Do you want to hear something funny? Here is a conversation I had the other day with the maker of a boar bristle hair brush.
Is the hair brush 100% boar hair?
Yes, it is 100% reinforced boar hair.
What is it reinforced with?
Yes, but the boar hair is 100% boar hair.
The gist of this dialogue is that if you are looking for a “100% boar hair” hair brush, you might encounter some obstacles. Be vigilant. Always check with the manufacturer directly.
In this post, I want to share with you my research on boar bristle hair brushes so you do not end up with 4 boar bristle hair brushes like I did. The reason I got interested in boar hair brushes is that boar bristle does damage the hair. With boar hair brushing, my hair is shinier, smoother, and healthier. I wanted to find a 100% boar bristle hair brush without nylon, not made in China, and at a reasonable price. (I wasn’t willing to pay over $100 for a hair brush.) Here are the results of my research.
This is a 100% boar hair and it is NOT made in China. The boar hair is very firm, and almost seems reinforced. The problem is that the boar bristle is on the shorter side, so if you have very thick hair, this brush might not work very well. It works on my long hair of medium thickness. It massages my scalp very well. The cushion is made of natural rubber. And the price is affordable.
This boar bristle hair brush works perfectly! It is made with 100% boar hair without reinforcement. The boar hair is strong and long enough to get the job done. I use it for both combing and styling. I wish this boar bristle hair brush were not made in China, though.
Deville boar bristle hair brushes are carried by Spornette. In the Spornette collection of boar hair brushes, there are brushes made in Italy. They are reinforced with nylon, though.
And lastly, after I had expended my budget for brushes, one of this blog’s readers shared her great experience with Ibiza hair brushes. The Amazon reviews are excellent. The brushes are made in Italy. They are not 100% boar hair though. But at this point, my theory is you can still get the benefits of boar hair as long as the nylon is not longer than the boar hair.
In my experience, you have to make some tradeoffs. I have not been able to find a brush that combines all of my desired elements, including a 100% boar bristle hair brush, not made in China, works on my hair, and that costs a reasonable price. I hope this discussion has helped shed some light on boar bristle hair brushes so you can buy one you will love and use for a very long time.
I love mine so much that I am not going to blow dry my hair at a hairdresser before my birthday party next weekend. I’m just going to brush it with my boar bristle hair brush! For the benefits of boar bristle hair brushes, read my summary, here.
Thanks for the info. Please remind people that boar bristles (or any brush actually) will straighten your hair. If you love your waves or curls, skip the brush and go with wide tooth comb.
I have curly hair and love my curls. I brush with boar bristle brush 2-3 times a day. I just scrunch with with water after. If anything my curls have become more manageable.
Thank you, Emilia! I look forward to your update.
I happen to love the Mason Pearson brushes. Have 2 different ones and the comb. Well worth the money!
I have the MP 100% boar bristle hairbrush (extra) which I use at home. It actually helps with my dry hair a bit. I had a chop about a few weeks ago to get rid of the dry ends but my hair has been growing out faster with no bend of shape ends or split ends. I usually get those wacky ends cause it gets so dry. I found out that brushing my hair in the morning and night actually helps it from getting those thin ends. I have the MP for years btw and it still looks new. Pretty much save money from getting a new brush every several months or after a year. Another good brand is Widu. They have a wood bristle hair brush as well and a really nice baby hair brush.
Update: after owning my Mason Pearson for 2 years now, I can tell that it holds very well. I totally expect it to last for decade(s). I can’t tell how much it improves the texture of my hair but I do notice that after brushing my hair w it, my hair feels silkier and less frizzy. The reason I wanted to write an update is to say that now I understand why it is hard to find a 100% boar bristle brushes. Just the natural bristles would not comb your hair well. They are too soft to untangle knots and if you have thick hair, the soft bristles would not even be able to “penetrate” through all your hair. It would be like combing your hair with a baby brush. This is the reason they inform it w nylon. It might be different if you have thin, short hair. Just my 2 cents.