How to Use a Hair Sponge for Short Natural Hair

Table Of Content

• Effective Shampoos for Straight Hair that Add Body and Shine
• Apply water, gel or a cream styler
• Allure Daily Beauty Blast
• Sign up to our newsletter and get exclusive hair care tips and tricks from the experts at All Things Hair.
• Your Complete Guide to Hair Care and Styling for 3B Hair Type
• How To Dye Beard At Home In 8 Easy Steps

Another product that can be used is a leave-in conditioner, which helps to detangle the hair and provide hydration. This cushiony brush will help beat frizz and static thanks to a combination of nylon and boar bristles, which help seal the hair's cuticle and reduce static. Use this before or after heat styling to add shine, detangle and de-frizz.

Effective Shampoos for Straight Hair that Add Body and Shine

“It is thick and flexible, waterproof and safe to use on all hair types.” The nubs deliver gentle pressure, and it has a handle that makes it comfortable to grip, according to the brand. Hill reaches for Ibiza Hair’s brushes for clients with thick hair. “Known for their ‘grip and slip’ designed natural boar hair and nylon bristles, these brushes offer the perfect amount of tension while respecting the integrity of the hair fibers,” she says.

Apply water, gel or a cream styler

Curl sponges are a super easy-to-use, affordable, and low-maintenance way of styling short, natural hair. I think they're definitely worth checking out if you love the finger-coiled look without the hassle. There are many curl sponges available online and in hair stores like Sally's, but there are two Black-owned brands I have come to know. The first is the Curl Sponge designed by Egyptian-born, master barber Youssef the Barber, the owner of Diamond Cuts Barber Studio in South Atlanta. The second is the Dallas-based NuDred sponge, which has been in production since 2004. Lastly, I covered different types of sponge curls that can be effortlessly achieved with a sponge brush.

Allure Daily Beauty Blast

Next, remove your hair’s natural curl definition with a wide bristle brush, like a paddle brush, a pick, or a wide-toothed comb to avoid snagging hair during the coiling process. After cleaning, the best and quickest way to let the brush dry quickly is to lay them flat with the bristles hanging off the edge of a counter and let them air-dry according to Seropian. The pro also recommends drying them on a rack with a towel underneath to catch any dripping water. This hair brush is one of the GH Beauty Assistant's go-to choices. It gently detangles and the larger size also helps it take on long, thick hair. "My husband could not live without this brush for his long full hair," one reviewer writes.

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It has blonde bristles that can amplify shine, and its cork handle is lightweight for more comfortable styling, according to the brand. You must know how tangled curly hair can get, so you need to brush it thoroughly to keep it from looking like a real mess. This step will also make it so much easier for you to make nice, defined curls with the brush.

Your Complete Guide to Hair Care and Styling for 3B Hair Type

Once you’ve completed the entire head, allow your hair to air dry or use a diffuser to speed up the drying process. Start by dampening your hair to make it more pliable and easier to work with. You can spray it lightly with water or use a leave-in conditioner. Catharine (she/her) is the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day and Prevention, working closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab to write science-backed beauty content. She was previously an assistant beauty editor at Group Nine Media and returned to Hearst in 2022 after having held editorial internships at Harper’s Bazaar and CR Fashion Book.

Ibiza Hair Professional (B Series) Round Boar Hair Brush

Meanwhile, plastic or wooden brushes can be more lightweight, which is helpful if you’re brushing hair while blow-drying. “Wooden combs can be gentler, metal combs can be more durable and plastic is more common,” says Ford. Bay Area hair stylist Meagan Ford calls this her “all-time go-to,” thanks to its lightweight bamboo and boar bristles.

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Then, we delved into the key distinctions between a sponge hair brush and a regular brush, shedding light on how the former works to create defined curls. When aiming for defined curls, it is best to use the side of the hair sponge with smaller holes. These smaller holes provide more grip and structure to the hair, resulting in well-defined and compact curls. They also come with different-sized holes, which are good if you want to work on just a small area of the hair or your entire head. Essentially, small holes are for tight coils while bigger holes are meant for bigger curls. If you’re totally new to curl sponges, the pros recommend starting with a mini-sized one to gain better control before mastering the technique.

