Wave hairstyles have always held a special place in the heart of the Afro American community. Wave haircut, also known as 360 waves, is a form of intricate hairstyle that involves flattening out the curls to create a ripple-like pattern around the head.
Creating neat and well-defined waves takes hours of delicate handwork and a quality wave brush. These special brushes smooth out the cuticles, detangle the strands, and remove frizz to give your waves an impeccable shine and finish.
It’s very important to choose a wave brush that suits your specific hair texture. Failing to do can bring irreversible damage to your hair. There are so many options in the market right now that it could take you ages before you find the right product. Since you clearly don’t have that kind of time to spare, allow me to make your task a little easier.
Below, I have rounded up and reviewed 7 best wave brushes in detail. Take a look and see if one of them meets all your criteria:
Table of Contents
- Reviews of the Finest Wave Brushes Available Today
- Torino Pro Wave Brush
- Wolfin Pro
- Wav Enforcer “Spin” Wave Brush
- Kingston Grooming- 100% Boar Hair Bristle Brush
- The Mane Brush by Ecomforlyfe
- Torino Pro Wave Brush #690 By Brush King
- Hard Wave Brush For Wolfing By Wrightling
- Choosing the Best Wave Brush for Your Specific Hair Type
- Frequently Asked Questions
Best Wave Brush Comparison
| Name | Size | Bristles | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torino Pro Wave brush | Medium | Boar | 5.93 Ounces | Check price |
| Wolfin Pro brush | Medium | Boar | 3.21 Ounces | Check price |
| Wav Enforcer “Spin” | Medium | Boar | 3.99 Ounces | Check price |
| Kingston Hair Brush | Small | Boar | 3 Ounces | Check price |
| Mane by Ecomforlyfe | Medium | Boar | 6.6 Ounces | Check price |
| Torino Pro Wave Brush | Medium | Boar | 4.48 Ounces | Check price |
| Hard Wave Brush /a> | Medium | Nylon | 1.9 Ounces | Check price |
Reviews of the Finest Wave Brushes Available Today
When looking into a wave brush, inspecting the groundwork of the surface and the bristles is extremely important. While the bristles usually make it easier to recognize the hair type the wave brush caters to, the shape usually gives a preview of the user experience and unveils useful info on the usability of the tool.
If you had enough time to check out the former table, we assume you were successfully provided with some of the key features of the wave brushes we’ll cover in this write-up. However, if you’d like to learn everything and anything about the models that are considered the best wave brushes on the market right now, remember each following portion carefully!
Torino Pro Wave Brush
Torino Pro is one of the most authentic medium wave brushes you can buy if you are a coarse hair wolfer like me. Although it does cost more than average wave brushes, it makes up for it with its buttery-smooth pull and durability.
This brush uses 100% genuine boar bristles for stretching your curls. The firm and dense bristles provide a strong grip on the hair strands. Its curvature significantly improves the wave depth and helps you easily develop connections between your waves.
The best part is it gently slides through the tresses and frees up the tangles along the way. If your kid has super thick and coarse hair, this brush would be a much better alternative to soft bristle brushes. Its bristles go easy on the scalp which makes it safe for both kids and sensitive-skin adults.
Its pointed tips stimulate blood circulation in the scalp and also encourage defined ripple-pattern by isolating the crown. The blue color handle on the brush aids a strong and secure grip.
Great Positives
A lot of wave brushes suffer from the lack of quality bristles. Most brushes use poor-grade plastic bristles that struggle to run through dense and abrasive hair strands. You won’t have to face any such issues with this medium wave brush. Its premium-quality medium texture boar bristles can smoothly glide through the coarsest strands without snagging or damaging your hair strands.
It provides a firm grip on hair yet pulls very gently which makes it ideal for all hair types. Extra points for the pointed tips and curvatures that make working around the crown a breeze. The contour of the brush is also quite helpful in creating and maintaining the connection of your waves.
Its unique wide curvature is designed to fit your scalp and provide a great coverage. It has a sturdy handle on it which allows you to brush from all possible angles which fosters the fast and healthy growth of your natural waves.
Mild Concern
The blue color on the handle begins to chip off after a few uses. Some users have also complained about rapid bristle loss, which, I think, is a common issue with most wave brushes.
Wolfin Pro
For managing your thick afro-textured hair and transforming them into 360 to 180 waves over a gradual period of time, using an option that comprises a hard set of bristles could be necessary. And if you’ve yet to find a model that you’d like to commit to, throwing the Wolfin Pro to your list could be a good move to make.
