Mason Pearson • Handy Bristle & Nylon Brush • Hair Styling Tools

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*TOP REVIEWER* TheReviewLady on 12/6/2012 4:24:00 AM more reviews by TheReviewLady

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

This is a super expensive hairbrush. That said, the quality is excellent. I bought the pocket pure boar bristle at first because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on the larger sizes -- silly me, the pocket brush is also very expensive. Then I discovered that it was really annoying to have to section my medium-thick hair in order to brush my entire scalp. So I bought the handy sized brush. Now I can brush my hair in a few strokes and it takes less time. The handy size has longer bristles. I highly recommend the handy size mixed bristle brush for hair of medium-thick density. My hair is chin-length. I am hoping to grow it much longer. I don't know what I will do with my pocket sized brush -- it is not really "pocket" sized. Perhaps I'll use it to brush a cat, a very lucky cat.

Edit 11/12/12: If you have a sensitive scalp, the nylon bristles can feel scratchy. I used to really scrub my head with my old bamboo bristle hair brush. The bristles on the bamboo brush were round tipped and gentle. With the Mason Pearson, I have to brush gently or else my scalp feels scratched and, oddly, this makes it itchy.

The Mason Pearson does a good job of spreading the natural oils of my scalp down to the tips of my hair. My hair has been in good shape since I bought this brush. It looks glossier and feels softer. I'm still happy with my purchase.

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malu22 on 11/13/2012 3:12:00 PM more reviews by malu22

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I had been losing a lot of hair everyday the past years that my hair now is less than half the volume I had 10 years ago. I read some review about boar bristle brushes that it was supposed to be gentle on the hair and scalp. I initially bought the Denman mixed bristle but it doesn't quite reach my scalp so I ended up ordering this. MP reaches and massages my scalp really well. I have highlighted wavy hair that goes 2 inches below my shoulder blade, medium thickness and volume. I wasn't expecting much from this brush though I was still hoping it would do something better on my hair.
The day I received my handy MP I used it at night and the morning before I go to work. As soon as I get off the parking lot I saw my friend and the first thing that she told me was "my hair looks beautiful". I wash my hair every other day and that morning is the non wash day. I had been working in our department for 12 years now and not once I remember somebody told me that my hair is beautiful even when I changed my shampoo to Kerastase ( the best I tried ) or put all these shinning oil on my hair. I stopped using oils on my hair since I got my MP because I don't want to ruin my brush. But this brush make my hair so shiny, soft and tangle free than ever before. I had my MP for two weeks now and every single day I go to work somebody would compliment me about my hair. They even noticed my fading highlights. They think it's beautiful :) My friends would asked me what I had been using on my hair that it looks so " shiny and beautiful ". I told them it's just the MP hair brush. Some of them thinks I'm crazy for paying that much for a hair brush but I love my MP so much that I ordered also the junior size for home ( popular is too big for me, handy is a perfect size but I want to keep it for my purse because I find the pocket size too small ) and I also got the pocket 100% boar for my 4 yr old son.
MP handy is 8 1/2 by 2 1/2. Denman medium mixed bristle is 8 3/8 x 2 3/8. Denman has more boar bristles than MP. Denman barely touches my scalp but MP does perfectly. The pneumatic cushion on MP works very well but not on Denman. Even if you push hard the bristles in to push the cushion inward it would not budge at all. It is the same thing with the Sonia Kashuk hair brush. The cushion is hard. SK shape and amt of bristle is very much identical to MP except for the handle. However SK has a very strong burnt rubber smell that is absent on MP and Denman. Spornette luxury ( large ) the cushion pushes in slightly but not as much as the MP and it has a mild burnt rubber smell. The amount of bristle is the same like MP but the nylon bristle are colored black as opposed to the other 3 mentioned brushes that are white. MP is the most gentle to the scalp, followed by Denman then Spornette ( scratchy but would reach very thick hair ) then SK which has the stiffest nylon bristle hence scratchiest.
Since I started using MP I stopped losing so much hair. Sometimes I would only see 2-4 hair strands on the brush and sometimes not at all. Even in the shower I hardy lose hair now. It was hard to believe this brush actually made a difference but now I believe all the rave reviews. It maybe expensive but it is worth the investment. Very highly recommended.
BEWARE: of fake MP brushes. You can email MP to find out their authorized distributor. Drugstore.com and Folica.com are one of their authorized etailer. And you can get a good deal when they offer 20-25% off.

