The Denman brush was undeniably one of the most hated tools in my styling arsenal. I couldn't understand the hype around something that could rip and pull your hair to shreds. Needless to say, my first experience with a Denman brush was nothing to write home about. - After revisiting this brush a few times, it has become one of my go-to tools whether wearing a twist-out, or hair that has been blow-dried and pressed. The key was learning when to use it, and how to use it properly.
Here is what I learned about using the Denman Brush
Denman D4 brush can be purchased {here}
Using a Denman brush to aid in blow-drying: Using a denman brush to blow-dry the hair makes for hair that is very silky, straight, and full of body. I use a Denman D4 for this because the rows of this brush are very close together, it aids in the sleek finish. To avoid damage, keep these tips in mind:
- Make sure the hair has been thoroughly detangled with a seamless comb prior to blow-drying
- Towel dry the hair carefully; the hair should be damp, not soaking wet while blow-drying
- Use a leave-in conditioner [I love Sebastian Potion #9 for styles that require heat], it will help lubricate the strands keeping your hair free of tangles, matting and knots while working with your hair
- Blow-dry in small 1/2 inch sections of hair
- Lightly blow-dry roots and entire length of your 1/2 inch section before brushing the hair with the Denman Brush, as it is better to brush hair that is slightly damp versus hair that is wet.
- Once hair is slightly damp, blow-dry hair as normal using your Denman brush instead of a comb.
Denman D31 can be purchased {here}
Denman D41 can be purchased {here}
Using a Denman brush on wet, natural hair: I use a Denman D31 to help smooth the hair out before doing a twist or braid set. This brush also helps enhance your natural curl pattern and distribute styling products evenly throughout your coarse, kinky, strands. The bristles are wider apart which means it is better for natural, highly textured hair [If your hair is uber thick and prone to excessive tangles, pick up the D41 instead]. Smoothing my hair with a Denman brush helps make my set silkier and softer. To avoid damage, keep the following in mind:
- Even though this can be used on it's own as a detangling brush, I still recommend detangling with a wide-tooth comb beforehand, especially if you have type 4 hair.
- Work in small 1/2 sections of hair to prevent excess tangles, knots and matting
- Always detangle with product in your hair, whether it be conditioner, or a detangling mixture like the one featured in {this post}.
- Brush hair from the bottom up to prevent unnecessary snagging and tension
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