detangle as we blow dried.

Who It’s For: The size and shape is perfectly suited to create a bouncy, voluminous blowout, no matter your natural curl pattern. While the brush is technically designed for those with fine hair, we put it to the real test by trying it out on our thick hair. To our surprise, it worked shockingly well, especially when we started from the bottom and worked our way up to the roots. When we finished, we noticed only a few rogue hairs in the bristles—far less than what we find in our regular brush.

Curl Pattern: All types | Bristle Material: Wild boar, plastic

Alessandra, tester: “My hair looked and felt very smooth after the initial use. After applying heat and defusing there was frizz but still less than normal.”

Why We Love It: The widely spaced flexi-bristles on this Felicia Leatherwood brush made straightening coarse curls a pain-free process. It quickly worked through our thick hair without strain, making our biggest knots disappear in one to two passes. The bristles felt nice and firm on our scalp without being too rough. That happy medium pressure created fluid, soft strands so we were able to quickly glide a flat iron through to produce a straight style in far less time than we’re used to.

Who It’s For: This brush makes straightening curly hair simpler, but we also like that it’s uniquely effective at taking down braids and styling natural textures. That said, because the brush is so small, it isn’t the most comfortable to grasp and maneuver. It manages to get the job done, though, and its size renders it ideal for travel and life on the go.

Curl Pattern: 3A to 4C | Bristle Material: Plastic

“Because of the boar brush’s natural bristles, they’re gentle on both the scalp and hair,” explains Taylor. "However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend a boar brush for someone with type 4 hair, as they’re not super effective at detangling coils." Nieves agrees, and saves brushes with boar bristles for those with wavy hair or looser curl patterns.

“The conditioner allows the brush to glide through the hair smoothly with little to no breakage,” explains Nieves, adding that it’s best to start the detangling process from the bottom and work your way up to the roots for the most protective method. “After rinsing the conditioner from your hair, use a paddle brush to apply your styling product for a fast and consistent approach,” he says. After gently towel drying your hair, Taylor recommends brushing through hair in sections, spritzing a leave-in conditioner as you go.

Linne Halpern is a freelance beauty writer. As a lifelong experimenter with her own curly hair routine, she’s intimately come to know the ins and outs of detangling and styling naturally textured hair over the years. Allison Lax is a commerce updates writer for InStyle. In addition to compiling the results from InStyle's Lab test, they sought commentary from expert curly hair stylist and educator, Kee Taylor; celebrity hairstylist and artistic director of Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spas, Paul Labrecque; New Jersey-based stylist and hair loss expert, Amanda DiChiara; and curly hair stylist and founder of Curlventure, Robert Nieves.

Kelsey is an Assistant Commerce Editor and she covers beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment.