The 7 Best Brushes For Oily Hair
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If you have oily hair, you don’t want to reach for just any brush. The best brushes for oily hair will feature ultra-gentle boar bristles, which help to take the oil from your scalp and distribute it evenly through your strands, making your roots appear less greasy overall. Top picks come in a range of styles, shapes, and sizes, so you can find one that’s suitable for your hair and styling preferences.
Picking out the best brush shape really boils down to how to prefer to style your hair. Paddle brushes are best for creating sleek or straight looks, while round brushes can add body and lift to your hair — they can even curl it, too. Also, consider the size of the brush head. Flat paddle brushes can vary in width from about 1 to 4 inches: Smaller picks can be easier to maneuver, but if you have thick or long hair, you may want to opt for a wider pick that can handle more hair at once (some picks even have bristles that are spread further apart to best handle thicker strands). Round brushes vary in diameter, too. If your hair is thin or short, or you need to style bangs, choose a pick with a smaller diameter (around 1 or 2 inches). But if you have thick or long hair, you may prefer a round brush with a larger diameter of 3-plus inches.
While many hair brushes solely feature boar bristles, there are some picks that combine these natural bristles with nylon bristles. Nylon bristles are stiffer overall, so they can brush through thick or tangled strands much more easily, should that be a need of yours. Other features to be on the lookout for? Some picks feature super comfortable handles, whether that be ergonomically-designed wooden ones or even handles with a secure rubber grip. And if you blow dry your hair often, look for a brush that’s vented — this feature allows the hot air to reach your hair more easily, speeding up your dry time.
These seven brushes are the best of the best picks for those with oily hair, and Amazon reviewers rave about them!
1. A Highly Rated 100% Boar Bristle Paddle Brush
This hair brush set boasts an excellent 4.4-star rating overall on Amazon after 7,000-plus reviews — a testament to just how good it is at distributing the natural oils from your scalp. The set features a round paddle brush with 100% natural boar bristles on a 3.5-inch wide head. The brush’s 9-inch handle is made from bamboo and boasts an ergonomic shape for comfortable holding. Also included in this set are a handy wooden comb, a 100% cotton headband that’s adjustable, and a travel bag to corral all of the pieces.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “This brush has increased the volume and softness of my hair! My hair is fine so my scalp gets oily quickly, but the ends of my hair can get dry. I often found myself thinking, ugh I wish I could just move this oil around to the rest of my hair! Well now I can!! Seriously, I love this brush and have been using it every day, it's a hair game changer!”
2. A Large Boar Bristle Round Brush
With its 2.75-inch diameter (including the bristles), this round brush is one of the larger options on this list — and that makes it the perfect pick for adding volume to the hair or even creating gorgeous curls. The brush’s bristles are made from 100% natural boar hair, so they’re soft to not snag your strands, and the sleek black handle is shaped for comfort.
Choose from a variety of other brushes in different sizes, some of which feature nylon bristles, if that’s what you’d prefer.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “The soft bristles do not break hair and distributes natural oils through hair making it look shiny and healthy.”
3. A Fan-Favorite Paddle Brush With Boar & Nylon Bristles
Boasting a knockout 4.7-star rating overall on Amazon, after 11,000-plus reviews, this paddle-style hair brush is an overwhelming favorite that offers the best of both worlds when it comes to bristle types. About 70% of the bristles on this brush are made from soft boar hair, so they’ll take the oil from your roots and distribute it throughout your strands as you brush. The rest of the bristles are made from stiff nylon, which is touted for its detangling powers. Plus, thick-haired individuals will find that the nylon bristles can work through their strands more easily than a boar-bristle-only pick. The paddle brush head is about 3.9 inches wide, while the bamboo handle is 9.8 inches long. This pick comes with a brush cleaner and a travel bag.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I've never owned a brush like this but after doing research on what the best brushes are for fine and oily hair, I found boar bristles are the best. I love this brush! I feel like it glides through knots and super gentle. It evenly distributed oil and dry shampoo residue. I also think the little hair cleaner/comb was a great add to this product. The brush sits great in my hand and it isnt heavy.”
4. A Small Round Brush For Thin Or Short Hair
If you have thin or short hair (or want to style your bangs), you’ll love using this petite round brush with a 1.3-inch diameter (including the bristles). Featuring 100% natural boar bristles, the hair brush will glide right through your hair, dispersing the oil from your roots throughout. The lightweight wooden handle is 8 inches long and is smooth and comfortable to hold.
Also available are a brush with a wider diameter and a pick that features both nylon and boar bristles.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I absolutely love this brush! It's amazing! It's perfect for my bangs! It's excellent at getting all of my natural oils & sebum from my scalp and evenly coating the entirety of my hair, keeping it healthy and giving it a glorious & beautiful sheen & shine!!! I never expected such big results from such a tiny brush!”
5. A Paddle Brush For Thick Hair
With its extra-wide brush head and spaced out bristles, this paddle brush is an excellent option for anyone with thicker hair who wants a 100% boar hair option. The paddle brush features a rubber cushioned base to securely hold the bristles in place while also providing a little give while you brush — and multiple Amazon reviewers confirm that very little bristle shedding occurs. It’s even vented to allow the brush to quickly dry after use (you can use it for blow-drying, too). The wooden handle is ergonomically shaped and lightweight for your comfort.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I recently started doing the baking soda/apple cider vinegar ‘no poo’ method because I have a sensitive scalp and the ‘clean’ shampoos seem to cause build up for me. Because of switching over to this method it left my hair more greasy than I would like. ((Which supposedly is just until my body adjusts oil output etc)) but I was unable to do much with my hair because of the excess grease...until I bought this brush! I am very satisfied with the quality and use of this brush. It gets all shedding hairs and really distributes the natural oils all the way to the tips of the hair giving the hair an overall shine and healthy glow!”
6. A Small Paddle Brush For Less Than $15
At less than $15, this brush from Conair is a budget-friendly buy that Amazon reviewers confirm is still high quality: hence, the solid 4.3-star rating overall they give it on the site, after 1,400-plus reviews. The paddle brush is on the smaller side — with a 1-inch brush head — but that means it is a particularly great choice for those with thin hair, short hair, or bangs. Packed with 100% natural boar bristles, the brush is ultra-soft so it’s ready to glide right through your tresses, taking the oil from your roots and spreading it evenly throughout. The brush’s total length is about 8.38 inches, and the rubber handle will feel nice and secure in your hand.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “This is the only brush I have been using for years. I have very long, fine hair [...] [this brush] naturally distributes the oils to your ends, for healthy, beautiful hair!”
7. A Vented Hair Brush For Quicker Blow Drying
Looking to speed up your blow-drying routine? This vented paddle brush will help to make that happen, since the vented design that allows the hot air to quickly reach your strands. Those with oily hair will particularly enjoy this hair brush because it boasts soft natural boar bristles that help to disperse the oil from your roots to the rest of your hair. Nylon bristles can also be found on this pick; they’re ball-tipped and stiff to help detangle your hair without tugging it. The square brush head is curved and about 3.15 inches wide, so it’s on the larger side. And of course, we can’t forget about the handle — it boasts a textured grip that is super comfortable to hold.
Choose from brushes in different colors, including pink, gold, and white, and two-packs as well.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: “I got this brush a while ago and I finally decided to write a review. JUST GET THIS BRUSH!!! The boar/ synthetic [...] Bristles help distribute the oil from your scalp to the ends of your hair. I used to have the problem of a oily/ shiny scalp and dry ends. This has helped me fix it. The little beads it has massage my scalp. [...] It has a good handle and grip to it and is so lightweight. Don’t think about it, just get it!”