With an oval-shaped surface and a series of dense yet gentle black boar bristles, the Woflin Pro can carry out an array of activities. The boar bristle is a specialist in detangling kinky hair without causing too much strain on one’s scalp. The bristle seamlessly moves through waves without making any friction, which prevents the follicles from attaining permanent to temporary damage.
Since the oval-shaped head covers tons of ground, the Wolfin Pro is also a good tool for those with a greasy or oily scalp, as the bristles spread sebum, the natural oil that one’s scalp produces, evenly across every region of one’s head.
Weighing in a little less than 0.2 pounds, the Wolfin Pro is also easy to use. With this tool, one can detangle, create waves, and condition the hair at the same time! The glossy housing also makes it easier for users to glide the comb down the middle and throughout the hair. With its sharp bristles, the Wolfin Pro also possesses the ability to remove every piece of residue.
While this model is a must-have for those with stubborn textured afro hair, the bristle’s hardness could be disadvantageous to those with loose curls and sensitive scalps. Since the bristles are razor-sharp, using this product on an injury-prone scalp can bring to the table injuries, scratches and more. Nonetheless, due to its affordable price tag, straightforward maneuverability, and sublime versatility, the Wolfin Pro remains a mandatory purchase in our eyes!
Great Positives
When all is said and done, the oval-shaped build of the Wolfin Pro is matchmade in heaven for those with dense afro-textured hair. With its black boar bristle, it can eliminate strands, promote healthy hair growth, and create sublime waves for days!
While the wave brush could be difficult to pack inside a preoccupied duffel bag, the Wolfin is a compulsory investment to make if you have greasy hair, as the bristles provide natural oils in an even manner.
Since the comb feels like a feather in one’s palms, orchestrating the wave brush to create desirable results should be easy. The comb can also be a great candidate to add under your belt if you’d like a brush that can fix your weaves and condition them thoroughly.
Mild Concern
The razor-sharp bristles can deal with the coarsest set of hair with ease but can prove to be harmful when used on a vulnerable scalp. Even if it’s used with the least amount of pressure, the Wolfin Pro can leave marks, cuts, and bruises on an injury prone scalp.
Wav Enforcer “Spin” Wave Brush
If you’ve just started learning about waves, then you definitely must be unaware of the upkeep they require. And if we did get that portion right, a good wave brush you can start off with this Wav Enforcer “Spin” Wave Brush, our next entry on the list.
With deep boar bristles and a paddle base, the Wav Enforcer is an expert in detangling the waves without causing much damage. The closeness of the bristles might sound scary in theory, but it’s extremely helpful if you’re working with short to medium-length hair.
The texture of the bristles is too harmful either, and often manipulates the hair effortlessly with each swipe. In addition to detangling the hair and spreading natural to hydrating oils efficiently, the Wav Enforcer promotes hair growth by enabling more blood circulation on the scalp.
In contrast to most options on this list, the Wav Enforcer is better in terms of handling. The long handle doesn’t just offer more freedom to the user, but it also provides the user with an incredible grip throughout each session. If you believe that you’re one of the clumsy ones, then this option is the end game, as the housing it comprises is durable and long-lasting.
While its compact build can easily fit in a suitcase and travel with you from one place to another, the quality of the bristles could prove to be a liability in the long run. Just like a majority of the options on this list, the Wav Enforcer’s bristlehead is extremely fragile, bending pretty easily. While you can protect the wave brush by investing in a pouch, packing it in cramped bags and suitcases might compromise the item’s longevity.
Great Positives
The Wav Enforcer is a bang for its buck due to its medium-shaped boar bristles and paddle-shaped surface. The wave brush comprises a sleek yet narrow handle underneath the paddle, which tends to offer an unfathomable amount of grip.
Due to the leniency of the bristles, the Wav Enforcer can create waves on any type of hair. The bristles won’t just relieve the scalp by creating waves without causing any friction or tugging but will transform the hair in a short period of time.
The selling point of this product is its size. On top of being relatively weightless as opposed to other wave brushes, the dimensions of this wave brush is also firm and narrow, making the brush a perfect companion to travel with!
Mild Concern
The Wav Enforcer is definitely a frontrunner in its league but often takes a hit due to the quality of its bristles. Though the bristles are more than eligible enough to create remarkable waves, they bend rather easily, and can break if the bristles are under pressure for a considerable amount of time.
