The 7 Best Beard Brushes in 2026, According to Grooming Experts

GROWING UP I had a cat, and whenever I brushed her hair she’d make noises expressing a euphoria I couldn’t at the time comprehend. Years—and quite a bit of facial hair growth—later, I brushed my beard for the first time and finally came to understand my sweet Stella Blue. Similar to your beard trimmer and beard oil, using a quality beard brush will take your facial hair to the next level.

Best Beard Brushes

• Best Overall Beard Brush: Cremo Beard Brush
• Longest Lasting Beard Brush: Kent BRD2
• Best Brush for Long Beards: Viking Revolution Beard Comb and Beard Brush Set
• Zeus Pocket Beard and Mustache Brush: Softest Beard Brush
• Best Beard Brush for Beginners: The Smooth Viking Beard Brush and Comb Set​

According to Sam Chulpayev, owner ofMade Man Barbershop in New York, beard brushes work to help shape your beard, exfoliate the skin beneath to prevent beard dandruff, and evenly spread natural oils from root to tip. “A brushed beard looks intentional,” he says. “An unbrushed one looks like you gave up.”

This is opposed to a beard comb that detangles and parts hair, which celebrity hairstylistDean Banowetz recommends for longer beards. And even if you do use a comb, he suggests following it up with a brush to shape it. In short, if you want your beard to look intentional (read: not the result of lapsed hygiene) a brush is non-negotiable.

What to Consider

Bristle Material

This is really more a question of whether or not your beard brush has boar bristles, as all others pale in comparison. Boar bristles are the closest to human hair, so they’re able to grip strands without damaging them and distribute oils more thoroughly in a way that synthetic bristles can’t, says Chulpayev. Nylon options are also too stiff and smooth.

Banowetz notes that mixed boar and nylon bristles can be effective for especially thick beards given their stiffness, but 100 percent boar is the standard. Since the vast majority of beard brushes use boar bristles, it doesn’t impact the price.

You can find some for as little as $10 and others nearing $50, it all comes down the design around them. There are also vegan options available if you’d prefer to avoid animal products, but only a few are effective. Horace has the best vegan brush, which uses ultra-soft agave leaves in lieu of boar bristles.

Handle Style

Here, there is no right answer—it solely comes down to preference. Still, certain beard styles may benefit more from one of the two options.

• Oval: These palm-sized brushes are best for short to medium beards, says Banowetz. They’re also better for travel given the compact size.
• Paddle: These are the bigger brushes, which have a handle. They’re less convenient to travel with but are more effective for long, thick beards, as they’re able to cover more ground at once.

Size

In general, oval brushes are almost always going to be smaller than paddle ones, but neither has a universal size. Some are longer and thinner, others shorter and wider. Each has its benefits for control and coverage. Smaller brushes offer precision, making them ideal for shaping mustaches or short beards. Larger brushes cover more surface area, suiting thick or long beards and speeding up the process. Consider beard length, thickness, and whether detail or efficiency is more important to you.

How We Selected

Beard brushes are one of those rare topics in men’s grooming that hasn’t seen a major advancement over the past few years. I view that as a positive though, because as the core styles of beard brushes have remained unchanged, brands have had time to perfect each format. To find which offer the best results, I consulted with a pair of professional groomers on their preferred beard brushes.

This left me with 15 options that I then spent the past two years putting to the test. Thankfully, I have a pretty short attention span with my facial hair, constantly going from months of barely touched growth to tight short and medium styles. After testing each one on various lengths, these were the seven beard brushes that performed best.

Whenever I look at grooming products across the board, I focus on three primary aspects: effectiveness, design, and price. The Cremo Beard Brush nails all three. It features 100 percent boar bristles and a 100 percent wooden handle. In addition to boar bristles being the gold standard for their softness, strength in gripping hair, and ability to evenly distribute oil, a real wood handle offers a durable and firm hold, says Banowetz says. After using my Cremo brush for over two years, I can confirm it matches this performance.