Wet Brush Original Detangler Hair Brush

Typically flat on one side and ridged on the other, it can come in different shapes and versions, such as oval or rectangle. If you'd prefer not to buy a cleanser specifically for your brushes, though, your favorite face wash may be all you need. We sweep our faces with these brushes almost every day, but we can't always say the same thing about how frequently we clean them. For starters, giving them a thorough washing every month or so is not enough.

Although the method above is completely sufficient, some pros like to use specific beauty tools to ensure the most thorough cleansing. Over the years, she has interviewed experts, written product reviews and tested hundreds of hair products, including professional hair treatments, tools, shampoos, conditioners, styling products and more. For this article, she worked with Chiara Butler, a Health and Beauty Reviews Analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She formerly worked as a formulation chemist at a haircare brand, where she learned about the structure and properties of hair. Nicole Saporita is a former member of the Good Housekeeping editorial team that spent years working with the GH Beauty Lab to interpret and report on product testing. For less than $3, this brush is a must-have any time you’re rocking a sleek pony or topknot.

The holes and the movement you create with your hands will curl and twist sections of your hair. Using the side of the sponge brush with smaller holes, you can twist small sections of your hair in a circular motion, resulting in defined and compact spiral curls. According to makeup artist Ashleigh Ciucci, soaping up your makeup brushes regularly can extend the life of the bristles and make for better product application. "Brush hairs and sponges are porous, so they hold onto oils, debris, and bacteria," she says. "If your brushes are dirty, your application will be spotty and blending will be difficult." If you’re worried about thinning spots, you'll want a brush that helps add volume to your hair.

If your hair isn’t wet enough before using, it can snag and potentially cause breakage on your curls. Following the proper care routine before using a curl sponge, however, will ensure that this won’t happen. The technique above will ensure your curls are beautifully defined. Slightly longer hair might take a little longer, but it’s still a relatively quick process. It’s best when done on moisturized, slightly damp hair that has been fully detangled so the sponge can move easily through your hair. Ideally, hair is freshly washed and conditioned, but you can spritz with a combination of water and leave-in conditioner from a spray bottle if you need a touch-up.

By twisting larger sections of hair with this side of the brush, you can achieve a softer and more natural texture. The circular motions of the brush create friction and movement, which encourages the hair strands to coil and form curls. Because this tool defines curls into perfect coils, it actually encourages growth. It requires that hair be properly moisturized before using, so the process effectively hydrates hair and ensures that it doesn’t become dry and break off.

The beauty world seems to be done with damaging treatments and are fully embracing curls. Although the method above is completely sufficient, some pros like to use specific beauty tools to ensure the most thorough cleansing. We updated this article in June 2022 to add more information about each featured product as well as seven additional picks, including Good Housekeeping Institute-tested choices and editor favorites. These picks will detangle and smooth thick hair, thin hair, frizzy hair and beyond. Here’s one of our favorites from YonkelC, who provides a detailed video tutorial on styling a short TWA with a sponge. If your hair is more than six to seven inches long, then it might not work as well.

A backless brush won’t hold onto water or get moldy, which makes it ideal for in-shower detangling. Meanwhile, a brush with removable rows will allow you to customize the width of your teeth spacing for styling, detangling, or brushing. And a brush with stiff bristles and a beveled base will help you define your curl pattern right at the root. Hair sponges work by firmly but gently rubbing the sponge on your hair using a circular motion to create twists, curls, or coils. It’s best to style on damp hair as using a hair sponge on dry hair can cause damage. To achieve the desired texture, make sure your hair is slightly wet before starting the styling process.

A lot of the sponge brushes are not very durable which means that you will have to keep buying new brushes every few weeks. Also, you can apply as much pressure as you would like, but do not get too into it as too much pressure can damage your natural curl pattern. By using the appropriate side of the hair sponge, you can customize your curl pattern to suit your desired look. By using the appropriate side of the sponge brush, you can customize your curl pattern to suit your preferred look. Experiment with both sides to determine which works best for your desired look. Mid-wash, be sure to keep the base of the brush head (where it connects to the handle) away from soap and water.