boar / nylon bristle brushes 101
smooth, shiny, put together
hair starts here
okay, real talk. the number one thing i see people get wrong with a round brush is rushing it. they pick up the brush before the hair is ready, they work sections that are way too big, and they wonder why their blowout falls flat or feels crunchy instead of smooth.
the boar bristle brush is the brush i reach for when hair needs to look expensive, not overdone. shine. smoothness. volume that actually moves. available in small, medium and large. here is how you use it correctly.
Why boar bristle?
boar bristle brushes have been used by professionals for decades for one reason: they work. the combination of natural boar bristles and nylon pins does two things at once. the boar bristles distribute your hair's natural oils from root to end (that is where the shine comes from), and the nylon pins help grip and smooth the cuticle as you pull through with your blow dryer.
the result is that put together look that is hard to explain but you immediately recognize. it does not look styled. it looks like your hair just does that. match the brush size to your hair length and the result you want.
shorter hair, tighter sections, more control around the face and nape
mid length hair, shoulder to collarbone, great all around size
longer hair, bigger smooth sections, maximum volume and length
Step by step: the right way to do it
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1rough dry first down to 20 to 30 percent damp
before you even pick up your round brush, rough dry your hair with your hands or our detangler brush. working a round brush through soaking wet hair is fighting the process the whole way. you want the hair set enough that it responds when you apply tension.
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2section cleanly, no bigger than the brush
this is where the magic either happens or does not. your sections should be no wider and no longer than the brush you are using. if your section is too big, the brush cannot grip properly, you lose tension and you end up with frizz instead of smoothness. clean sections equal clean results.
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3wrap, pull through, keep tension, repeat
wrap the section around the brush barrel, point your dryer down the hair shaft and pull through with consistent tension. keep the brush moving. when that section is fully dry, move on. do not over dry one spot and rush the next.
"do not rush it and do not overdry the hair. the magic is in the passes and make sure to keep tension on the brush."
Watch it in action
watch dom walk through the full blowout technique
Why it works
the science behind boar and nylon bristles
boar bristles are structurally similar to human hair. they are protein based, which means they interact with your hair instead of just dragging through it. as you brush, the boar bristles pick up your hair's natural oils and redistribute them along the length of the strand. that is why hair brushed with boar bristles looks shinier after a blowout. you are not adding product shine, you are activating what is already there.
the nylon pins add grip and tension. together the two materials give you shine, smoothness and volume in a single pass. that is why this brush is the one professionals keep coming back to.
heat plus tension equals lasting results
a blowout works because heat softens the hydrogen bonds in your hair and tension shapes the strand as it dries. when the hair cools in the position you have styled it, those bonds reset. that is what gives you hold without product buildup. the key is not overdoing it. when a section is dry, move on.
"when hair needs to look expensive, not overdone. this is the brush."
Common questions
what size boar brush should i use?
match the brush to your hair length and your sections. the small is great for shorter cuts and detail work around the hairline. the medium is the most versatile and works for most mid length styles. the large is for longer hair where you want to move through sections faster and get maximum volume and smoothness.
is a boar bristle brush good for fine hair?
yes, actually especially good for fine hair. the boar bristles distribute natural oils without weighing the hair down. the result is shine and polish without that heavy overworked feeling.
can i use this brush on curly or wavy hair?
yes. make sure you have rough dried to that 20 to 30 percent damp point first. it will be much easier to work through and you will get a smoother result without unnecessary pulling.
what is the difference between the boar brush and the Papi?
the Papi has a longer barrel built for working through bigger sections faster. if you have a lot of hair or want to cut your blowout time down, the Papi is the one. the standard boar brush gives you more precision and control, especially on medium and shorter lengths.
the boar bristle brush is the tool that makes hair look like it was done without looking done. use the right size, work clean sections, keep tension and do not rush the process. your hair will thank you.