While typing my recent post about washing my hair less, I learned that boar bristle brushes should be cleaned regularly and thoroughly. I had no idea! Sure, I’d combed the bristles of mine occasionally, but that was about it. I’m not sure why it never occurred to me to give my boar bristle brush a deep cleaning, since a cleaner brush would logically result in cleaner hair. Behaving logically might not be something that comes naturally to me.

For those of you who are completely unfamiliar with boar bristle brushes, or if you’re like me and have simply failed to clean yours until now, here’s my simplified version of the cleaning process:

• Before cleaning your brush with soap and water, get as much of the hair/dandruff/debris out of the dry bristles with a comb. I used one with fine teeth, and it did a pretty impressive job.
• Massage bristles with warm water and gentle cleanser.  Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Castile Soap worked well for me.
• Rinse your brush with warm water.
• Dry the bristles with a towel, comb the bristles a few more times for good measure, and then place your brush face down on the towel to dry.

I also noticed a pretty unpleasant smell while cleaning my brush. I’m not sure if it was the dirt I was removing from the brush, the wet bristles, or a combination of the two. Either way, the smell was gone once the bristles were dry, and for this I was grateful.

Thanks to my freshly washed brush, my hair feels cleaner and looks shinier. Imagine that!

Shampoo-free for five days, and my bangs still don't look wet. Amazing!

I’ve always longed for the kind of hair that never has to be washed but still looks great. Danielle was lucky enough to be born with such hair, but some people have to work for it. I’m one of those people, and I’m finally starting to work for it. For the past three weeks, I’ve been washing my hair only once a week, and I’m actually starting to see a difference in my hair! It’s shinier and it requires less heat styling to make presentable. You might be wondering how a greasy-headed girl like me could possibly get away with shampooing her hair only once a week, so I’ll let you guys in on a few haircare secrets below.

• After going two or three days without shampooing my hair, it starts to feel a little weighed down and dirty. I’ve found that rinsing my hair with either a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water or baking soda and water works wonders. When I’m feeling brave, I use cool or cold water to for extra shine.

• Surprising as it may be, conditioning daily with a light conditioner does not make my hair oily. My hair is healthier for it, and it keeps it smelling nice and minty.

• There are days when I cover my hair with a water resistant head wrap in the shower or simply wet my hair and forgo all rinses and conditioners (usually the day after shampooing), and my hair looks as clean as it ever does.

• I’ve been brushing my hair right before bed and before my morning shower with a boar bristle brush.  Not only does it help move the oil from the roots to the ends, but it also helps remove dirt and other nasty stuff from my hair (if you’re skeptical, then you should buy one and use it for a while without cleaning it…it gets pretty gross). Boar bristle brushes are also great for people with sensitive scalps. Translation: I don’t feel like I’m yanking all my hair out when I encounter tangles.

• When I do shampoo, I try to use as gentle a cleanser as possible. This ensures a minimal amount of damage and makes me feel better about myself.

Thinking of shampooing your hair less? I hope some of my tips encourage you to take the plunge! Or if healthier hair all around is what you’re after… here’s a Care2 article that suggests a few ways to achieve it.

I cannot say enough positive things about the boar bristle hair brush that I recently purchased. It makes my hair shiny, soft, and much more manageable. Honestly, I didn’t expect to see much of an improvement in my hair, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Every review that I read before purchasing one said that it evenly distributes the oils in your hair (from the scalp to the ends, where it’s needed to prevent and repair split ends), but I was still skeptical until I tried it.   It has actually improved the overall texture of my hair. Also, it was in the neighborhood of eight dollars.  Success!!

However, if your hair is super fine or super thick, then this product might not be for you.  Fine hair easily flies in several different directions when brushed with a boar bristle brush, and thick hair might have tangles that a boar bristle brush can not easily conquer. I have normal hair, so it works like a charm form me.