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jahyunkim on 5/20/2012 11:56:00 AM more reviews by jahyunkim

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I want to cry right now because this product was a huge disappointment for me! I People say brushing is the key to obtain healthy hair, and apparently it seems Mason Pearson brushes are considered as one of the best hair brushes in the world. I cannot express how much I HATE this brush.

My first impression on this brush was actually nice. Although my hair is naturally glossy, I could feel my hair turning smooth and a bit shinier. Well the next day, I realized that my hair was greasier than it normally is. I do have an oily scalp that makes my hair greasy and oily 24 hours after shampooing. But before it passed the 24 hours, the roots on my scalp were already greasy!!

It was only the beginning. Next day, I skipped my skinny serum (thinking that this brush will also lead me to the same effect the skinny serum does), air dried and after my hair was dry, I started brushing with the MP brush. Soon I realized that the more I brush, the frizzier the hair was! I normally don't have frizzy hair at all, and this brush just makes my hair look more damaged, frizzy, and unhealthy. Oh and I hate how my hair feels so heavy after using this brush. I changed back to my cheap plastic comb and my hair looked and felt a lot better.

Today was my third day using this brush and it's simply horrendous. My scalp is itchy everywhere! I don't know what's wrong with this brush because my scalp has never been itchy before. Now I'm officially afraid to use this brush.

I originally purchased this brush because I was hoping to achieve some desirable effects.
1. Did the hair brush make your hair soft and silky? Yes. But my cheap plastic comb can also do it when brushed multiple times.

2. Did it massage your scalp? I think so. The Nylon penetrates into my scalp. However, because I have so much hair I have to put some effort in order to make the brush pins reach into my scalp. Most importantly, it makes my scalp very itchy!!

3. Did it detangle your hair? Nope! I normally don't have detangling hair, but this brush, rather than making my hair light and smooth it tangles my hair! Hair feels very heavy after using this brush :(

4. Did it help with your static hairs? What about the little baby hairs? Yes and No. The only negative thing about my cheap plastic comb is that it makes my hair static if I brush a lot with it. The Mason Pearson brush did help avoiding the static hair. However, it frizzes my hair, and the ends of my hair look much damaged. It did not do anything to my baby hair.

5. Did it help with hair regrowth? I'm not sure. Honestly, I think it causes more hair fallouts because I see more hair coming out onto the Mason Pearson brush than I see on my cheap plastic comb.

I think Neiman Marcus carries MP brushes. Please go to Neiman Marcus and try it yourself before purchasing this online. In my opinion, just a normal brush, comb, and Paul Mitchell skinny serum gives far better desirable results than this expensive MP brush. Thanks for reading.

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*TOP REVIEWER* emmgill on 4/17/2012 9:21:00 PM more reviews by emmgill

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is the perfect brush for me. I do tend to get oil roots (i exercise alot)and dry ends and my hair is so long. This has helped so much with distributing the oil throughout my hair. I love this brush. Hope it lasts a lifetime :)

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greenmascara on 3/4/2012 2:06:00 PM more reviews by greenmascara

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

There is no comparison between this and other brushes. I lost my Mason Pearson Mixed Bristle a few years ago. Since then, I used "substitute" brushes -- ones that cost around $20-$40 -- never wanting to break my budget for another Mason Pearson. Well, they were all really lousy compared to this one. I've finally bought another Mason Pearson, and I'm really happy. It just makes my hair look a LOT better, just like it always did. I'll never go without it again!

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*TOP REVIEWER* missmei on 9/18/2010 5:17:00 AM more reviews by missmei

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

I have always had exceptionally thick, coarse, Asian hair (and hope to for many years to come!) and found that my hair was never 'brushed' until I got to this brush. I came across this when an old boss told me that it what she coveted when she was growing up. I have the full size and travel size version of the natural and nylon bristles.
I love how it gets to my scalp and gives it a good rub. I have to brush it from different angles to get different parts of the scalp like i have to approach from underneath my hair to get the bottom half of my scalp.
The result is soft, manageable hair. I feel that the bristles help to spread the natural oil from the scalp down the shaft of the hair.
The only issue I have with this brush is how quickly hair gets tangled but it just goes to show you how thoroughly it actually brushes your hair!
It comes with a brush for the hair brush - cute! It helps to remove all the stuff that gets caught up in the bristles.
I hear that looked after properly, this brush will live a lifetime! That is what I intend to do.