It’s been with me through grizzly, long beards to tighter, short styles, and it’s never struggled to leave my facial hair feeling softer, healthier, and more manageable. Its compact design has also allowed it to become a travel essential and mainstay in my Dopp kit. About a year ago, I actually bought a second one just for travel, which was an easy decision given its price. This is what seals Cremo as the best overall beard brush. At $13 (on sale right now for $11), you won’t find many more affordable beard brushes, and none below $20 of this quality.

Read More: Best Beard Products

Both Banowetz and Chulpayev are big fans of Kent beard brushes, noting how gentle the bristles feel. It’s also the best option for those who prefer a handle. The brush features a contoured design, with boar bristles resting at a 45-degree angle that comfortably follows the shape of your face to improve directional brushing. The bristles are also dual-length, combing softer, longer strands for deeper reach with firmer, shorter ones that help shape and control the beard.

As a bonus, the brush is packaged with a handy cotton pouch that’s ideal for storage and travel. It also helps keep any residual beard oil in the brush from transferring onto clothing or other surfaces. At $44, Kent is the most expensive option on this list, but according to Chulpayev, this shouldn’t dissuade you from buying it. “Best build quality, and lasts for years—worth every penny,” he says.

Read More: How to Trim Your Beard

Viking Revolution really nails long beard products. Its beard oil is one of the most penetrating options, using argan and jojoba to lock in moisture and softening coarse strands—and its brush is the perfect complement to that. With stiff bristles, it easily handles the thickest hair, detangling and penetrating long strands.

These extra-strong, 100 percent boar bristles make it especially effective for shaping and managing denser beards, says Banowetz. Plus, the $10 set comes with a beard comb for further detangling, small facial scissors for touch-ups, and a travel pouch.

Read More: Best Beard Oils

Chulpayev says this brush is a great mid-range option with soft bristles and a solid cushion base. The bristles are more spread out than other options on this list, which aids the softness factor. However, I found when my beard got longer, the lower amount of bristles struggled to smooth out all strands, and I’d have to go over each section a few more times. Still, if you have sensitive skin, this is the least irritating brush available.

Banowetz says this brush is the perfect starter option because it’s affordable and widely available. It also comes with a dual-sided wooden comb to detangle, smooth, and evenly distribute oils for a cleaner, more controlled look.

In my testing, the brush felt gentle but effective at taming flyaways while the comb’s coarse and fine teeth made it easy to work through knots without pulling, which makes the routine feel simple. While the bristles don’t last as long as others on this list, the straightforward design and easy handling make this set especially approachable for anyone just starting a beard care routine.

Chulpayev says this brush works great for shorter beards, thanks to its firm bristles and compact design. I find the handle to be one of the most comfortable to hold, which is made of 100 percent bamboo. It’s one of the bulkier options, so it’s a bit too large to fit in my Dopp. However, if you can spare the extra space, it’s sturdy and effective. I use it when my beard is around four to six weeks because the wide bristle base covers a lot of space at once—and since my beard’s a more manageable length—I give it a couple of quick swipes and it’s ready to go.

Not everybody is cool with using animal products, which can make finding a quality beard brush difficult. Horace is the best option available, as it’s the closest you’ll get to the effectiveness of boar bristles while relying on 100 percent vegetable fiber bristles. Specifically, this brush uses agave leaves, which feel incredibly soft.

When my beard is short to medium length, the softness is a boon—never irritating my skin or tugging at hairs—but when it gets past the two-month growth period, these softer bristles can struggle to fully detangle and shape. Still, for my bearded vegans out there, this is the best alternative for boar bristles.

Meet the Experts

• Dean Banowetz is an Emmy-nominated celebrity hairstylist and the founder of Hollywood Hair Guy.
• Daniel Chulpayev, barber and founder of Made Man Barbershop in New York City.

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