These Simple Tools Are Our Best Hacks for Getting Thick, Shiny Hair

Looking for a realistic substitute for a day at the spa? The Leonor Greyl Massaging Scalp Brush made us feel like we were having a luxury treatment in our bathroom. Soft yet gentle bristles to stimulate hair follicles, a thoughtfully designed handle grip, and an adorable storage box set this massager apart from the rest.

We were able to achieve a beautiful lather while applying shampoo with this brush, which left our scalp feeling cleaner compared to our usual application. This brush was also a game-changer when it came to massaging our conditioning treatment into our hair, and we noticed much more thorough absorption of product on the side of our scalp that we used the brush on. Plus, the brush didn’t tangle our hair at all. The entire experience of using the Leonor Greyl brush — from the pretty packaging to the relaxing massage to the swoon-worthy results — felt so luxurious that we were shocked to discover how affordable this scalp scrubber is.

Materials: Silicone and plastic | Hair Types: All hair types

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  5/5

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Serum Penetration

  5/5

The Maxsoft Hair Scalp Massager feels much more luxurious than its price tag would suggest. The silicone bristles are evenly spaced and have a comfortable level of firmness to provide hair follicle stimulation without pain. We were pleasantly surprised that the slightly squishy silicone bristles didn’t snag or tangle our hair — it actually left our tresses feeling smoother and helped detangle the knots that already existed. The Maxsoft brush created a nice lather when used with shampoo, and we also found that it helped our leave-on hair mask absorb better compared to when we didn’t use the brush. 

The brush is well-designed with an easy-to-grip handle and an intuitive, oblong shape with a thumb divot on the side that makes it easy to control. Our only gripe with this scalp massager is that the soft bristles might not penetrate very thick or coarse hair as easily as a brush with harder, longer bristles.

Materials: Silicone and plastic | Hair Types: All hair types, especially fine to medium-thick hair 

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  4.8/5

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Serum Penetration

  4.5/5

This aesthetically pleasing little brush does more than just look pretty on your shower shelf — the Gro Revitalizing Scalp Massager provides a deep stimulation massage and has a particular talent for foaming up shampoo, even bar shampoo. We used this brush on both dry and wet hair, both of which felt relaxing and painless. 

Vegamour is a big name in hair regrowth, backed by an expert team of dermatologists and hair stylists, so we trust its recommendations for increasing scalp blood flow to achieve a healthier-looking scalp. The brush was easy to hold and control with an over-the-hand strap and gentle finger ridges. We really like the way the brush looks, and we don’t mind having it on display in our shower. While it was one of the more expensive silicone-bristle massagers we tested, we think the aesthetically pleasing design (and overall effectiveness) justifies the slightly higher cost.

Materials: Silicone and plastic | Hair Types: All hair types

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  5/5

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Serum Penetration

  5/5

You may have heard of gua sha — the traditional Chinese practice of gliding a piece of jade over the skin, which can provide benefits such as increased blood flow and reduced puffiness and promote the appearance of a chiseled face. But you may not know that gua shas can also promote scalp health. The Mount Lai Jade Massaging Comb is a hand-carved jade gua sha designed specifically to provide gentle scalp massage that can promote blood circulation and just generally make you feel so darn good. 

We worried that the firm stone bristles might be uncomfortable to drag across the scalp, but we couldn’t have been more wrong. The comb glided easily across the scalp without tugging at our strands and didn’t ever cause us any discomfort, even on the bonier parts of the head. It’s great to use with your favorite detangler. Oils sank into our hair quicker and more thoroughly, and the light exfoliation left our scalp feeling surprisingly clean. The weight of the hand-carved tool in the hand feels as luxurious as the results, so we would recommend this tool as a splurge or even as an elegant gift. 

Materials: Jade stone | Hair Types: All hair types

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  4/5

• Ease of Use

  3/5

• Serum Penetration

  5/5

Made from a tight cluster of fine, yet firm bristles, the Jupiter Scalp Brush’s unique design differs from most of the others that we tried. The long, skinny bristles can effectively exfoliate and stimulate the scalp, and we didn’t feel any pain in the process. Even on thick hair, this brush was able to reach through to the scalp and provide a relaxing and stimulating massage.

