Natural bunners, what brush are you using?

[LoveLiLi]

I've been straightening my hair since late last year, but I want to wear my hair natural for the next month or two because flat-ironing is very time consuming (and April = rain).

My issue is that I don't know what type of brush to use. Daily manipulation and using a hard bristle brush caused a-lot of split ends for me when I was wearing it in a natural bun. However, just combing it won't give me a smooth look and a boar bristle brush isn't enough to give me a smooth look either.

This morning I rinsed out my henna, dc'd and used a comb first, but had to follow up with my denman to get a nicer look. There were at least 15-20 broken hairs in the brush after I got it in the ponytail holder, so I know this is not something I can do everyday, but I really want to take a break from flat-ironing.

A comb and a boar bristle brush aren't enough for my 4a hair. Please let me know what brushes properly smooth your hair, but don't cause a ton of breakage. TIA.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

I wet bun ALOT. I will smooth my hair into a bun, finger comb into place, apply Fantasia gel and Worlds of Curls Activator or Hawaiian Silky 10 in 1 and wrap my hair with a scarf...after a few minutes, my hair is slick. No need for a brush of any kind.

 

[Eclass215]

Hey - I see you live in rockville - Im right up the street in germantown, hi neighbor!

But anyway, when I bun I comb with a wide tooth comb first, then use a cushion brush (you know, like with the plastic teeth) and once it's neatly in a ponytail, i will use the soft bristle brush to smooth it all out.

 

[LunadeMiel]

I used the denman...

 

[Bigghair]

I use a boar bristle brush to smooth the surface of my bun or puff.

 

[LoveLiLi]

Hey - I see you live in rockville - Im right up the street in germantown, hi neighbor!

But anyway, when I bun I comb with a wide tooth comb first, then use a cushion brush (you know, like with the plastic teeth) and once it's neatly in a ponytail, i will use the soft bristle brush to smooth it all out.

Hi DMV neighbor! I actually live in Germantown now, I just never updated my original info. from when I lived in Rockville.

Are you talking about a brush like this?

 

[pmichael52172]

I'm not a bunner but when I want a neat pull back I'll use:

Denman to get those roots and strands to smooth out (without breakage) then;

Boar Bristle (with some moisturizer and light aloe vera gel) to smooth the surface and hold it.

 

[LoveLiLi]

I used them denman...

This is the one I used this morning. Are you using the same one?

 

[Eclass215]

Hi DMV neighbor! I actually live in Germantown now, I just never updated my original info. from when I lived in Rockville.

Are you talking about a brush like this?

I mean more like this: I don't have this exact one, but same idea

 

[msa]

I don't use a brush. I really don't like wet bunning because I think it's too much tension on wet hair, which eventually is going to cause breakage.

Mostly, I'll only bun after I've done a braid out, and it looks a lot sleeker that way anyway. And it's easier because my hair is already stretched out.

 

[LunadeMiel]

This is the one I used this morning. Are you using the same one?

I'm currently using a smaller version. But I also have that one too.

 

[caramelcutieinva]

I use my SO's brush

Its a cheap Vidal Sasoon brush its supposed to be a 100% boar bristle

 

[LoveLiLi]

I don't use a brush. I really don't like wet bunning because I think it's too much tension on wet hair, which eventually is going to cause breakage.

Mostly, I'll only bun after I've done a braid out, and it looks a lot sleeker that way anyway. And it's easier because my hair is already stretched out.

The bolded is what I'm afraid of. I'm going to wear my natural hair in a bun for the next couple of weeks, but if I can't find tools that really work for my hair or if I find I'm getting breakage then I'll go back to flat-ironing.

 

[msa]

The bolded is what I'm afraid of. I'm going to wear my natural hair in a bun for the next couple of weeks, but if I can't find tools that really work for my hair or if I find I'm getting breakage then I'll go back to flat-ironing.

I don't get breakage if I stretch my hair first. It's just that wet hair stretches so much more, and at some point it breaks. That's the reason I try not to wear headbands too often as well.

Anyway, you should try stretching your hair first and then bunning...braidouts or bantu knot outs work the best for me. I also do a lot of pin ups instead of buns because it protects my hair just the same without having to pull it back over and over again.

 

[NikStarrr]

The only brush I use is the Denman. It detangles AND smoothes my hair down.

When I was textlaxed--wet bunning caused my hair to break, but since I've been natural, I've had NO issues.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

I don't use a brush. I really don't like wet bunning because I think it's too much tension on wet hair, which eventually is going to cause breakage.

Mostly, I'll only bun after I've done a braid out, and it looks a lot sleeker that way anyway. And it's easier because my hair is already stretched out.

I've been spying on this thread to see if someone would come up with an answer that would work for my hair. I'm kinda of wet bunning...
This sounds like the best solution for me MSA

 

[Soliel185]

When I'm bunning I don't brush my hair every day - usually just when I put it up...

I don't like doing it on wet hair b/c of a: tension and b: it makes my bun smaller. I like the BIG bun.

I have this towel turban (called a turbie I think) and I wrap my wet detangled hair into it after I've added my leave in. Once it's mostly dry I take the towel off, seal with oil of choice and wrestle it into a bun with a satin scrunchie. Sometimes I leave the ends out so they can dry a bit more, and I tie a scarf over the top and edges.

My damp hair is easier to manipulate than fully dry hair, but it's not as fragile as soaking wet hair.

I do detangle with a denman - but only after adding my leave in, and detangling with a jilbere, and a detangling comb (think it's called a melba or something from Sally's)

 

[lilsparkle825]

if i am wet or damp bunning i don't brush. my damp bun method is kind of like soliel's, i plop my hair with a t-shirt or turbie twist then add my leave-in and put it up. if i am wet bunning, i smooth it out in the shower then use my scrunchie when it's still soaking wet (add conditioner, squeeze out my hair, and put it up, then wrap a towel around my neck).