5. If You Have Slightly Wavy or Straight Hair, Brush It While It's Wet or Dry
People with straight or only slightly wavy hair are able to brush their hair safely while it's wet or dry. Here's exactly how to approach either option.
How to Brush Straight Hair While Wet
When you get out of the shower, brush your hair before styling. First, apply a lightweight leave-in conditioner like the Sally Hershberger Hydration Spray for fine hair, or Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Oil-in-Creamfor thicker hair. Next, hairstylist Matt Fugate recommends using a comb, as long as you don't rip the comb through your strands. "You have to be mindful of the angle," he explains. "If the teeth are pointed down, you get too much tension which pulls the hair. If you angle the teeth up a little, you won't rip or break any hairs," he adds. Also, start at the bottom (cue Drake) and work your way up. "When you comb from the top down, if there's a knot, you end up tightening it. If you're gentle and start at the bottom, you won't cinch it," he explains. If you don't have a comb handy, you can do this with a paddle brush, but Fugate warns not to engage the entire brush. "For the initial brushing, use the first couple of rows to be very soft and gentle. Then, once the tangles are out, you can go in and do a full swoop," he explains.
How to Brush Straight Hair While Dry
Most people with straight or slightly wavy hair can benefit from drying brushing that distributes natural oils from the scalp down. "Every other day you should grab a paddle brush, or a Mason Pearson, and brush from your roots to your ends," says Fugate. "Make sure you use a brush with soft enough bristles to stimulate the scalp without causing damage," he explains. If you're equipped with a soft-bristled brush, you don't run the risk of snagging your hair. When a brush has harder bristles, you're more likely to snap every snag as you pull the brush through — aka breakage central. Fugate explains that dispersing your natural oils down your hair shaft makes hair naturally smooth and shiny without the drying elements that come from silicones in hairsprays.