The earliest U.S. patent for a modern hairbrush was by Hugh Rock in 1854. A brush with elastic wire teeth along with natural bristles, was patented by Samuel Firey in 1870 as U.S. Patent 106,680.

Simply put – yes, the hair brush you use matters. Selecting the right brush for your hair type and styling preferences can make all the difference between a good hair day and a bad one.

In search to find a more efficient way to fix her clients’ hair, Newman invented the new hairbrush style. By getting it patented, she became the third black woman ever to receive a patent. Newman’s design was specifically made for African American hair and had synthetic bristles instead of animal hair.

Read on to learn more about the best hair brushes on the market now.

• Best Overall: Drybar Super Lemon Drop Detangling Brush.
• Best Budget: Conair Velvet Touch Cushion Brush.
• Best Splurge: Mason Pearson Handy Mixture Brush.
• Best for Fine Hair: Briogeo Vegan Boar Bristle Hair Brush.

“Higher-priced brushes are made to be heat resistant. So when you’re using a $5 brush, it can actually do more harm on the hair because bristles burn and melt with the blow dryer’s heat. With the natural quality bristles, it makes your style look shiny and fabulous.”

Yes, wooden hair brushes are the best type of brush for any hair type because they are so gentle and encourage sheen. Wooden hair brushes also are excellent for massaging the scalp because the brushes are firm enough to really help get that circulation going.

A good rule of thumb is to change your brush every six months, said John Stevens, research and development lead of Goody Hair Products. If your brush’s bristles are starting to separate or melt, or the bed is cracked, it may also be time to move on, he said.

A cheap or flimsy brush can cause micro-tears and damage to the hair cuticle. This can lead to irreversible hair damage or can worsen other hair conditions. A good hairbrush is essential for any head of hair, especially those prone to hair loss.

OTHER BRUSHES Fill a bowl full of lukewarm water and soap (either dish soap or hand soap should work), dip your cleaning brush or toothbrush into the water, and softly scrub the hair brush, including the rubber. Since water can get trapped beneath the rubber, remember not to dip the tool in.

The residue that you see in your hairbrush that resembles grey lint is dead skin cells, along with old, matted hair and hair product residue. Keep in mind, when your hairbrush is filled with old hair and bacteria, you are combing that same bacteria through your hair and redistributing it on your scalp.

After brushing your hair you may notice that it has collected some “white stuff” off your scalp. This is a mix of the product and mineral build-up on your hair along with some dead skin cells and maybe even dandruff! When you use a comb on hair with product and mineral residue, you may notice a white or grey lint.

It looks like lint. Shake out the brush against a garbage to get as much lint as possible off then give it a good cleaning. Check your hot tools as well since they’re especially prone to gathering it (particularly blow dryers). Cleaning the brush more often should prevent lots of lint buildup.

Add three drops of shampoo to the bristles of the brush. Hold the handle of the brush in your left hand while rubbing the bristles briskly to spread the shampoo to all the bristles. Run a fine-toothed comb through the soapy bristles, using an upward motion to lift the lint from the bottom of each row of bristles.

Let’s get started!!

1. STEP 1: First things first, comb the hair and excess sebum off the brush.
2. STEP 2: Prepare the brush bath.
3. STEP 3: Soak the brush.
4. STEP 4: Let the brush soak for about 10 minutes!
5. STEP 5: Rinse with clean water.
6. STEP 6: Let it dry!
7. DONE. Enjoy your clean boar bristle brush!

“It was so gross,” she wrote over the footage. To clean the brush, Haizman first used a fine-toothed comb to pull out all the hair stuck in its bristles. After that, she put her brushes in the sink and started running the water. Then she added 1 cup of baking soda into the sink — and a little bit of shampoo.

The oils on your hair and scalp are what bind all the dirt and dust. So as you let it build up, it’s joined by more dirt, dust and pollution – all things that can potentially irritate and damage the scalp, not to mention make your hair look dull and greasy.

Wash your hair with just water. Thoroughly wash your hair with water every day to remove as much grime as you can. Use warm water at first to remove dirt and oil out of your hair. Finish off by rinsing with cold water to remove any buildup and make your hair shiny. Massage your scalp while you rinse your hair.

Styling gel, mousse, hair spray and even some shampoos and conditioners can leave residue on your hair that builds up over time….Easy Ways to Remove Hair Product Buildup

1. Use a clarifying shampoo.
2. Try micellar water.
3. Apple cider vinegar hair rinse.
4. Baking soda is good for more than just baking.