Help me replace my hairbrush!

November 25, 2018 12:12 PM

I have been using the same hairbrush for decades. Literally the same brush, not just the same brand. Help me find a replacement that works in my very thick and wiry hair before my beloved old brush deteriorates completely!

The one I love is entirely molded plastic, one piece. The bristles are wide spaced and a bit flexible. The name on the handle is “Hair Research” and I’m fairly sure that it was purchased in the ‘80s at a salon chain called John Ryan Associates. Picture.

I’d love it if someone could find this, either still being made or off some dusty eBay shelf (though I’m not sure I’m desperate enough to buy a *used* brush). But in the event that this exact brush no longer exists, can you help me find a brush that will work for my needs (more inside)?

My hair is super thick and wiry. Brushes with traditional bristles or even closely spaced rigid plastic bristles can’t penetrate. I dislike brushes with the cushioned paddle. My hair yanks the bristles out. I don’t like the way combing makes my hair look. The Denman brush is the closest I move found, but it is more rigid and the bristles closer together than I like.

Is there anything out there for me?

posted by Kriesa to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (15 answers total)

I have similar hair. I say this with full knowledge that you mentioned that you don't like combing but would like to present it as an option: the cheapo hard plastic huge bristle shower combs are the best thing I've found, eg here. A regular comb gets eaten in my hair; these do what I want without making everything even more frizzy and horrifying.
posted by annabear at 12:23 PM on November 25, 2018 [2 favorites]

Try Sally's Beauty Supply and scroll through their brushes. Problems is, most brushes with wide bristles also have those little balls at the end that tangle wiry hair. Or the bristles are too close together or there are too many of them.
posted by Elsie at 12:45 PM on November 25, 2018

Get a Denman Brush and look at youtube to learn how to move extra bristles. Denmans last forever.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 1:57 PM on November 25, 2018

Does this look right? Not plastic, but similar shape.

[on edit: ugh that one is unavailable; the search term is "tsuge brush" eg this but OH MY GOD the prices!]
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:00 PM on November 25, 2018 [2 favorites]

What about this vent brush? It has widely spaced bristles and no padding. There are other cheap and less-cheap brushes in the vent brush category that look like they may work, although all of them have thinner bristles than your brush.
posted by MadamM at 2:33 PM on November 25, 2018

Have you looked at/tried tangle teezers? They have plastic bristles, no balls on the end, and have worked well on thick hair for me.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 2:46 PM on November 25, 2018 [5 favorites]

I also have thick hair, and have liked this wooden brush (it does have a cushioned paddle, though maybe there is something similar without?), which doesn't cause tangles for me.
posted by altolinguistic at 2:51 PM on November 25, 2018

Try this one, maybe. I have a different hair type but my thick-haired sister likes it. If you're ever in NYC, I recommended going to the store in the link above (Ricky's).
posted by pinochiette at 4:33 PM on November 25, 2018

If it helps, Denman also has a seven-row brush and a five-row brush (the one you linked to is nine), so there will be fewer bristles spaced further apart. Personally, I love the company's brushes, but I have the complete opposite hair type that you do, so I can't tell you if a Denman brush would work for you.
posted by sardonyx at 7:32 PM on November 25, 2018 [1 favorite]

Do a search for "Goody Ouchless Brush." I find them once in a great while in pharmacy-type stores, but you might reliably find it online easier. This is the only thing that ever worked for me. They are VERY widely spaced by comparison to other brushes.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:04 PM on November 25, 2018

Try the curly hair Institute’s flexy brush. Unfortunately the website says it’s out of stock right now. Hopefully that’s temporary.
posted by leslievictoria at 8:27 PM on November 25, 2018

Seconding Tangle Teezer. The bristles are more closely packed than you might ideally like, but they're part of one moulded piece of plastic, so the bristles shouldn't rip out.
posted by nerdfish at 3:03 AM on November 26, 2018

These brushes work really well on wet hair and should work on thick hair as well.
posted by Ferrari328 at 7:22 AM on November 26, 2018

The rabbit warren that is AliExpress led me to this, which has the wide-spaced moulded silicon 'bristles', but in a hand-strap design.
posted by essexjan at 10:20 AM on November 26, 2018

I saw this Kent Wood Hog prong hairbrush in a pharmacy today. It's not precisely yours since it's wood but it had long, very widely space prongs (not well shown in the picture). I swear this was your hairbrush only in wood with no padding. Hope you see this posting since I know you posted in November.
posted by Elsie at 4:26 PM on December 22, 2018