Where this brush really shined in our testing was in aiding the absorption of hair oil into our scalp. We thoroughly rubbed the treatment into one side of our hair with our fingers, but we found that the side that was applied with the Jupiter brush was noticeably better absorbed. The brush was slightly smaller than our palm, with a finger loop on the back, which made it easy to maneuver around the head. We also love that it comes with an extra chain loop to hang the brush for storage. Because the bristles are slightly firmer and pointier than others that we tried, it might not feel comfortable on particularly sensitive scalps. However, the long and thin bristles would work well for those with thick hair. 

Materials: Plastic | Hair Types: All hair types, especially thick hair

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  4/5

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Serum Penetration

  5/5

Why settle for one scalp massaging head when you could have two? That’s the question that the Flathead Hair Scalp massager begs us to ask. The long, pointed bristle head is perfect for digging deep through thick hair to reach the scalp. Because the bristles are made from squishy silicone, the brush feels gentle enough for sensitive scalps. The massager helped us get a fluffy lather with our shampoo, even on thick hair that usually has trouble getting suds to develop. 

The shorter bristled brush is great for those with fine or thinning hair and provides an ultra-gentle and relaxing massage. Changing out the brush heads is simple: Just twist the head to remove it and twist the new one on. Those with thick hair might find that the short-bristled head isn’t able to reach the scalp, but the price of both heads together is so reasonable that we think it’s worth a purchase even just for the long-bristled head alone. 

Materials: Plastic, silicone | Hair Types: All hair types, especially thick hair

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  4/5

• Ease of Use

  3/5

• Serum Penetration

  5/5

If you’ve shopped for brushes for curly hair, then you’re probably familiar with the Denman brand. The bristles on this massager are firm yet flexible, with round ends to prevent scratching the scalp. The Denman’s bristles are firmer than many of our other favorites, which makes it great for combing through the hair to detangle but can also create some snags at the root without enough combing. The massager is very lightweight, with a stiff plastic top handle that can fit three fingers comfortably. We wish that the handle was a bit larger so that we could fit more of our fingers under the strap for better control. 

The product absorption test is where the Denman really shone. After just one week of using the Denman to apply hair oil to one side of our scalp, we noticed a clear difference on the side that benefited from the Denman tool. Our hair felt more nourished and looked healthier in the area where we used the Denman massaging brush. Safe to say, we’ll continue to reach for this brush to apply hair growth oils and serums.

Materials: Plastic | Hair Types: All hair types, especially thick hair

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  5/5

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Serum Penetration

  4/5

On wet hair or dry hair, the Briogeo Scalp Revival Therapy Massager impressed us. The long, thick bristles are neither too soft nor too hard and provide a relaxing and stimulating massage without tangling the hair. The handle is a comfortable size to grasp, and we found this scrubber to be exceptionally easy to maneuver because it’s very lightweight and didn’t tire out our arms in the scrubbing process. 

Because the silicone bristles are longer than many of the other massagers we tested, the Briogeo massager is especially well-suited for thick or coarse hair. In our tests, this brush helped us to effectively remove dry shampoo buildup from the scalp and create a beautiful soapy lather with shampoo. And, when you’re ready to clean the brush, the bristles pop off to make wiping down the brush and removing any buildup super easy. In terms of aesthetics, we do wish the brand offered more color options so we can match them to our bathroom decor.

Materials: Plastic, silicone | Hair Types: All hair types, especially thick hair

Our Ratings

• Bristles

  5/5

• Ease of Use

  5/5

• Serum Penetration

  4/5

Getting a relaxing scalp massage just got easier. The Comfier Cordless massager is a handheld electric scalp massager with four silicone-bristled massaging arms that rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise with the press of a button. The tips of the bristles felt soft against our scalp, but the weight of the device was sturdy enough to provide a relaxing massage without the need to press down hard.

The Comfier massager is also waterproof, which means that you can safely use it on wet hair — which we did. The massager evenly applied oil to the scalp and helped to massage shampoo into the scalp without pulling or tangling our hair. While this is one of the most expensive scalp massagers we tested, the rechargeable, multi-setting device offers much more than a standard scalp massager. If you’re looking for a basic device, then any of our other top picks will do the job. But if you want a little extra relaxation without the extra work, then this electric massager is worth the cost. 

Materials: Plastic, silicone, rechargeable lithium-ion battery | Hair Types: All hair types