Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Delicate hair deserves a delicate hair brush.

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Having fine, thin hair can be particularly challenging to groom and style. Since your hair type is typically fragile and prone to breakage, you usually benefit more from a delicate hair brush like the soft boar bristle brush.

We’ve already waxed poetic on our love of the boar bristle brush for use on most hair types, but it’s important to note that your thin hair needs something way gentler as well as with a smoother bristle. Read on to discover more about the soft boar bristle brush and how you can use it on thin hair:

Using a Soft Boar Bristle Brush On Thin Hair

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair
Salons and professional stylists love natural bristles like boar bristles because they impart less friction on hair.

Step 1: Wash and condition your hair.

Use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner to give your hair some lift. Try out the Beauty-Full Volume reverse wash system, which includes TRESemmé Beauty-Full Volume Pre-Wash Conditioner and TRESemmé Beauty-Full Volume Shampoo, which works to smoothen and soften hair while creating some gorgeous bounce.

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Step 2: Detangle.

The soft boar bristle brush has bristles that are rather delicate, making it ideal for styling and grooming fine, thin hair. However, if your hair is prone to tangles, it’s best to first remove any knots with a wide-toothed comb.

Step 3: Air-dry.

It’s best to let fine hair dry naturally. If you must blow-dry however, make sure your strands are prepped with a thermal protectant to shield against heat damage. We like how Nexxus Promend Heat Protecting Mist both protects hair during heat-styling as well as helps repair and prevent split ends.

Step 4: Brush in sections.

Once your hair is dry, gently brush your hair using your soft boar bristle brush. Doing so also helps you evenly distribute your natural hair oils throughout your strands, as well as stimulate your scalp and remove any frizz.

Step 5: Soft boar bristle brush maintenance

What many people forget about their hair brushes is that they should be regularly cleaned. Set aside some time once a week to declump your hair brush, first removing any loose strands on the brush head, and then soaking the brush in mild, soapy water. Rinse under the faucet and allow to dry overnight.

Want to learn even more about hair brushes? Check out our complete hair brushes guide.

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Consider your carefully curated collection of haircare products. We bet every bottle that earned a space on your shelves went through a thorough screening process before it ever touched your tresses. Now let’s talk about your hairbrush—the basic beauty tool that’s been a staple of your routine since your My Little Pony days.

Hopefully, you’ve upgraded from the version you wielded back then. But if the reason you own your current hairbrush is that it was the only one on sale (no judgment), we get it. Brushes don’t come with the same descriptive labels as shampoo bottles, so how can you be expected to know which one is best suited for your hair? Never fear, just consult our complete guide to finding the right brush for your hair type.

Jiaqi Zhou/Byrdie

Click through our slideshow to find the hairbrush that’s right for you!

Fine to Medium Hair: Pure Boar Bristle Brush

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Denman D82M The Finisher Medium Boar Bristle Brush $43.00

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Fine-to-medium hair may be easy to maintain and style with any old brush, but boar bristle brushes are really the gold standard for creating polished strands. They actually lift away dirt, dust, and debris, while redistributing the scalp’s natural oils from root to tip. Consider this gentle, effective grooming tool the final ingredient in the recipe for a perfect hair day.

Clean your hairbrush monthly using a clarifying shampoo to remove oily residue and product build-up.

Thinning, Delicate, or Damaged Hair: Soft Bristles

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Kent Ladies’ Narrow Soft Brush $82.00

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Boar bristle brushes are great for those with delicate hair as well, but make sure you choose one with extra-soft bristles. This type of brush is meant to stimulate the scalp, increasing circulation to the hair follicle, which is ideal for hair that’s in need of a little TLC. All-natural bristle hairbrushes are gentle, but if your hair is thinning or especially fragile, look for a softer cut of bristle.

Medium to Thick Hair: Mixed-Bristle Brush

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Mason Pearson Handy Mixture Nylon & Boar Bristle Hair Brush $175.00

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Medium-to-thick hair can benefit from a mixture of nylon and boar bristles. Mixed bristle brushes are really the best of both worlds. The nylon quills that extend from a tuft of natural bristles detangle tresses, while the boar bristles distribute your hair’s natural oils and smooth the cuticle—perfect for creating and maintaining healthy hair.

Very Thick or Coarse Hair: Nylon Bristle Brush

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Mason Pearson Pocket Size Nylon Brush $70.00

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Those flexible boar bristles can’t always tame a truly thick mane. In order to penetrate hair that’s particularly thick, you’ll want to use a nylon brush. Nylon bristles function similarly to their all-natural sisters, but they’re stiffer and offer more control.

Curly Hair: Wooden-Bristle Brush

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Kent Woodyhog Wooden Quill Brush $22.00

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It’s time to abandon the notion that curly hair can’t be brushed. Curls do present their own unique challenges, but with the right tools, you can tackle them all. To keep coils in tip-top shape, look for a hairbrush with widely spaced wooden pins. Wood brushes are meant to be gentle on dry, brittle hair, won’t separate the curls, and never generate the all-too-familiar curly hair foe, static.

Bangs and Very Short Hair: Small, Round Boar Bristle Brush

Extra soft boar bristle brush for fine hair

Spornette de Ville  Rounder Boar Bristle Hair Brush 1.5” $20.00

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To smooth short hair and bangs, choose a small round brush with boar bristles. Boar bristles are great for creating tension; they catch every hair, making a boar bristle brush a dream for styling short strands. Whether the end goal is smooth and sleek or you want a boost of volume, this little wonder will get you there.

Is a boar bristle brush good for fine hair?

Every type of hair can benefit from a boar bristle brush, but a 100-percent boar bristle brush with soft bristles is a good choice for people with fine, thinning, or aging hair.

Is boar hair brush good for thin hair?

The soft boar bristle brush has bristles that are rather delicate, making it ideal for styling and grooming fine, thin hair.

What type of brush is best for fine thin hair?

“Those with fine hair should be reaching for boar bristle brushes,” says Fitzsimons. “This type of brush has soft bristles that are gentle on the hair and scalp.

Are boar bristle hair brushes soft?

"Boar-bristle brushes are great because their soft bristles glide through hair, leading to less hair breakage during styling," celebrity stylist Kim Kimble explains. "They are also great for massaging the scalp and promoting blood flow, which is important for healthy hair."