May 28, 2009 (RALEIGH, NC) – Hairbrushes come in a vast array of sizes and shapes these days, with almost as many bristle choices. Confused?
“The fact is, most people don’t have the slightest clue about the correct tools for their hair style or texture,” said Jessica Williams, owner and senior stylist at Lather Hair Salon in Raleigh, “so they end up using the same brush — with five years of buildup — then wonder why we can’t recreate the salon look.”
Williams offered information to help cut through the confusion so that we can make our next hair tool purchase with confidence. She starts with facts and tips on bristles:
Fact: Boar bristles tend to be softer then synthetic or plastic bristles. That doesn’t mean plastic bristles are bad. There is a time and place for each. The purpose of a boar bristle brush is not to detangle hair. In fact, these brushes should never be used on knotty hair. Because of the density of the bristles, tangles will get caught in the brush and cause unnecessary breakage. (This is the perfect territory for plastic or nylon bristles.) Boar bristle brushes are designed to clean, polish and condition hair. Plastic or nylon bristles are great for detangling or working with layers since they don’t add volume.
Fact: Paddle brushes are generally large, wide and adaptable to wide variety of hair styles and textures. They’re great for smoothing naturally straight hair or finishing off a style after you’ve used a round brush to straighten frizzy, wavy, or curly hair. Ionic bristles are a nice “extra” since they reduce static and help close the hair cuticle. And using this brush is easy: Simply sweep the brush down the length of your hair in a paddle motion.
Tip: If time is your primary concern, a thermal brush may be just the ticket. They have a metal or heat-conductive material at the center that gets hot from the heat of your hair dryer. As you increase the heat, the brush will be working not only on the surface of the hair, but from the inside-out as well. These brushes can get really hot, so you have to be careful.
If that sounds ominous, ceramic brushes offer all the benefits of thermal brushes without the pesky danger of burns.
Fact: A radial hairbrush features bristles around the entire head of the brush. Think porcupine meets roller brush. Radial brushes come in many different shapes and sizes. Vent holes in the barrel allow heat to circulate from the roots throughout the hair while simultaneously drying the hair quickly and creating added volume. Tip: The correct blow-drying technique for these brushes is almost as essential as the benefits of the brush itself. Wrap your damp hair around the brush and roll towards the base, keeping the blow dryer directly on the hair. Extra hint: Give your hair a blast of cool air at the end to help set the style. These brushes are perfect for creating curls and volume quickly.
Tip: Regardless of the quality of the hairbrush, you always need to use heat protection on your hair before heat styling. Lather Hair Salon prefers Sebastian’s Trilliant.
Tip: Wash your hairbrushes regularly in warm water and a little shampoo and let them dry naturally.
Big tip for big hair: Don’t brush thick, frizzy, or damaged hair. Use a comb instead.
Lather Hair Salon is located at 8521 Cantilever Way near the corner of Glenwood Ave./Highway 70 and Ebenezer Church Road. For more information, including business hours and access to the salon’s “Hair Academy 101” blog, go to www.latherhairsalonnc.com. (Find the blog by clicking on “specials.”) Lather is also available on Facebook and at triangle.citysearch.com. 
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