As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links do not affect our ratings. Learn more.

Best Non-Toxic Hair Brushes Combs

We vetted hair brushes & combs against the Welpr Standard and here are our top picks.

Camille May

Cofounder & Product Curator

Olushola M. Awoyemi

Medical Reviewer, PhD

Here's what we look for:

Natural bristles like boar, horsehair, sisal, or vegetable fibers
Solid wood or bamboo handles
Synthetic alternatives free from bisphenols
Transparent sourcing, materials, and manufacturing practices

Best Non-Toxic Hair Brushes Combs

On Welpr, terms like "non-toxic," "safer," "cleaner," "healthier," and "vetted" are editorial labels based on our own standard for product assessment. They are not guarantees, certifications, or medical claims. Learn more.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Top Pick

Onedor

Wooden Comb

Highlights: Money-back guarantee, Wide tooth comb, For All hair types

8.7

Performance score

Where to buy

Amazon
See price

Pros

Feels solid and well-made in hand, with a satisfying weight that plastic combs lack.
Glides through thick, wavy, and curly hair without pulling or causing static.
Teeth are smoothly polished, making it gentle on the scalp during daily use.
Comfortable to hold for both small and large hands.

Cons

The actual wood color is noticeably darker than what's shown in product photos.
Scent is polarizing; some find it pleasant and relaxing, while one person found it overpoweringly unpleasant.
One person reported cracks forming at the base of the teeth after three months of normal use.
Wood resin residue or fiber-like particles between the teeth sometimes need cleaning out of the box.

Handmade from solid green sandalwood using traditional woodworking techniques, so each comb has slight natural variations in grain and appearance.
The wood has a natural sandalwood scent and is polished smooth enough to glide through hair without snagging, unlike plastic combs that can catch and pull.
Green sandalwood naturally resists static, which helps with frizz and flyaways during combing.
The wood's color gradually shifts from yellowish to greenish over time as it's exposed to air, so the comb looks different after a few months of use than when you first get it.
Available in fine tooth, wide tooth, and extra wide tooth options, making it a straightforward non-toxic hair brushes & combs option for different hair textures and detangling needs.
Needs to be kept away from heat and direct sunlight to prevent the wood from drying out or cracking.

Free email mini-course

Welpr Blueprint: Go Non-Toxic Mini-Course

The 80/20 guide to going non-toxic the easy way.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Mason Pearson

Handy Pure Boar Bristle Hair Brush

Highlights: 1 year warranty, Paddle brush, For Fine hair

8.6

Performance score

Where to buy

Amazon
See price

Pros

Distributes natural hair oils from roots to ends, leaving hair noticeably smoother and shinier.
Gentle enough for fine, long hair without pulling or snagging.
Reduced frizz within a couple of days for at least one person, with no other routine changes.
Built to last well over a decade with regular use.
Hair feels cleaner between washes.

Cons

Figuring out which size and bristle variant to buy is confusing; there's no clear guidance for matching brush to hair type.
One person received a brush with bristles falling out of the center, and that review had the highest helpful count.

Pure boar bristle brush built for fine to normal hair at mid-length. The bristles help distribute your scalp's natural oils down the hair shaft, which can reduce frizz and add shine without any product.
Best suited for people with finer individual hair strands or fine hair that's dense (lots of hairs, but each one is thin). If your hair is thick or coarse, a mixed bristle-and-nylon brush would likely work better.
The rubber cushion pad is made from natural rubber and is still hand-formed in Mason Pearson's London factory using techniques dating back to the original 1911 patent. It flexes to follow the contours of your head, so the bristles maintain contact with the scalp as you brush.
Each brush goes through 18 production stages, many done by hand, including bristle sorting by thickness and stiffness. The boar bristles have been sourced from the same suppliers since 1941.
Comes with a small cleaning brush for maintenance. Among non-toxic hair brushes & combs, this is one of the few still entirely handcrafted in small-batch production rather than mass-manufactured.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Arey

The Scalp Brush

Free From: Cruelty Free
Highlights: Vegan, Cruelty-free, Fragrance-free, Scalp massager, For All hair types