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*TOP REVIEWER* kitten14 on 9/18/2010 4:10:00 AM more reviews by kitten14

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have read a lot of feedback regarding Mason Pearson brushes and many people have compared them to the Sonya Kushak brush at Target. Well I have owned the SK brush for about three years and up until I got my MP it was my favorite. However, it is not even in the same realm as the MP brush. This brush stimulates my scalp and feels amazing to brush my hair with. The result is smooth, tangle free hair that is more shiny and manageable. I am hoping over time that it will help my hair to grow more quickly due to the stimulation and to keep my ends healthy. Overallt I think the brushes are both good and if you absolutely cannot fathom spending that much money on a brush then stick to the SK. Otherwise, this brush is worth every penny and it will transform your hair for the better.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

kensingtonabida on 9/9/2010 5:43:00 PM more reviews by kensingtonabida

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Olive   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I had been dithering for ages deciding upon whether to spend this much money on a hairbrush. However, after investing sometime reading reviews of this brush, and seeing Mason Pearson brushes recommended in numerous magazines and top stylists describing it as the 'Bentley of hairbrushes', I decided to purchase. When it arrived it came packaged in a box, the pastel pink coloured hairbrush looked rather retro and pretty. The brush is lightweight, an ample enough size to handle my long waist-length hair, and a portable size to fit into my handbag. I love brushing, it feels soo gentle, words can't describe it. I purchased mine off the HQhair website for £39 - yes, I know, I would never normally spend that much, but now I'm lusting after a larger version to keep on my dressing table...

I want a bigger version now :-)

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elmatic on 3/9/2010 4:48:00 AM more reviews by elmatic

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Although I had reservations about the seemingly cult reputation of Mason Pearson brushes and the prices charged, I am now a firm convert.

For reference, I have very long thick hair that's been protein (keratin) straightened. I find that a few quick brushes makes my hair more neat and "tidy". I did find that there was some static which goes away quite quickly when I hold the hair back in a loose low ponytail and release it again.

I am now contemplating buying a much smaller version to keep in the car and office. For Aussie girls, I managed to get this brush from Peter's of Kensington for $99 (RRP $145 I think).

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tess35 on 5/18/2008 11:08:00 AM more reviews by Tess35

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I am Asian with short one-length haircut that is about my chin-area. I do not even consider my hair thick. My hair is naturally straight in all parts except for the back that is slightly, again slightly, wavy. It is also non-chemically treated and naturally glossy.


I bought this hairbrush for the joy of brushing. But I did not get what I was looking for or paid dearly for. If I do not part my hair into lower and upper portions, there is no way that this brush can penetrate my scalp. I also do not notice the smoothing effect as my hair is already glossy pre-ownership of this hairbrush. I do not intend to give this baby any lippy rating at all but for the benefit of doubt (as fellow MUAers love this hairbrush), I am leaving a one-lippy rating which I may update soon.


I am thinking of the nylon version but I am not willing to fork out too much dough again for something that I do not try first. Ladies, try this hairbrush first before placing order especially if you are buying from overseas on-line merchants.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

halogens on 11/19/2007 8:42:00 AM more reviews by halogens

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I'm a bit torn when it comes to this one. On the one hand it's very high quality so in that sense I do think it warrants its price. On the other hand my hair is way too thick for this brush. Maybe the largest nylon mix brush would be enoguh, but I doubt it. I use it if I want really smooth hair when I blow dry, and since I got a nice discount I don't regret buying it. But I can't use it to detangle or just brush my hair. I can't even feel it on my scalp, but I have pretty thick hair...

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*TOP REVIEWER* swampbird on 2/12/2006 3:57:00 PM more reviews by swampbird

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

what a wonderful Valentine's day present!! =) i just received a gorgeous ivory MP brush, and i absolutely love it. it definitely "cleans" your hair a lot more than other brushes since the bristles are much closer together. i was embarrassed by how much sweater lint and stuff came out the first time i used it!! also, i think the "Handy" size is really the perfect size. the little stumpy handle on the "Pocket" sized ones is a bit uncomfortable to hold, and the larger ones (such as the "Popular" size) are just awkward. who needs a brush the size of a dinner plate?
the little cleaner-brush that came with it is actually very useful -- i even use it on my other brushes!
one tip, though: MP brushes are almost literally half the US price if you buy them from the UK or Europe. my fiance bought mine from a wonderful shop in Amsterdam, but before that, i was seriously considering buying one from UK websites like hqhair.com or escentual.co.uk or from UK sellers on eBay.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

so_fee_ahh on 9/10/2005 10:14:00 PM more reviews by so_fee_ahh

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Hazel    

I just got this (wondering what the hell all the hype was about) on www.tressence.com. That's the cheapest site so far I was able to find and plus, it was free shipping and handling so how could I go wrong there? Haha, my roomie freaked when I told her the price...she's one of those FRUGAL chicks. But actually, the price didn't really bother me all that much. I've been looking into the brush market for a HIGH QUALITY brush and this seemed to be one of those. I've been using it for about a week and already I notice that my hair is a lot softer and a little bit shinier? Yeah, I think so really. I don't think it's the ultimate miracle though. You sorta have to be using the right hair treatments and products in conjunction with this brush but if you do so, you'll find you have sexy, soft flowy hair. At least to me...def check it out if you can. On that site I just posted, you have, like, a month I think to return it if you are not completely satisfied. The only thing is they will take 25% of whatever you paid since once you return it, they have nothing to do to it but throw it out (obviously they're not going to resell it, lol).