Kingston Grooming- 100% Boar Hair Bristle Brush
This is a soft medium wave brush that’s ideal for toning down the curls as well as for controlling unruly coarse hair. I liked how the bristles possess the right amount of firmness to run through and detangle long and thick hair without scratching the scalp.
Sporting a hand-finished gorgeous Beechwood body, this palm wave brush fits in your hand easily and delivers a secure grip.
The medium-soft bristles help to remove tangles without snagging and also remove scalp impurities after a long and thorough brushing session. The texture of this brush is also helpful in distributing sebum (the natural hair oil) across your hair length to improve the shine and feel of your tresses.
Doing so minimizes the risk of breakage, split ends, and frizz. This wave brush features a wide head which paves way for a great coverage and therefore, allows faster wave forming than regular soft bristle brushes.
If you are planning to create 360 waves on coarse hair, use this soft medium brush in conjunction with a hard medium brush like Torino Pro for more concentrated waves.
Great Positives
This soft medium wave brush is the best thing you can get for tending your fresh cut. It smooths out and softens the cuticles which helps to remove frizz and make your curls more manageable. In short, this can lay the groundwork for perfect seasick wave patterns in just 4-5 weeks.
I loved how its bristles have the perfect amount of stiffness to detangle medium-length curly hair without hurting the scalp. Using it as a finishing tool after brushing with a hard medium brush can help you produce an elegant and defined wave pattern. I’m also impressed by the incredible pull and coverage it provides which helps to train your curls to lay down at the root.
I found the semi-soft pointy ends of the bristles an excellent tool for massaging the scalp. It promotes better blood circulation and evenly distributes the natural oil of hair from root to scalp. This is the most effective way to reduce hair thinness, promote healthier hair growth and enhance the sheen of your locks.
What’s more fascinating is that the bristles don’t fall out from the base after several uses, which is a big deal for a wave brush. The bristles in this brush have been heavily reinforced to minimize bristle loss.
It also boasts an ergonomic design with dented handles for easy gripping and maneuvering. It comes with a neat storage bag where you can safely store your brush while traveling.
Mild Concern
This brush is not firm enough for work on long and extremely coarse hair. It’s best suited for styling short to medium-length semi-coarse hair.
The Mane Brush by Ecomforlyfe
Finding the best 360 wave brush specifically designed for short to medium-short hair is not as easy as you think. I know this for a fact because I am a medium-length coarse hair waver myself.
I had a hard time finding a wave brush that has the right balance of firmness and softness. After spending hours on the web, I came across The Mane Brush which ticks all the right boxes for me.
The brush is embedded with a bunch of medium-soft and medium-firm bristles that feel extremely comfortable against the skin. The boar bristles are very dense yet soft enough to exfoliate your scalp without scratching it.
A long brushing session can help you flush out dirt particles and various other impurities off your scalp and hair. Including this brush in your daily hair care routine can help you battle hair fall and maintain the shine and depth of your wave pattern.
Its curved head seamlessly contours to the shape of your head and the grooved handle fits firmly in the grip. The handle is made from maple wood and has a plush feel to it.
Even if you accidentally drop the brush a couple of times, it won’t bring any noticeable damage to the equipment. What’s more praiseworthy is that it has the right size to fit into any travel-size toiletry bag.
Great Positives
Made from premium-quality medium-soft dual boar bristles, I am amazed by its incredible pull and contouring ability. The brush has a wide but short head which, I think, will work best on short to medium-length hair.
While it is not designed to create deep waves on long and coarse hair, it will be an ideal tool for tending your fresh cut. Your waves can benefit from it during the first 3 weeks of wolfing as well. If you have really dense and coarse hair, the brush might fail to work on your crown. However, it can still detangle and straighten the sides of your head with ease.
The texture of the bristles is perfect for smoothing and conditioning the curls for shinier and silkier tresses. Its pointy tips let you easily isolate hair crown, helping you create a clearly outlined ripple-like pattern. I loved how I could get all the necessary info on how to use and take care of the brush on Kingston’s official website.
You can also use this brush on wet or damp hair while blow-drying your strands. Regular brushing with these semi-firm bristles can also prevent hair thinning problem by stimulating the blood circulation in your scalp.
I liked the sturdy and ergonomically designed handle on it. It is easy to grip and allows you to maneuver the brush from different angles with minimal effort. Apart from maintaining the sheen and shape of your waves, it also exfoliates your scalp, straightens and detangles your curls.