8.3

Performance score

Where to buy

Credo Beauty
See price

Ergonomic scalp brush meant to stimulate circulation, lift product buildup, and help serums or treatments absorb better into the scalp.
Intended to be used dry, with a specific technique: you start at the neck to open lymphatic drainage, then work across the scalp with light strokes and slow circles before finishing with longer front-to-back passes.
Arey focuses on aging hair, specifically greying and thinning. The brush is designed as a companion to their topical serums and supplements, helping those products penetrate more effectively at the root.
Among non-toxic hair brushes & combs, this one is specifically a scalp tool rather than a detangling or styling brush. It's closer to a manual scalp massager than a traditional hairbrush.
Sold through Credo Beauty, which independently vets products against its own restricted-substance standards before carrying them.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Solar Eclipse

Detangling Wide Tooth Hair Comb

Free From: Cruelty Free
Highlights: Vegan, Cruelty-free, Fragrance-free, Plastic-free packaging, Recyclable packaging, Wide tooth comb, For All hair types

8.3

Performance score

Where to buy

Credo Beauty
See price

Wide-tooth spacing is meant for detangling wet or dry hair across all hair types and textures without pulling or causing breakage.
Rounded tooth tips double as a scalp massager, stimulating circulation at the roots while you comb.
Made from biodegradable acetate derived from recycled wood pulp, so it combs without generating static the way plastic combs do.
Works in the shower or out of it; you can also use it to distribute conditioner or styling products evenly through your hair.
Solar Eclipse is an all-female, NYC-based team that handcrafts each piece in small batches. For non-toxic hair brushes & combs, the material choice here (plant-derived acetate rather than conventional plastic) is the key differentiator.
Available in over 20 colorways and patterns, each with a copyright-registered design specific to the brand.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Shash

Boar Bristle Hair Brush

Highlights: Made in EU, Money-back guarantee, For All hair types

8.2

Performance score

Where to buy

Amazon
See price

Pros

Distributes natural scalp oils through the hair, leaving it noticeably shinier and less frizzy without extra products.
Gentle on the scalp and doesn't pull or snag, even on fine or thin hair.
Dual-length bristles with spacing between bunches help the brush reach the scalp rather than just gliding over the top layer.
Works well on a range of uses, from styling adult hair and beards to gently brushing a baby's scalp.

Cons

Bristle shedding is a recurring complaint; multiple people reported loose bristles falling out starting with the first use.
The bristles are soft and short, which makes it harder to brush through longer or thicker hair to reach the scalp.
The wooden handle feels lightweight and insubstantial relative to the price point.

Boar bristle brushes work by distributing your scalp's natural sebum from root to tip, which reduces frizz and adds shine without any added products. The bristles also gently exfoliate the scalp, helping break down buildup that can cause flaking.
Best suited for fine to normal hair. If you have thick or coarse hair, the pure boar bristles likely won't have enough stiffness to penetrate fully (Shash makes a separate nylon-and-boar hybrid for that).
Shash has been manufacturing brushes in Germany since 1869, and this one is still handmade. The handle is beech wood finished with a nut wood varnish, so the entire brush is natural materials rather than plastic.
For anyone building a non-toxic hair brushes & combs routine, the all-natural construction here means no synthetic cushion pads, no plastic bristles, and no coatings to break down over time.
Lightweight at about 2.5 oz, so it's easy to handle for extended brushing sessions or travel.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Pretty Farm Girl

Bamboo Paddle Hair Brush

Highlights: Bamboo handle and bristles, Biodegradable bamboo, Rounded bristles, Reduces frizz, Distributes natural oils

8.2

Performance score

Where to buy

Pretty Farm Girl
See price

Bamboo makes up both the handle and bristles, rather than only the outer body.
Lightweight but durable, it is made for a gentle brushing feel that does not create static or damage hair.
Its smooth, rounded bristles distribute natural scalp oils through the lengths of the hair, promoting shine and reducing frizz.
The bamboo construction is biodegradable, offering a material alternative to plastic hairbrushes.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Shelter Skin

