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- A $170 hairbrush might seem like an absurd expense, but it's one I firmly think is worth it.
- I've had a Mason Pearson Hairbrush ($170) for over ten years and its unique combination of boar bristles, nylon spikes, and a rubber cushion make it the best hairbrush I've ever used.
- Still, I understand why others might not be willing to spend that much, which is why I'm sharing my other favorite, a $10 Wet Brush.
Whether you know it or not, you probably have a hill you would die on - an unconventional opinion you hold so strongly you will stand by it no matter what. Maybe yours is that Raisin Bran is the best cereal of all time. Or that iPhones are overrated and Androids are the way to go. Or that sliced bread wasn't even that cool of an invention. Here at Insider Picks, we discuss our hills often - expensive products we will always splurge on, underrated products we think need some more recognition, things everyone else loves but we can't stand. I didn't think I had a hill, but in a pensive moment, I found mine - I think the $170 Mason Pearson hairbrush is totally worth the price.
Call me crazy, but I will stand by this statement. Not only is this the best hairbrush I've ever used, but it's the only hairbrush I've consistently used for over ten years. Yes, this hairbrush has been with me for almost half of my life.
Why I'll die on the hill of my $170 hair brush:
Mason Pearson started making hairbrushes by hand in London in 1885, and today, the brushes are made using the same techniques and patents, with most of the work still being done by hand. The materials are all noticeably high quality, which I can confidently state given that my brush has lasted for 10 years so far.
What really makes this brush so special, though, is what it does for your hair. If you're prone to frizz, you know that brushing dry hair can be a nightmare, usually making your hair even frizzier than when you started. Mason Pearson brushes do no such thing. They actually work to make your hair smoother and shinier. The Junior Mixture Brush uses a combination of nylon and boar bristles that are super gentle, but strong enough to detangle wavy hair. The boar bristles distribute your hair's natural oils from root to tip, so you're left with glossy locks all around rather than concentrated, greasy roots. It's also gentle on my scalp and my strands - I don't have to painfully tug through knots to detangle, pulling out pieces of my already thin hair along the way.
For my thin, semi-curly hair, this is the absolute best brush - no doubt about it. But, I realize $170 is a steep price to pay, and although this is my hill, it probably is not everyone's. That's why I'm also here to tell you about my favorite budget option, the Wet Brush.
Yutong Yuan / Business Insider
The Wet Brush ($10) v. The Mason Pearson Junior Mixture ($170)
Why this $10 Wet Brush is also worth mentioning:
So, a Wet Brush is not an exact dupe of the Mason Pearson since it doesn't have the same bristle structure, but it is the best budget hairbrush I've found. While the Mason Pearson brush works best on dry hair, the Wet Brush (as the name suggests) is made specifically for wet.
The Wet Brush uses only nylon bristles, but like the Mason Pearson, they manage to detangle even the most difficult knots with ease, while still being gentle on your hair. This is thanks to Wet Brush's proprietary IntelliFlex technology.
Brushing your hair right when you hop out of the shower is pretty common, but what most people don't know is that your hair is most fragile when wet. So, tugging and pulling through tangled hair can be detrimental, creating breakage and split ends. The Wet Brush gently loosens knots so you don't damage your hair while you brush. It can certainly be used on dry hair, too, but this is the one I use when my hair is wet, and the Mason Pearson brush is reserved strictly for my dry locks.
I've been truly pleased at how my hair dries when I use my Wet Brush - it's wavy and full. Since my fine hair breaks easily, it's important to me that I use tools that work with my hair, not against it. Whether or not your hair is as fine as mine, it could probably still benefit from a hair brush that won't tug at it much after the shower, and that'll work just fine for dry hair as well.
The Bottom Line:
I'm not wavering. I still think the Mason Pearson brush is the best one around - it's my hill. It's the only brush I've found that keeps my thin, light-colored hair - which gets both really greasy and really frizzy - looking presentable even when I don't have time to wash it. Now it's an essential part of my daily routine that I can't live without.
If you think it's worth the splurge, I highly recommend it. Of course, that's totally up to you and your locks. If you do need a great hairbrush that won't set you back a pretty penny though, a Wet Brush is the best budget option and at only $10, it's a no-brainer for just about every hair type.
Shop the Mason Pearson Junior Mixture Nylon & Boar Bristle Hair Brush, available at Nordstrom, $170
Shop the Wet Brush Original Detangler, available at Amazon, $9
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