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*TOP REVIEWER* LizzieDahlin on 8/8/2005 5:31:00 PM more reviews by LizzieDahlin

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

I bought the frederic fekkai version at sephora for 85 dollars and when i opened the box, the brush was bent up and smashed, and the plastic felt cheap. So on a whim i checked these brushes out at Neimans... i never thought i would even consider spending this much for a brush, but my hair is very long (mid back) and i'm trying to keep it healthy.. brushing with this brush feels like heaven.. and it really penetrates to the scalp.. i have thick, fine hair and this makes it beautiful and tangle free quite easily.. this is not an 'everyone has to have' item but its worth it for those with long delicate hair. and the retro instructions and tips that come with it are worth 20 bucks of the purchase price at least..

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ecaldwell on 7/5/2005 4:30:00 PM more reviews by ecaldwell

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This is not a comment on the quality of the brush, it's quite a fine brush, but I found that the bristle & nylon was not stiff enough to penetrate my hair to the scalp. It's a pretty brush, though, but it doesn't feel quite durable in my hands.

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*TOP REVIEWER* signsoflife on 5/4/2005 6:14:00 PM more reviews by signsoflife

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I love my Handy brush! It's the best brush I've ever used (it's also the most expensive brush I've ever used, but that's a different story). Generally I have long hair, and even though my hair has no volume (it's stick straight) and it's completely limp, it's still quite a bit of work to brush through. I used to use those rectangular paddle brushes you can get from the drugstore, but the balls on the bristles would break and my hair would get damaged. I tried using a pure bristle brush (also bought from the drugstore), but it didn't actually brush all of my hair because the bristles were too soft.

This is the perfect brush for my hair because it gets to all of my hair and it doesn't hurt. It even feels like a scalp massage! This brush was as Christmas gift, but if something happened to it I'd definitely repurchase. Otherwise, I expect this brush to last as long as I do.

Edited 14 Aug 2011: My daughter has very fine hair that tangles easily; no amount of conditioner has helped and I find spray-in detangler leaves a strange texture to her hair. Recently I tried my hairbrush on her hair and it works wonders! In a matter of a few brushstrokes, her entire head is detangled!

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malieboe on 1/10/2005 2:28:00 AM more reviews by malieboe

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I got this as a present from my parents (they found it really weird: what do you like as a birthdaypresent? A brush!). I am using it for a month now and I think I am in love with it! It is really worth the money, it gets all the knots out of my hair so easy!

Will I rebuy? I hope not having to! But if I ever loose it (keep my fingers crossed) I certainly will because I love love love it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Pheebie on 2/2/2004 3:37:00 PM more reviews by Pheebie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought this little gem over a year ago not long after purchasing (and adoring) my Popular size MP brush. I wanted something a bit smaller to tote around with me, and this one fit the bill. In fact, since I take it with me, I probably use it more than my orinal Popular one, but both are worth their weight in gold since they can get through my thick, naturally wavy-to-curly hair (which most brushes can't). Not to mention this brush makes my hair super shiny on days when I've straightened. A great investment. No regrets.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* airickuh on 11/16/2003 1:24:00 AM more reviews by airickuh

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I got mine off of Ebay. I'm so glad I didn't have to pay retail. I love this brush. I got it right after a bad perm and it was heaven sent, because nothing could get through that rat's nest. Now my hair is back to normal (fine and straight) and I still love it because it never hurts or breaks my hair.

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jacqsantora on 6/30/2003 6:47:00 PM more reviews by jacqsantora

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I love my Mason Pearson Brush! I have had mine for over 7 years and it is still in great condition. I started off cleaning it the EXACT way they tell you - but now i basically just get it totally wet and it's held up. Well worth the money - especially if you have long/fine hair that breaks easily. Mason Persons do not break your hair - it can take a little bit longer to get out tough knots with it, but it's totally worth it - because if you use it frequently, you will end up with less horrible knots!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No