Are boar bristle brushes better for your hair?
Georgina asks…Are boar bristle brushes better for your hair? I’m looking at a Mason Pearson brush for about $100 and want to know if it’s worth it.
It’s hard to give a definitive answer because as you can imagine there are no double-blind, peer-reviewed scientific studies comparing different hair brushes. But we DID find a few lessons that might help.
The first study, “Statistical Analysis of Hair Breakage,” showed something that seems obvious: different combs and brushes will affect your hair differently depending on their structure. Researchers say that spacing between teeth or bristles has a big impact. They also noted that “combs or materials such as different bristles may have different propensities for abrasion.” Unfortunately, the study did not provide data on the difference in friction that would have been really helpful to answer your question!
A second study compared brushes and combs and confirmed the importance of the configuration of brush bristles (or comb teeth.) It compared hair breakage caused by the use of three different styling tools:
- Goody flat paddle style brush with plastic bristles with bulbous tips with a bristle bulb diameter of 0.2134 cm.
- The cylindrical Prive styling brush also contains plastic bristles with a small bulb diameter of 0.1118 cm.
- Ace combination of unspecified size.
Their results showed that both brushes and combs cause hair breakage because the hair becomes “broken” at individual bristles. Once they are tied, friction increases and the hair can be pulled out or broken.
Interestingly, the data showed that brushing caused more long hair to break while combing caused shorter hair to break. Apparently this has to do with how the brush bristles are set up in multiple rows and columns.
Another interesting finding in this study is that brushes tend to spread hair over a wider area than combs which tend to cover hair in a narrower way. That means that in terms of oil distribution a brush can provide even better oil distribution than a comb.
Finally, although we haven’t found any data to support this, we think that boar bristles may do a better job of distributing scalp oils throughout the hair.
This is because boar bristle brushes have a higher affinity for oil than plastic or nylon brushes. If the boar hair acts as a natural oil reservoir it can moisturize the hair better. Again, that’s just a guess.
So the bottom line is that we don’t have a definitive answer but it LOOKS like the shape of the bristles is more important than what they are made of. Based on what we’ve seen it may be best to use a combination of a wide tooth comb to detangle and a natural fiber bristle brush (like boar bristles) to distribute the oil through your hair.
However, while there may be a slight advantage to boar bristle brushes it is hard to say how significant this difference is. You should also consider the overall quality of the brush, how long it will last, how it feels in your hand and so on. Even if there is no clear scientific benefit sometimes it’s just good to splurge on the good stuff.
Reference 1: J. Cosmet. Sci., 61, 439–455 (November/December 2010) Statistical analysis of hair breakage. II. A repeated self-correction test. Trefor A. Evans and Kimun Park.
Reference 2: J. Cosmet Sci., 58, 629-636 (November/December 2007) Hair breakage during combing IV: Brushing and combing. Clarence Robbins and Yash Kamath.
Can you use a Magic Eraser to remove spray tan?
Marilyn says…I read that you can use a Magic Eraser sponge to remove spray tan. Will it work and is it safe?
First, what is Magic Eraser? The brand name of P&G’s house brand under their Mr. Clean. It’s made of a spongey like Melamine Foam and I think it’s an interesting product because of how it came out.
Melamine foam is actually a copolymer of formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite. It has been used for decades as a way to install pipes and ducts, and as a soundproofing material in studios, sound stages, etc. At some point, a busy chemist discovered that they could add surfactant to this material, make it into hand-sized blocks, and sell it as a household cleaner that “wipes” stains off hard surfaces.
Will it help to ride a spray tan? Maybe very well. DHA used in sunless tanners reacts with the top layer of the stratum corneum to stain proteins in the skin. If you scrub off that top layer you will make the darkness go away faster. In fact, that’s one test used for exfoliation – you stain several spots on the skin, measure the color on each spot, then use a different type of exfoliator on each spot and measure the color again. Light spots are the most effective exfoliator because they remove dead skin cells.
Is it safe? That is a different question. As a general rule it is never a good idea to use a household product on your skin. That’s because they aren’t subject to the same safety testing requirements as personal care products. It may contain free formaldehyde but that won’t be a problem unless it’s present at a very high level. But there may be other problems. For example, there may be a small amount of unreacted polymer that can cause allergic reactions. It’s one thing to have one of these in your hand while scrubbing your kitchen counter. It’s another thing if you rub the whole body to get the pus out.
Is milk of magnesia a good starting point for makeup?
We signed up for this a few years ago but never discussed it on the show. This is one of those internet skin care hacks that will never die. I still see it pop up on Pinterest and YouTube. Milk of Magnesia is a common over-the-counter laxative. Technically speaking, it is a solution of magnesium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite and works by drawing water from the intestines so that you can poop.
Can these things do anything to the skin? Well, the ability to drive water absorption in the gut MAY make it able to tighten the skin and leave a smooth surface for makeup. And it may have some mild antibacterial properties. And since it is an effective absorbent it can remove excess oil. (Some are rumored to be good for acne.) So there’s enough here to get you started on your way to seeing how this idea got started. But is it safe?
Not really. Since it has a high pH (about 10.5) it can disrupt the skin’s natural acid mantle meaning it can dry it out, leaving you open to skin infections, etc. If you use this stuff regularly, ESPECIALLY if you leave it on your skin like you would a makeup primer, I think you are more likely to do harm than good. Why not just use a product specifically made for use on your face instead?
Are sheet masks better moisturizers?
Frances wants to know…I’m just getting into skin care products from East Asia, especially Korea, and sheet masks are a HUGE trend over there. My question is, are they highly hydrating for the skin?
Of course, while the sheet is on your face it’s a great hydrator. These materials cover more surface area, are larger pools of product and are non-sticky which means they will hold moisture on your skin. If it’s a foil backed mask it’s even better because nothing will evaporate from that.
But… once you remove it what happens? These things don’t leave much product behind. Compared to creams or lotions, masks are unlikely to provide much benefit after they are removed. Of course it depends on whether it contains the right amount of active ingredient but just from a hydration point of view the mask is not the right delivery system. They also don’t allow you to fine tune the delivery like a cream does (you can use your fingers to apply it where you want it on your lips, eyes and nose.) Sheet masks are not as precise.
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