What’s in a brush?

Goody Jewel Shine Oval Cushion Brush ($6.49 at Walmart) is a tourmaline-infused brush designed to “smooth hair, minimize static, and enhance shine.” It has a “soft touch handle for a comfortable grip.”  When I sat down to write-up this review, I was trying to figure out how one might evaluate a brush.

For me, I use this brush each morning and evening to run through my hair.  I have long hair (about halfway down my back) that’s mostly straight, but there is some waviness from putting it up regularly.  My hair is thick and there is a lot of it–hairdressers always tell me, “You have enough hair for two people!” (That joke gets old when you’ve heard it for 15 years.)

I like that it runs through my hair easily, doesn’t catch, and there’s enough flexibility in the bristles that I can maneuver it easily through my hair.  It’s lightweight, and the grip is comfortable to hold–I haven’t had the brush fly from my hands yet. My hair doesn’t tangle much, but when I have a few loose tangles, it detangles those well without pulling painfully, because the flex and give of the bristles helps it work through the tangle steadily but surely.

Admittedly, the last brush I was using was FHI Heat’s Cushion Brush, which also used tourmaline as a selling point, so I didn’t see any dramatic difference from when I switched over, which means Goody’s doing a good job at maintaining the status quo at a third of the price!

What do you look for in a good brush?

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