Awakening Hair Brush

Free From: BPA Free, BPF Free, BPS Free, Plastic Free
Highlights: Scalp stimulation, Gentle detangling, Stainless steel pin bristles, Natural rubber cushion pad, Cherry wood handle, Damp and dry use, Avoid submerging, Custom engraving

8.2

Performance score

Where to buy

Shelter Skin
See price

Rounded 27 mm stainless-steel pins massage the scalp as they detangle, giving the brush a scalp-focused role beyond simply moving through hair.
Its extra-flexible natural-rubber cushion pad contours to the scalp and lets the pins move through tangles with less tugging and tension, including on damp hair.
The brush works across straight, wavy, and curly hair types, making it suited to people who want scalp contact alongside detangling rather than a smoothing-only brush.
A small opening in the cushion pad is an intentional air hole, allowing the rubber base to flex as the brush follows the shape of the scalp.
The cherry-wood base and handle have a rich tone and vintage feel, with a durable, grounding-in-hand finish rather than a plastic construction.

Meets the Welpr Standard

JVN

Detangling Paddle Brush

Highlights: Wet or dry use, All hair types, Cushioned bristle bed, Flexible nylon pins, Contoured handle, Lightweight

8.2

Performance score

Where to buy

JVN
See price

Flexible nylon pins gently detangle, while the cushioned bristle bed is made for scalp comfort.
It works on wet or dry hair across hair types and textures, rather than being limited to a single hair pattern.
A contoured handle provides an easy grip, and the lightweight build is intended to make longer brushing more comfortable.
For wavy, curly and coily hair, wet hair is the specified setting for detangling.

Meets the Welpr Standard

JVN

Wide Tooth Comb

Highlights: Gentle detangling, Even product distribution, 100% biodegradable wheat fiber, Built-in storage hook, For curly hair

8.2

Performance score

Where to buy

JVN
See price

Gently detangles hair while also combing product through the lengths, so one tool handles both steps.
Works across curly, wavy, straight, and coily hair textures rather than being limited to one curl pattern or hair type.
It can spread masks, serums, and styling creams evenly through the hair instead of concentrating product in a few sections.
A built-in hook on the handle provides a place to hang it in the shower.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Beauty By Earth

Boar Bristle Hair Brush

Free From: Cruelty Free
Certified: Certified Plastic Neutral, Leaping Bunny
Highlights: Cruelty-free, Fragrance-free, Money-back guarantee, Paddle brush, For All hair types

8.0

Performance score

Where to buy

Amazon
See price

Pros

Detangles fine and thin hair without tugging or pulling, and leaves it smooth and shiny.
Helps distribute natural scalp oils down the hair shaft, reducing oiliness at the roots and dryness at the ends.
The wooden handle feels comfortable to grip and the brush generally feels well-constructed.
Works well as a daily finishing brush to tame flyaways and frizz.

Cons

Struggles with thick, coarse, or curly hair; several people found the bristles couldn't penetrate denser hair types.
Not effective on large knots or tangles; a separate detangling brush may still be needed.
Bristle quality is inconsistent on some units, with uneven lengths and shedding reported over time.

Boar bristle brushes work by distributing your scalp's natural oils from root to tip as you brush, essentially conditioning your hair without product. The result is less frizz and more shine over time.
The bristles are paired with nylon pins, which handle detangling while the boar bristles do the oil distribution work. That combination means you don't need a separate detangling brush.
Best suited for fine and thin hair. People with thick or very curly hair may find a 100% boar bristle brush too soft on its own, but the added nylon pins help it work across more hair types.
Only meant for dry hair. Brushing wet hair with boar bristles can cause breakage, so you'd want to towel or blow dry first and use a wide-tooth comb for wet detangling.
The handle is bamboo rather than plastic, which is a meaningful distinction if you're shopping for non-toxic hair brushes & combs and trying to reduce plastic in your routine. The boar bristles are shaved, not plucked.

