Life
It may sound simple, but finding the right grooming tools for babies is no easy task (anyone who has tried to trim those teeny tiny nails will likely agree). Traditional hair brushes, in particular, can often be too rough on a baby's delicate strands and scalp. Instead, the best baby hair brushes are made of high-quality materials and designed with ultra-soft bristles that won't pull or tug.
When shopping for a baby hair brush, you'll notice that they typically come with one of three types of bristles, and some will be better suited for certain skin conditions like cradle cap or eczema:
- Natural bristles: Typically made out of hypoallergenic goat hair, these are the softest of any you'll find. While those natural fibers make them best suited for everyday brushing and smoothing, they may not have the right tension needed for working out any knots or tangles — if you're looking for a brush you can use into the preschool years, this might not be your best bet.
- Solid bristles: These kinds are basically the mini version of the one you may already be using on yourself. With plastic or wooden bristles, they are a tad stiffer than goat hair, but they will be able to give you the right flexibility for styling and detangling longer, thicker hair. For the most versatility, however, look for models that can be used on wet or dry hair as they will better be able to glide through kinks.
- Silicone bristles: Made entirely of silicone, these flexible brushes have tiny nubs that are ideal for gently scrubbing away scaly patches on both baby's head and even on the rest of their body. The material has an advantage over plastic bristles because it's more resistant to bacterial buildup and therefore a safe option for using in the bath.
With all that in mind, below you can find a list of the best hair brushes for babies you can buy. All of these are parent-approved and highly rated on Amazon.
We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.
A Natural Bristle Brush That’s Hypoallergenic
With more than 2,100 reviews (and counting) and a stellar 4.5-star rating, this Molylove baby hair brush is one of the most highly rated baby brushes on Amazon. It's great for babies of any stage and hair length, thanks to its super-soft goat hair bristles that are gentle on a baby's scalp. In addition to its durable wooden handle that makes it comfortable to hold, parents will also appreciate that the bristles are hypoallergenic and sterilized.
Helpful review: “Brushing my baby's hair with this brush is an absolute pleasure. It glides through his hair. He apparently enjoys it too, because he'll grab it and try to brush his own hair. It's very soothing. The bristles are softer than I expected, and definitely softer than other baby brushes I've used before."
And A Premium Wooden Set That Has It All (& Makes A Great Baby Shower Gift)
If you're looking for a great baby brush set to add to your registry or bring to a shower, this one by Ullabelle is for you. Whichever color of beautiful decorative box you choose (pink or blue), there are four grooming tools designed specifically for little ones. Inside you'll find a wooden brush with natural goat hair bristles, a comb and detangling brush that are both made of beechwood, and a silicone brush that's designed to exfoliate a baby's scalp and help treat cradle cap and dry flakes. For such a reasonable price, several Amazon users reported how impressed they were with the "thoughtfully designed" set.
Helpful review: “From newborn to tangles, this adorable and amazingly priced set of brushes can grow with your baby as their hair grows. The quality of the wooden brushes feel sturdy; they have some weight while still remaining light.”
A Detangling Brush For Babies With Thick Or Long Hair
For babies with thick or long hair, this Wet Brush baby brush is a great option for detangling, and it works equally well on both wet or dry hair (just like the popular Wet Brush models for adults). Featuring the brand's proprietary soft plastic bristles, the head offers more give than most other baby brushes. This allows it to better remove knots and tangles while minimizing hair breakage and tugging. Choose from four colors, each with an adorable animal graphic (gray alligator pictured above).
Helpful review: “My son loves this! He’s got a lot of hair for an almost 1 year old and those normal baby brushes just don’t cut it! It works really well and it’s soft enough that it doesn’t hurt him.”
The Silicone Cradle Cap Brush With A Cult Following
Made of soft, antibacterial silicone bristles, this cradle cap brush by Fridababy can be used during bathtime to help gently exfoliate and massage baby's skin from their scalp and all the way down to their toes. It's earned a cult following on Amazon specifically from parents and caregivers of babies with cradle cap and/or eczema— "It gets the job done," one reviewer confirmed. As a plus, this set includes two brushes; each designed with a suction cup on the back so you can hang it up to dry after using.
Helpful review: “This is amazing! The bristles are super soft and definitely gets rid of cradle cap! I didn’t expect there to be two brushes in this kit! And it also comes with a plastic case for the second brush. I also use this brush for combing my newborn’s hair as well after the bath.”
