The best brushes for curly hair to style coils, curls and waves

Those of us with coils, ringlets, and waves know that the best brushes for curly hair are necessary to style a gorgeous 'do. Using the wrong method or tools can result in excess frizz and a lack of definition—or worse, tangles and knots—so it's a no-brainer to want to find the best of the best. Luckily enough, we've combed through the options to find the top tools that make styling and caring for curls a breeze.

Just as you'll take time to research the best shampoo for curly hair before buying, there are certain hairbrush features that are necessary for catering to curls—the space between the teeth of the brush is pretty important, for example, as the wider the teeth are spaced, the better it'll be at getting through thick hair. You can also use one of the best hair dryers for curly hair with a diffuser to improve definition while drying gently.

Our contributing beauty expert deems the Denman D3 was the best and most versatile brush for curly and coily hair, but there are many brilliant options on the market that offer different designs for various curl patterns, which she has reviewed below. Here you'll find options for every style you might want to rock (and when you're done here, read our guide on how to brush curly hair without losing curls).

The best brushes for curly hair, tested by a beauty expert

How we tested the best brushes for curly hair

Meet the tester

Meet the tester

Keeks Reid

I have super coily Afro-textured hair. If we’re speaking in curl patterns, my coils range from 4A to 4C and each strand is very thick. I’m looking for a brush that serves its purpose without snagging or dragging my hair; Afro hair is often thick but still delicate, so it requires a gentler approach.

If I’m looking for a brush to slick my hair, the bristles need to be firm and synthetic to encourage shine. For detangling, they have to be evenly spaced and long to get rid of tangles with ease.

While testing contenders for the best brushes for Afro hair, I was looking for those that serve their purpose without snagging or dragging my hair. Afro hair is often thick but still delicate, so it needs a gentler approach as there are many curly hair types. 

If I’m looking for a brush to slick my hair, the bristles must be firm and synthetic to encourage shine. For detangling, they have to be evenly spaced and long to get rid of tangles with ease. I also took note of the following factors when testing each brush.

• Teeth spacing—this is crucial for how effective it is at getting through thicker hair
• Handle size
• Handle grip
• Durability of the teeth
• Length of the teeth

I tested each according to the purpose of the brush. For instance, if the tool in question was a smoothing brush, I used it on days that I was slicking my hair back. I tested detangling brushes in the shower with loads of conditioner on my hair to test how well it untangled any knotted areas. 

The best brushes for curly hair

There’s a reason that the Denman D3 is a cult buy for the natural hair community; while many brushes are used to work product into strands to create definition, not many can actually be used to create definition on their own, like this one. If you are used to finger-coiling your hair post-wash then you’ll know just how long that process can take—but using this particular tool cut my styling time in half. 

This versatile brush is also great for gently stretching out curls, if you ever want to brush them out for volume. Just make sure you that you detangle beforehand, even if it’s just with your fingers, as I found that the teeth weren't the best for cutting through knots. That aside, overall I think the  Denman D3 brush is the perfect buy if you are looking for something that can pretty much do it all—especially if you want to learn how to brush curly hair without losing curls.

I'd venture that we all love the O.G. Wet Brush, but this Pro edition is way more hard-wearing than the original. I found that the best time to use it is after you have finished rinsing out your conditioner in the shower and need to detangle your hair, but before you start to dry it and apply serums, like Olaplex Number 8. One thing I really loved about it is that it doesn't snag when it comes into contact with any knots; the flexible bristles move with your hair rather than pulling at it. 

To get the best results from this brush, I recommend that you rinse your hair, squeeze out any excess water, and spray in your favorite water-based leave-in conditioner. Then, brush through your hair in sections to detangle and ensure that you have an evenly-distributed coating of your product throughout, for hydrated curls once styled. 

Not only has So Eco has raised the game with this brush—particularly regarding how environmentally friendly it is—it’s also a really great tool for easing out kinks and knots in curly and coiled hair. It is truly curly hair-approved and would make a great addition to the curly girl method, if you're an avid follower. 

Whether you prefer brushing your hair exclusively when it’s wet, or you don’t mind brushing through for volume when it’s dry, this tool can work for both methods. If you do want to brush in the shower, though, the flat base means that there’s nowhere that water can get trapped inside the brush.

However, I did find that the super-bendy material of the teeth meant that they started to get misshapen more quickly than other tools I've tested—which means that this brush will need to be changed or replaced sooner than others. Using it to blow dry your hair also presents problems, as I found that the bristles softened under too much heat, which is another factor that causes them to bend out of shape more quickly. (If you're looking to dry your hair before brushing, wrapping up with one of the best microfiber hair towels is gentler than a traditional towel.)

First things first, I want to say that having this Kent brush in my hair tool kit has truly changed my ponytail and updo game. A medium-to-firm bristle brush is key for creating a kink-free, pulled-together hairstyle on curly hair, and this tool allows you to recreate something like Bella Hadid's bun, for example, that'll last all day long. This hair brush is also affordable and the perfect size for brushing up curls with no lumps before you secure it with a ponytail holder. More specifically, if you have coily hair, you can smooth your edges with a bit of gel or pomade before you brush, or if your curls are looser then you can spray the brush itself with a bit of hairspray to secure your look. 

However, a word to the wise: if you aren’t looking to smooth your curls into a style, then this isn’t the tool you need, as using it to brush out curls that you’re wearing down will only create fluff rather than definition. But for the task of creating a completely smooth updo, it's truly excellent. 

There's an ongoing debate around whether you should brush curly hair when dry or wet, but putting that to one side, if you've never used a scalp brush before then prepare to have your life changed somewhat. If until now you thought that you didn’t need a scalp brush, let me tell you that you are wrong. Yes, I realize that sounds a touch dramatic, but once you have a scalp brush in your life, you won’t do a wash day without it. It’s especially beneficial for curly hair as the gels, mousse, and conditioners used can build-up on the scalp. I found that using this brush loosened that build-up, giving me an even cleaner wash day routine.

This option from Hairstory is great for running over your scalp and encouraging blood flow, which can help to encourage hair growth, too—something that coily hair types in particular can really struggle with. If you enjoy a hair massage in the salon, this tool will also help you to recreate this experience at home. Your hair doesn’t get tangled, either—in fact, you can use it to rinse out any product under the shower if you have type three curls or looser. Some people also like to use it to massage in shampoo for a deeper-feeling clean. 

How to choose the best brushes for curly hair

It can be hard to know exactly where to begin when shopping for the best brushes for curly hair. The hair tool market seems to go on forever and, to be honest, everything kind of looks the same—especially if you're a beginner. If you have damaged hair, then the likelihood is that you'll be even more desperate to find something that really works.

When struggling with where to begin, there's a simple first question that should help guide you to your perfect match: what is this brush for?

• If you’re looking for something to use exclusively in the shower because you don’t use tools on your hair once it’s dry, then you need to get your hands on a shower scalp brush, which helps to stimulate blood flow to your scalp as you wash.
• If you need to mainly detangle, then an exclusively plastic brush will be best as it’ll stand the test of time (no matter how hard your water is) and will be easier to clean. 
• If you like to wear your curly or coily hair in a variety of styles, then bristle brushes and paddle brushes will have a place on your beauty shelf, depending on the look you’re going for.
• Paddle brushes work well to stretch coils or use in conjunction with a hair dryer if you ever want to blow-dry your hair. Boar bristle or synthetic bristle brushes work to smooth an updo or edges to finish off your look.