To brush or Not To Brush: A Lifesaver Guide To Find The Right One

Statistically speaking, research (Patzer, 1998) shows that hair is the first thing that meets a stranger's eyes before your eyes meet theirs. Right before something important, the first thing that you instinctively see your hair flying out to fix is how your hair is falling to your preferred parting, pushing it up for more volume or pressing it down for it to be quieter. Same for men, the right hand swerves with your part to scrunch up your hair 90 seconds before meeting your date for the night. But the reason why hair gets noticed first is not just about placement or frivolous shallowness. Well, at least not limited to that. While glorious, voluminous hair can significantly hike up your score on the attractive scale, there are layers to why that is. The colour, scale, volume (or lack thereof, apologies to 40-something men) determine how your opinion is formed by a complete stranger. A study led by Dr. Marianne LaFrance used computer-morphed images to alter hairstyles on the same individuals. The study's participants interpreted these images and consistently assigned different personality attributes, such as different levels of intelligence, professional competence, and social status, based entirely on the hairstyle. Unconvinced? There's more. Rapunzel's Daughters: What Women's Hair Tells Us about Women's Lives (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) is a book based on historical research, observations at hair salons, interviews with 74 girls and women, and a variety of focus groups. Rose Weitz, the author of this major sociological examination, conducted a study that examines hair's relationship to sexuality, age, race, social class, health, power, and religion, among other things, as "hair is huge." So, the hairbrush you choose can determine whether or not that interview, date, or alternate social interaction goes well, which is why attention must be paid. Because it's not beauty but an opinion based on your hair that lies in the eyes of the beholder. So, you'd better make sure it's a favourable one.

You might have developed an unhealthy attachment to your crusty hairbrush that you have harboured over the years of growing up. But, it might not be the right one. Time should usually not be a determining factor when it comes to matters of the hair. You must let go if it's not the right one. Yes, we are still talking about hairbrush types. Let's start at the very start, shall we?

In order to move towards clarity, the knots of your hair's past must be let go of. Or what awaits you is mayhem (a blob of your fallen hair weeping as they stare back at you in agony) A detangler hair brush is the very first one that should touch your hair, fresh out of the shower. As you slap on some serum, you pray will magically save your hair. It's also one-size-fits-all that works for all hair textures as well as extensions. All you need to do is run down your length when wet with your serum of choice to prevent breakage.

Undoubtedly, the best hair brush before straightening hair. This once again is a versatile one, suitable for all hair types, but it isn't necessary in your hair care. The girls love it for its flat and rectangular surface, making it a popular brush for thick hair, as you can move with control for a commercial-like results especially for wavy and curly hair. It can also double as a precursor to straightening, gliding across each portion before you run your flat iron over it. One thing to keep in mind while choosing a brush for thick hair is to go for sturdier bristles, such as - synthetic ones that suit textured hair.

If you're in your Sabrina Carpenter and Dolly Parton 90s blowout era in your life, we'd be surprised if it's not in your vanity or your wishlist, the round brush is that gurl. It's been making the rounds all over Instagram in the hands of your favourite influencers for a reason. We could write sonnets on the round brush because it doesn't just help tame frizz but can create tighter as well as subtle waves, depending on the barrel size. Who would've thought the same type of hair tool would work as the perfect brush for thin hair as well as thicker locks? If you style your hair enough, this deserves a place in your hair brush drawer.

A rather understated one, this hair brush has not gotten the limelight it deserves. It is particularly THE brush for thin hair because it might not look so, but it brushes delicately along the scalp. It doesn't pull or snag on the roots, and if you have very fine hair, it can also decrease breakage that comes as a cost of having fabulous hair days. It's recommended to use this brush after heat styling for the perfect Hollywood waves as it eventually distributes your hair's natural oils. This brush can be nicely tucked in your nightstand as part of your haircare routine, used before bed to condition or oil dry ends.

This one finds its place in the vanities of professional hair artists. If you lean towards sleek, slick back buns AM to PM, this one might not be for you. For those who want to feel like they're in a movie of their own, having voluminous locks that feel so effortless you look like a Bollywood main character, keep reading. This is an easy one to slip into your purse to help you keep that volume through the night. It answers all SOS calls if you're ponytail or bun is looking to flat. Spray with some hair setting spray and poof it up. And we promise you won't need anything else.

Your hair is only as good as the hair brush you use. Using the wrong one for your hair texture can subscribe you to a lifetime of (haircare) therapy. We often get lost in a sea of choices, suggested by our friends, endorsed by our favourite haircare creators or the good ol' - our mothers and nanis, having to resort to a test and learn method that our hair might not be the biggest fans of. So, if you're an indecisive girlie spoilt for choice in this choice-filled marketplace, this guide might be your lifesaver.