Given the quality of bristles and compact size, it can also double up as a nifty grooming tool for your luscious beard and mustache.
Mild Concern
Despite being heavily reinforced, a lot of bristles come loose after a few uses. I also assume that the bristles are not stiff enough to penetrate extremely thick and coarse hair crowns.
Torino Pro Wave Brush #690 By Brush King
When it comes to crafting true medium texture brushes, I don’t think any other brand comes close to Torino Pro. Its bristles are a combination of medium and hard bristles which makes it suitable for both tended-headed and coarse-haired individuals.
The brush is designed to deliver supreme contouring for maximum coverage and faster wave forming. The compact wave brush snugly fits in your palm, allowing maximum control over your styling.
This extra bristles of this brush can gently stroke your scalp to remove dirt buildup and redistribute sebum (the natural oil of hair) to your hair shafts to make your locks radiant, glossy and easily manageable.
Needless to say that you can use this brush for grooming your fresh cut for weeks and also throughout the wolfing stage. It gives an incredible pull and it gently lays your hair flat which aids in detangling, straightening and smoothing your curls. A lot of its existing users have reportedly experienced increased wave depth after using this brush.
Great Positives
This brush is carefully hand-crafted to allow you optimal control and precision over your wave hairstyle. The true medium texture of this brush is unparalleled by any other brand I am aware of.
The long bristles gently massage your scalp to unclog the pores and uniformly distribute the natural hair oil (sebum) to deeply moisturize your hair strands.
Its pointed tip beautifully isolates your crown to create precise wave patterns. The ergonomic curvy design of this brush head allows it to seamlessly contours to the shape of your head for a wide coverage.
The pitch-perfect balance of softness and firmness in the bristles leads to smoother curls and shinier waves. It goes easy on the scalp despite its firm texture which could be highly beneficial for tender-headed people.
Mild Concern
The glossy paint job on the body seems to wear away after one or two washes.
Hard Wave Brush For Wolfing By Wrightling
This brush features several rows of hard nylon bristles that can firmly grip, gently pull and easily slide through abrasive hair. You will be able to feel the strength of these robust bristles from the very first stroke.
This hard wave brush is a must-have tool for wolfing. While it is capable of forming all kinds of waving styles, I’d say it’s best used for creating exuberant oceanic waves.
It does a stellar job of flattening and training your curls so that your tresses quickly takes the form of waves. Like all the other models featured in this list, it also sports a curved design that develops connections at the root level without forks.
Great Positives
A lot of brands are guilty of advertising medium-firm brushes in the name of hard wave brushes. Just so you know, both are two completely different things and have different applications.
It is actually quite a challenge to find an authentic hard texture brush for taming unruly, frizzy, abrasive hair. Fortunately, this hard wave brush by Wrightling stays true to the claim. It can smoothly glide through the thickest and coarsest sections of your hair (especially around the crown) without any difficulty. This is exactly how a hard wave brush is supposed to be like.
Its high-quality nylon bristles have the strength to pull and effortlessly glide through coarse hair strands without snagging them. The bristles have been highly reinforced to prevent bristle loss.
This hard texture brush is specially designed to take care of your 360 waves in the wolfing stage.
Use this brush for laying your curls down before compressing. This should be followed by a long brushing session with a medium soft brush like Kingston for polishing and setting your waves.
This brush also serves as a handy restyling tool when your waves are falling out of pattern. These sturdy bristles are meant to train your waves so that it effectively holds the desired shape.
I am also fond of the curved palm design and rich black paint job on the brush body. The brush easily adjusts to the shape of your scalp and helps to create connections without forks.
Mild Concern
This brush is too aggressive for short hair and sensitive scalp.
Choosing the Best Wave Brush for Your Specific Hair Type
Don’t ever rush into buying a wave brush without fully knowing its strengths and weaknesses. The efficacy of design and bristle texture have the power to make or break your hairdo.
Is a hard brush better than a medium or soft brush for waving? What kind of brush is suitable for wolfing? Should you go for natural boar bristles or nylon bristles?
These are probably some of the questions that are brewing in your mind right now. And I am here to answer all of them in as much detail as possible.
In the upcoming section, I will discuss the most important factors to consider while purchasing a wave brush:
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Types of Bristles
Hard, medium and soft are the 3 basic bristle textures of wave hair brushes.
