The Benefits of Brushing Hair

Guess what? I didn’t brush my hair for, er, about 25 years. Yes, you read that right. 25 years without one single hair brush touching my locks. Heck, I didn’t even own a hairbrush during that time. I guess you could say that I didn’t really understand the benefits of brushing hair.

I have curly hair and from everything I read I concluded that brushing my hair was bad for it. I did use this wide-toothed comb after I showered but that was as much action as my hair saw.

In my quest for better health through as many natural means as possible, I began researching hair care. It occurred to me that since the body is an intricately connected framework, that it just might be possible that the way I tended to my hair (and scalp) could play a larger role in overall health.

Through my search, I learned about the Morrocco Method line of hair care products. I have discussed my affiliate partner at length in this post and also discussed why you are probably washing your hair wrong. Be sure you read those two posts then hop back over here to learn…

Why I Started Brushing My Hair, Again and the Benefits of Brushing Hair

Once I saw first-hand just how incredible the Morrocco Method line of shampoos were, I started digging deeper into their other products. Again and again my eyes would wander to their boar bristle brush section.

However, I kept dismissing it even though I was reading some pretty incredible stuff on the benefits of not only brushing your hair regularly but also brushing it with a boar bristle brush. Honestly, it wasn’t because I had any doubts about what they were saying about brushing your hair. It was simply laziness on my part. I need ONE MORE THING TO DO every day like I need a hole in the head. And so, I ignored that nagging feeling that I really should try out one of these brushes.

I finally gave in. My inner voice was not-so-subtly sending me signals that I could improve my scalp health. As I started to learn more about boar bristle brush benefits I realized that I need to brush my hair.

Why I’m Hooked On Brushing My Hair

Wow. Just wow. You know that saying “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone?” Well in this case, “I didn’t know what I was missing until I found it.” Seriously. I had no idea how much I was missing out on until I started brushing my hair and in my case, with a boar bristle brush.

When you brush your hair properly (more in a second), a whole new world opens up on your scalp. Literally. The energy that is released, the blood flow that is increased, and the dirt and debris that are set free all play a vital role in the health of your hair and in many ways, your entire body. I was stunned with the noticeable difference I felt in my scalp after just a few days of brushing regularly. Yes folks, it didn’t take long to feel the effects of a simple hair brush.

Boar Bristle Brush Benefits

Say that ten times real fast! Ha! So why boar bristles? There are a lot of reasons actually. But for me, there are 4 main reasons why someone would want to choose boar bristles over synthetic materials or even another natural material.

1. Boar bristles have the same structure as our hair. Yes, it’s true. So what better to brush with than something that has the same structure as my own hair?

2. Using a boar bristle brush rather than a synthetic bristle hair brush helps to distribute the scalp’s natural oils more evenly throughout the strand. When you brush your hair with a boar-bristle brush, you’re allowing your scalp’s moisturizing oils to coat the whole strand rather than just staying concentrated at the top of your scalp. This is very important to the health of your hair. Your own oils are the best moisturizer for your hair. I noticed that my hair was definitely silkier and shinier from brushing.

3. Boar bristles are quite hard and densely packed in the brush. They are very effective at removing dirt, dust and debris from the hair because they are so densely packed. In addition, they provide your scalp with a fantastic massage which increases the blood flow which then trickles down throughout your body.

4. Boar bristles don’t mess with moderately curly hair. Mind you, my hair is a smooth curl, not a course curl so I am speaking from my experience only. However, I saw no signs of breakage, my hair didn’t poof out and not unpoof, and a quick spray of water and some Diamond Crystal Mist got my curls bouncing right back to their usual positions. I attribute this in part to how my natural oils were distributed but I also believe it has a lot to do with how the boar bristles separate each hair strand. While this can create some friction it isn’t the same static electricity that synthetic materials create. Hence why it is easier to control.

The Proper Way To Brush Your Hair

Brushing your hair is something akin to a ritual. At least if you are brushing it properly. The founder of the Morrocco Method suggests that at a minimum, you brush morning and evening. I aim for this but sometimes only am able to brush one time per day.

It is important to always start with dry hair. Boar bristles are the perfect match for any hair except wet hair. The course bristles can cause breakage when used on wet hair. Also, you want it to be able to do its job properly which includes distributing your natural oils. If your hair is wet, it can’t do this.

Ok – so on to the proper way to brush your hair!

First, relax. Yes, I said relax. If you are stressed out, in a hurry, tense, and not present in the moment, you won’t get the full benefit of the hair brushing experience.

Second, scout out any tangles in your hair and gently work them out with your fingers or a wide tooth comb. Ahem, I may have skipped this step because I wasn’t reading the directions properly. I may have made a tangle worse by not loosening it first. Don’t make this same mistake. Get the tangles out!

Third, bend over and flip your hair in front of you. Brushing properly with a boar bristle brush requires you to attack your hair in carefully planned section. Section one = back of head. You want to start at the roots and brush up and over. I usually start on the right side and slowly make my way over to the left side, brushing in 3-4 section increments.

Next, flip your head back over and get to work on your hairline. Same idea – work from root to tip, from one side to the next.

Lastly, clip the top layer of hair up and work on your crown of your head. That is a little difficult to explain so allow me to link to a video that should help.

How To Clean A Boar Bristle Brush

Because it is so effective at trapping dirt and dust, it is very important to clean your boar bristle brush periodically. It’s very simple to clean your brush. Simply turn it over and use a comb to remove any lint or debris that gets caught in the bristles. Occasionally, you may want to give your brush a thorough cleaning by rinsing it under running water or even by soaking it in a bit of one of the Morrocco Method shampoos.

I am honestly in love with my hair brushing routine. I find that it makes a wonderful addition to my “waking up” routine as it gets the blood flowing right when I need it to. Like I said earlier, my hair is shinier, bouncier, and overall looks a lot healthier. I am also noticing more consistent ‘hair loss’ and by that I mean, the hair strands that fall out (totally normal process) are pretty evenly spaced out. I’m not losing clumps at a time and then nothing for a day or two. This signals that my hair is in vibrant health! Oh, did I mention that my hair is growing like weed?

Get Your Own Boar Bristle Brush

So now that you are chomping at the bit to try out one of the amazing brushes, head on over to this page, make your selection, then enter Rastabrush20 at check out to get 20% off your boar bristle brush purchases. Whoo hoo! Then…enjoy the brushing experience!