lunchtime bet

This Is the Best Fancy Hair Brush Dupe

Photo: Courtesy fo Drybar

About ten years ago, I stopped brushing my hair. There were a few reasons. Bed head had became an acceptable hairstyle, I’d lost a grotty old brush during a move, and I figured that God already gave me the best brush for free (my fingers). Despite having straight hair that becomes a tad more wavy throughout the week, I thought that brushing it wouldn’t suit “my texture.” Never mind that I would find a quarter-sized snarl like a briar patch in the back of my head about every two months. I wanted waves! And I was lazy and didn’t want to use a curling iron every day. It sort of worked.

Then I was given a fancy Mason Pearson brush as a gift. I tried it because countless hairstylists have talked about how great it was. And it actually made a significant difference. One, I forgot how great it feels to brush your hair (it’s like getting a scalp massage, if the brush has long-enough bristles — plus your head is full of nerve endings which are rarely touched). Two, on the days I did brush my hair, people would say, “Your hair looks great, what did you do?” And I had to shrug and say, “I brushed it.” It was embarrassing and thrilling to get a compliment from doing so little work.

While hair brushing did ruin any chance of my hair being described as “tousled,” it really did make it smoother, shinier, softer, and more moisturized. My roots even got less oily (because go figure, you don’t have to use as much dry shampoo if you brush your hair, as it helps redistribute oil from the roots of your hair to the end). So for the first time ever, I am recommending brushing and a brush.

Mason Pearson brushes retail on authorized sites for $120 for the pocket version. If that is out of your budget, Drybar makes the only comparable dupe. Like the original, the fibers are dense but assembled unevenly and in little grouped tufts (the better to seamlessly comb through tangles). The bristles are sturdy and a bit hard, to really stimulate the scalp without feeling abrasive. It doesn’t break off hair and offers a bit more scalp engagement than, say, the Wet Brush, which has more flexible, soft bristles. It’s a hair brush with a bit of weight to it, which makes it easier to use. Yes, it is still pricey at $85. But after a few weeks of using this, I couldn’t tell much difference between this and the Mason Pearson. So if you want hair compliments without doing much work, try the age-old beauty practice of brushing your hair.

This Is the Best Fancy Hair Brush Dupe