Brushworks Back Combing & Sectioning Comb

Brushworks Back Combing & Sectioning Comb is a back-combing tool with firm nylon bristles for teasing volume into the roots, and an easy-grip handle that doubles as a sectioning tail. The brand puts it to two opposite jobs: lift at the crown, or the same bristles used to smooth bumps and finish a sleek, slicked-back style. The bristles are firm rather than soft, and that is the whole point - a soft brush slides over a section and flattens it, while these hold against the hair long enough to stand it up. The handle takes over between passes, lifting and parting the next section, so you are not swapping tools with a teased section still in your hand. The brand states it suits most hair types, and its own caution is worth reading before you start: backcombing is not what damages hair, but aggressive teasing and pulling the tangles apart afterwards are.

Benefits

• Firm nylon bristles hold their shape against the hair, which is what lets you stand a section up instead of flattening it.
• The handle doubles as a sectioning tail, so you can part and tease without putting the tool down.
• One tool covers root volume or a slick-back finish, depending on whether you tease the underside or smooth the surface layer.

How to use

• Use the tail to section the hair, then lift a small section straight up and hold it taut.
• Push the bristles down towards the roots in short strokes, over the underside only, and leave the top layer smooth so it covers the teased hair beneath.
• To finish a sleek style instead, use the bristles to smooth the bumps over the surface.
• Work in small sections, and when you take the style down comb through from the ends rather than pulling the tangles apart - the brand names that, not the backcombing itself, as what damages hair.