I am a big fan of medium-firm brushes as it helps to groom and maintain my waves right from the fresh cut to the wolfing stage. Medium brushes are ideal for medium-short, mildly coarse hair like mine.
Its bristles are firm enough to glide through the thickest portions of my hair. At the same time, it exfoliates and massages my sensitive scalp without aggressively scratching it. Not just that. Medium brushes provide the additional advantage of stretching and toning the curls.
Soft bristle brushes work best on fresh cuts. You should use a soft brush right after your brushing session with a medium and hard brush. It helps to distribute natural oil from your scalp to your shafts to keep your waves shiny, smooth and frizz-free. Soft wave brushes are also perfect for layering your waves.
A hard bristle brush can form waves quickly and more effectively than the other two brush types. These brushes are generally meant for taming long, thick and extremely abrasive hair. Hard brushes are essential for wolfing as they encourage more concentrated wave patterns.
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Bristle Material
Natural boar bristles are the go-to bristle material for most A-list wave brush manufacturers. It provides a strong grip on your hair, yet it never causes any snagging sensation while pulling your strands.
These robust bristles reduce static energy to tame frizz and control flyaways to make your hair more manageable. Keep your distance from cheap plastic bristles as they usually cause tangling and aren’t nearly as durable as boar bristles.
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Design and Ease-of-use
Wave brushes are generally available in two shapes: round and square. The square-shaped brushes are also known as paddle brushes because of their resemblance to a boat’s paddle.
This type of brush features a wide head which promotes better coverage. This makes paddle brushes the best option for grooming super long and dense hair.
Round brushes, on the other hand, are more geared towards medium-short haired wavers. It is best used for flattening the curls and smoothing the cuticles for softer and silkier hair. Round brushes are easy-to-carry and therefore, ideal for traveling.
Waves brushes are available both with or without handles. Brushes without handles are known as palm wave brushes. These tools are designed to fit right into your grip to allow a greater control over your action.
However, if you are dealing with long hair and suffering from wrist fatigue, a long-handled brush would be more convenient to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
While taking care of waves could be difficult due to how much attention the strands require on a daily basis, your maintenance routine won’t amount to anything if you’re not using the right kind of hair styling tools. And if you have yet to find a wave brush that can eliminate all the tangles from your hair and help you maintain the structure of your waves without damaging the cuticles, reading through the list of the best wave brushes we’ve unveiled in this write-up should be sufficient.
Furthermore, if you did find the options helpful but are as hesitant as you were when you started reading this issue due to unsettled feelings of doubt, try tackling and dismissing them permanently with the questionnaire we’ve provided below!
What kind of bristlehead is good for 360 waves?
Overall, there are three types of bristle heads that can be found in wave brushes. Soft bristle heads might not always bring sharp results over the waves, but typically come in handy when dealing with damaged hair or scalp. When push comes to shove, soft bristles are elite when dealing with loose curls, as they allow the strands to detangle gently and look denser when they’re transformed into waves!
Medium-shaped bristle heads are probably the best elements to count on since they can deal with any hair type without causing too much friction. The lenient operation of the equipment can also work wonders for many, as the amount of ground medium-shaped bristles covers promote blood circulation on the scalp, resulting in hair growth.
The last set of bristle heads that you can experiment with for creating 360 waves is the hard ones, which are often implemented on stubborn pieces of afro-textured hair. Although the bristleheads are a no-no for those with semi-thick tresses and sensitive scalp, hard bristle heads often cater to those with extremely coarse hair, and can bring forward sublime results over the span of minutes!
What is the main purpose of wave brushes?
In addition to keeping the formation of waves consistent throughout the journey, wave brushes benefit the users by always encouraging more blood circulation on the scalp, which can promote the growth of healthy hair in the long run. A handful of them also contain boar and nylon bristles, which specialize in retaining moisture, allowing damaged hair to form waves without looking weak or feeling compromised.
The Bottom Line
So that’s the end of my quest to find the best wave brushes for different hair types. After reading hundreds of reviews between the lines and carefully analyzing features, here’s my key takeaway:
Hard, medium and soft- all 3 types of brushes are mandatory for each particular stage of waving.
The medium and soft brushes are essential for grooming fresh cuts and training the curls to form the wave pattern. While hard brushes are important for improving the depth of your waves throughout the wolfing stage.
If you are serious about your hairstyle, include all 3 types of brushes in your hair care regime and make your wave hairstyle stand out.