Meets the Welpr Standard

Rockwell Razors

Rockwell Beard Brush

Highlights: Natural boar bristles, Bamboo backbone, Softens beard, Conditions beard, Gentle on skin, Cleans facial hair, Lightweight, On-the-go grooming

8.0

Performance score

Where to buy

Amazon
See price

Meets the Welpr Standard

Fuller Brush

Beechwood Hairbrush

Highlights: Round brush, For Thick hair, Heat resistant

7.8

Performance score

Where to buy

Amazon
See price

Pros

The ergonomic wood handle is comfortable to hold and makes it easy to roll the brush through hair.
Bristles are soft enough to be gentle on fine or fragile hair but sturdy enough to grip and detangle.
Works well for smoothing frizz and resetting a style with just a few strokes.
Lightweight and easy to maneuver, including during blow-drying.
Comes with a velveteen storage pouch that keeps the brush clean and protected.

Cons

Multiple people reported bristles shedding starting from the first use, raising durability concerns.
Bristles are softer than expected; not firm enough for scalp stimulation or scrubbing.
The handle is on the thin side, which can cause hand fatigue when pulling through longer or thicker hair.
Best suited for fine to medium hair; the bristles tend to sit on top of thick hair without penetrating.

Round brush with a beechwood barrel and genuine boar bristles, built for blow-dry styling. The bristles grip hair to create tension at the roots, which is how you get lift, volume, and curl definition.
Boar bristles distribute your scalp's natural oils down the hair shaft as you brush, which helps condition strands and reduce frizz and static over time.
Sized for short to medium-length hair. The brand explicitly notes this brush is not suited for fine hair, so it works better with thicker or coarser textures that can wrap around the barrel.
For anyone building a collection of non-toxic hair brushes & combs, this is an all-natural-material option: wood handle, animal-hair bristles, no synthetic or plastic components in the brush head.
Fuller Brush has been around since 1906, when the founder started hand-making brushes in his sister's basement based on what customers actually told him they needed. The company still specializes in brushes and cleaning tools rather than being a general beauty brand.

How to Swap to Non-Toxic hair brushes & combs:

Here's how to swap to non-toxic hair brushes & combs:

What to know about hair brushes and combs

Hair brushes and combs touch your scalp and hair every day, often multiple times. The materials they're made from—plastic, wood, metal, rubber, or natural bristles—and any coatings or treatments on them determine what comes in contact with your skin.

Brushes with rubber cushion pads, synthetic bristles, or painted handles may contain unnecessary additives or coatings that sit against your scalp.
Since you use these tools daily and they contact your scalp directly, they deserve more attention than occasional-use accessories.

Review what you already use

Take a look at your current brushes and combs. Check what materials they're made from by looking at the packaging, product listing, or brand website. Focus first on the brush or comb you reach for most often.

Look for details on the bristle type (boar bristle, nylon, mixed), the handle material (wood, plastic, bamboo), and whether the cushion pad is rubber or silicone.
If the product has a strong plastic or chemical smell, or if paint is chipping off the handle, those are signs the materials may not be ideal.

Get more from your current brush or comb

If you're not ready to replace your brushes yet, a few simple habits can help. Keeping them clean reduces buildup of product residue and oils that can irritate your scalp over time.

Wash brushes and combs weekly in warm water with a small amount of gentle, fragrance-free soap, and let them air dry completely before using.
If a plastic brush or comb is cracked, warped, or shedding bristles, replace it sooner since damaged materials can scratch the scalp.

Choose cleaner replacements

Look for brushes and combs made from simple, untreated materials. Natural options like sustainably sourced wood, bamboo, and natural boar bristles tend to have fewer coatings and additives than their plastic counterparts.

Choose brushes with natural rubber cushion pads, unfinished or naturally finished wood handles, and bristles made from boar hair or plant-based fibers—and be cautious of vague claims like "eco-friendly" without details on actual materials.
Click the button above to shop Welpr Approved hair brushes and combs.

Camille May

Cofounder & Product Curator

Camille May is the co-creator of Welpr and a guide for clean living. After selling her last company in the health food space, she went non-toxic while working to heal an autoimmune condition....

View full profile

Olushola M. Awoyemi

Medical Reviewer, PhD

Olushola M. Awoyemi (aka Shola) is a board-certified toxicologist and a research scientist with a PhD in Environmental Toxicology. Shola's long-term ambition is to be recognized as a world-renowned expert in toxicology,...

View full profile