Care Over Consumption

As a hairstylist by day, I often come across questions about maintaining hair brushes and finding good products, and I’ve noticed some really questionable advice floating around online. I’ve been meaning to address this for a while now—especially after I posted a reel at the end of last year, calling out some of the hair-related hot takes I came across on Instagram, TikTok, and even in beauty magazines. I had planned to dive deeper into the subject, but with the holiday chaos and the LA wildfires, it got pushed to the backburner—until now.

Let me take you back to where it all started…

It all began with an article I found on Byrdie (which, of course, I can’t locate now), discussing how to properly clean and care for hair brushes. So far, so good, right? But then came the kicker—towards the end of the article, they quoted a hairstylist who recommended tossing out your hair brushes every six months and replacing them. Can you imagine? Not only is that a waste of money, but it’s also a terrible environmental practice if people actually followed this advice.

I have to admit, when I was younger, I was guilty of throwing out my hair brushes every few months because I didn’t know any better. It’s easy to forget that for us as professional hairstylists, what’s common knowledge might not be obvious to everyone else. Plus, with the flood of online advice out there, it’s no surprise people get overwhelmed. But here’s the thing: keeping your brushes clean and maintaining them can actually improve your scalp and hair health—plus, it saves your wallet and the environment.

When you don’t clean your brushes, old hair, dead skin cells, product residue, excess sebum, and bacteria can build up on the bristles and base of the brush. So the next time you grab your brush after washing your hair, you’re transferring all that dirt and grime back onto your scalp. Yikes! It’s like washing your face with a dirty washcloth. No thanks!

Clean beauty and low waste has been trending for some time now and clean tools should be apart of that conversation, it matters just as much, especially if we are trying to ditch wasteful habits + actually care for our hair and scalp long term.

So, here’s everything you need to know to keep your hair brushes in top shape for longer.

How to Clean Your Hair Brushes:

1. Remove hair from the brush: Use a comb or a Sam Villa brush cleaner to get all the hair out of the bristles, discarding it as you go.

2. Prepare the cleaning solution: Fill your sink with warm water and add a little clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoo works best for removing product buildup, but if you don’t have any, you can use a gentle shampoo mixed with a tablespoon of baking soda.

3. Soak your brushes: Fully submerge the brushes in the water and let them soak for 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Clean the bristles: If you have a Sam Villa brush cleaner, use the bristle side to scrub between the bristles, focusing on the base of the brush to remove oil and product buildup. If you don’t have the brush cleaner, a cheap toothbrush or a palm scrub brush can work (though it won’t get in between the bristles quite as effectively).

5. Rinse and dry: Rinse the brush thoroughly and lay it flat on a towel to dry.

6. Care for wooden handles: If you’re using a wooden-handled brush, once it’s completely dry, you can oil the wood to keep it looking nice and lasting longer.

Best Practices:

• Weekly: Remove hair from your brushes to prevent buildup.

• Monthly: Do a deep clean following the steps above to keep your brushes in prime condition.

• Care for wooden handles: If you’re using a wooden-handled brush, once it’s completely dry, you can oil the wood to keep it looking nice and lasting longer.

Now for The Hair Brushes

Sam Villa : Signature Series Paddle brush $34

This is my favorite paddle brush for dry hair , it feels great on my scalp and gentle on my hair. It’s only $34 and has lasted me 5 years so far and with proper maintenance I know it is going to keep going for years to come.

Sam Villa : Brush Cleaner $7

Only $7 and will help you care for your hair brushes. Use the angled teeth to help pick hair out of your brushes and the bristles to brush and clean off any product or oil residue off the hair brushes.

Ergo Round Brushes $50

They are about $50 and come in a various sizes, my personal favorite is the super gentle round brush especially if you have a sensitive scalp or delicate hair.

YS Park Series Curl Shine Styler $ 70 - $136

Price varies depending size of the brush, they start at $70 - $136 but they are currently on sale for 50% off. They are very high quality hair brushes made from natural teak wood, boar bristle and heat resistant nylon pins. This is my absolute favorite brush for anyone with curly hair or more coarse frizzy hair that wants to blow out their hair and get a smooth and shiny finish!

Bounce Curl : Define Edgelift Brush $27

I saw this brush all over Tik Tok and instagram and my first thought was this is a total gimmick no way does this actually work. Then the salon I work brought them in and was I fucking wrong. This brush is awesome it has helped so many or my curly clients get defines curls with such little effort. No more finger coiling or denman brush twisting. And its only $27 win win

Reverie : Good Detangling Hair brush $60

When our hair is wet, it is in its most fragile state. The Good brush is gentle on your hair and scalp. The cone pins are spaced out on the brush as to not create to much tension when brushing thought your hair to detangle. Great for curls or any hair prone to knots

Reverie : Nice Hair brush $65

A boar bristle and nylon bristle paddle brush, my go to brush for creating slick back buns. But it is also great to brush your dry hair and scalp to stimulate your follicles and help remove build up and increase your hairs shine.

Reverie : Buff Massaging Scalp Brush $16

This in shower scalp massaging brush helps to remove build up and increase blood circulation for a healthier scalp. My personal favorite way to use this is in combination with their Suna Scalp exfoliating shampoo.

For an extra 15% off your Reverie hair brushes use code Sometimesidohair25 at check out

By maintaining your brushes and knowing how to care for them properly, you’ll ensure they last longer and provide better results every time. Plus, you’re saving money and helping the environment—win-win!