My BBB (boar bristle brush) is my new bb.

No this is not the latest fad… boar bristle brushes have actually been around for a long time! Remember hearing about how you should brush your hair with 100 strokes a day? Sounds like it came from a childhood princess book. This might be a fairytale you want to read about… continue on to find out why this is a must in my natural hair care routine!

Reasons to Use a BBB (Boar Bristle Brush)

Conditions the hair. The best conditioner for hair is its own natural oils. These oils (aka sebum) sit at the roots of hair (making roots appear oily) while the ends are dry. The BBB works to take the  natural oil down the hair shaft to make roots appear less oily and to nourish the hair ends.

Reduces frizz. Since the natural oils are coating and conditioning every hair strand, there is less frizz and more shine. It also seals in the ends, preventing them from splitting! Say goodbye to your anti-frizz serums!

Improves hair growth. The process of using a BBB stimulates the scalp and increases blood flow. It also unclogs the hair follicle, allowing hair to grow longer and stronger!

Helps to keep hair clean longer between washes. Along with redistributing the hair’s natural oils, the BBB also picks up dirt, dust, etc from the scalp and traps it in the brush, essentially ‘cleaning the hair’. Washing hair everyday is a nono. It strips hair of those precious natural oils we are trying to nourish it with. Click here to read more about it!

How to Use a BBB (Boar Bristle Brush)

Choose a good quality BBB. Some brushes are 100% boar bristle brushes (which are better at distributing natural oils into the hair) and some have a combination of boar and nylon bristles (which are longer and better for stimulating the scalp and for those with thicker hair). If you would prefer a vegan option, this one is amazing and made of sisal (agave) fibres.

Always start with dry hair that has been detangled with a comb or regular hair brush.

Use your fingers (not nails) to gently massage the scalp all over for about 5 minutes (similar to how you may rub shampoo into the hair). This increases blood flow to the scalp and loosens the oils and debris at the roots. This is also a great de-stresser and feels super good after a long day.

Take small sections of hair, start at the roots and use your fingers to pull the oil down the hair shaft to the ends (or as far as it will go). Continue this step for all hair sections to help pull the oil down from the roots to moisturize the ends. Make sure you are not pulling too hard (not trying to pull our hair out here…) Now it is time for the BBB (boar bristle brush).

Stand up and bend forward so hair falls in front of your face. Begin brushing using the BBB from the nape of your neck to the ends. Do this for a few minutes and then stand back up so hair is behind your face. FYI you may have a lions mane from brushing the other way. Ooh baby.

Now use the BBB to brush from the forehead back to the ends, including the sides of the head. Do this step for a few minutes, then bend forward and repeat the previous step and this step one more time. When finished, use the BBB to brush only the ends of the hair to nourish with natural oils.

Your hair has just been triple B’d!

Psst… some extra tips

If hair is staticky or poofy while brushing, simply take it in your hand and give it a light twist. Poof gone! Don’t follow those horrid tips about adding a dryer sheet to your hairbrush to prevent static. Dryer sheets are toxic and shouldn’t even be used in laundry… 

When to BBB? BBB’s can be used between or before hair washes. This answer may be different for everyone, depending on hair type. Try it out and see what works for you!

Person 1 – (Between Washes) day 1: wash hair, day 3: BBB, day 5: wash hair
Person 2 – (Before Washes) day 1: wash hair, day 4/5: BBB & wash hair after  This is me.

My hair is straight, fine, and thin. I find that brushing between washes makes it look too oily. However, brushing prior to washing moisturizes my hair ends so they are not super dry after using shampoo.

Happy Boar Bristle Brushing 🙂

Have you tried a BBB? What do you brush your hair with?