Last week, we spoke about hard brushes and when (and why) to use them. If you missed it, you can catch up here. This week, we’re covering medium hair brushes. After speaking with wavers in the community, most would agree that no matter the texture of your hair, you should have a medium hair brush in your wave rotation. Just like hard brushes, medium hair brushes come in different shapes and sizes. We're going to break them down again into three parts: bristle composition, advantages, and disadvantages to help you make better decisions about the tools you use to style your hair.
Bristles
Most medium brushes are made with 100% boar bristles. When you feel the bristles they should feel firm but not as firm as reinforced boar bristles. Some brands also come with a mixture of boar and flex bristles.
Advantages
The main advantage of using medium brushes is the versatility. There are some medium brushes that are harder than others; this gives you the option to substitute your hard brush with your hardest medium brush. Medium brushes also puts less stress on the hair and scalp than hard brushes, allowing you room to brush for longer periods if you like without damaging your hair or wave pattern. Depending on your texture you could also use medium brushes as a shower brush, but I would only recommend that to wavers with low haircuts and those that might have a problem with thinning hair. That way, you can protect the follicle and not pull on your hair as with a hard brush.
Disadvantages
Being that texture varies from person to person, this could go both ways. Once you start wolfing, you’ll notice over time your medium brush will start to feel like a soft brush on your scalp. This is a clear sign you might need a hard brush or a harder medium brush to serve its purpose in your rotation. Having more hair also decreases the effectiveness of your medium brush being used as a shower brush. This is where using a brush with synthetic bristles could come into play.
Understanding how medium brushes work is key to building the proper rotation that suits your texture. You’ll probably spend more time using your medium and soft brushes than your hard brush. It’s always good to remember, the brushes you put the most work in with will be the brushes that’s going to make or break your progress.
We're starting to see submissions for #WaverWednesday on Instagram, you guys look great out there, keep up the good work! Next week we’ll talk about soft brushes and get you ready to decide on what’s the best rotation for you. See y’all next week and remember: keep those brushes moving!
-Kado
Kado is the founder of Elite Spins, a digital community for wavers to share product reviews, methods, and tips. Connect with him personally on Instagram and follow the Elite Spins page.
