There are so many types of brushes out there, it can be hard to decide which one is best suited for your hair texture and style. But if you choose the wrong brush, you could be flattening, breaking or damaging your hair. In other words, doing no good!

Here are descriptions of the most common types of hairbrushes to help you choose the best one for your needs.

Paddle Brush - This is a brush that has a larger flat head, shaped like a paddle! The bristles can be either natural or synthetic, or a combination of both.

The paddle brush is best for medium to long hair, and works well with hair that is all one length. It encourages hair to lie flat and smooth, so it doesnít assist in creating volume and makes it not a great choice for layered cuts that need extra lift.

This brush is gentle on hair and will keep it looking healthy.

Boar's Hair Bristle Brush - Natural bristles are excellent for thicker hair, especially curly or wavy hair that may give any other brush a hard time.

Boar's hair bristles are stiff enough to tackle tough tresses yet absorbent of scalp oils. This helps the brush to distribute the beneficial sebum down the shaft of the hair. This is especially important for curly, coarse hair that tends to frizz and be dry. Your own natural oils provide the best protection against the elements.

This brush won't assist in styling your curly locks, its best used before bedtime or shampooing to give you a head of healthy hair.

Round Thermal Brush - The round brush is flat hair's best friend. This is the brush you'll use for styling any length of fine, flat, straight hair. A round brush is used with the blowdryer to add lots of lift at the roots.

The length of your hair will determine the diameter of brush you choose. But most important is to look for a ceramic shaft. The ceramic helps to evenly distribute and regulate dryer temperature, drying the hair more quickly and keeping it from getting too hot. Fine hair is susceptible to flyaways and a ceramic brush will calm the frizzies.

Cushion Brush - This brush is great for most types of hair, though it may not be strong enough for coarse, curly hair. The point of the cushion brush is to massage the scalp, and using this brush is definitely a treat.

The bristles, typically synthetic, burst out of a soft rubber cushion on the head of the brush and tend to be flexible. A cushion brush distributes scalp oils to the rest of the hair and in combination with the scalp stimulation will guarantee gorgeous tresses.