As a Taurus, indulgent self-care is as important to my brain chemistry as my SSRIs. For me, there is no funk that can’t be undone by a lush bathrobe, a musky candle, and a face mask.
Although I have my self-care routine down to an art, I’ve always struggled taking care of my hair. I come from a line of curly redheads with thick hair. It’s the kind of dense strands that had to be tucked away in chunky braids when I was a kid. After years of trial and error–including Kertain treatments, shag cuts, heatless curl fails, and curtain bangs–I still hadn’t felt like I found the right hair treatments and products. But it turns out, I just didn’t have the right brush.
Altesse Beauté Hairbrush Thick or Curly Hair
Nordstrom
I first discovered the Altesse Beauté Hairbrush from a PR mailer and was exceptionally intrigued by the brand’s “100 stroke method,” which promises to reduce frizz, oiliness, and hair loss when strands are brushed 100 times with the signature boar bristle brush.
“Who has time to brush their hair 100 times a day?” my coworker asked as I gushed about my new brush. A princess does, of course!
I saw results from the Altesse’s Beauté Hairbrush immediately. It gives me more time between wash days since the brush evenly distributes my hair’s natural oils. My strands are touchably soft and silky, with blowout-level volume.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my amazing hair comes at a hefty price. Made with premium materials like linseed oil, natural latex, and boar bristle, the Altesse Beauté Hairbrush comes in at a pricey $320.
I’m writing my review for Glamour’s You Need This column, but I can’t in good conscience tell you you actually need a $320 brush. That feels simply out of touch. But what I will tell you is: if you buy this $320 brush, you will never buy another brush again.
You read that right. Altesse is the world leader in quality when it comes to brushes. The sturdy brush handles are crafted from olive wood in France (can you imagine a chicer wood?) of which the shavings are given back to local farmers for use in their orchards. The sustainable practices don’t stop there, as your brush will arrive in a special carrying case made from recycled plastic.
The bristles are 100 percent first recut boar bristles, which are the rarest, most expensive and most effective part of the bristle. When brushed through my hair, the bristles go deep enough to detangle my trickiest knots, while also massaging the scalp to stimulate circulation for stronger, more resilient hair.
When cared for, this brush is made to last a lifetime. I assume I will be buried with mine, with my hair eternally silky. Founded in 1875, six generations of craftspeople at Altesse Studio have truly perfected the art of the brush.
Everybody needs a hairbrush, and while many who experience intense breakage, shedding and hair damage may point the finger at hot tools, using a low quality hairbrush was the root of my problem.
$320 is definitely an investment, but my results were nothing short of life-changing. If you want to give the gift of luxury, Altesse offers different brushes for thin, medium, and textured hair, so you can cater to the hair types of the people on your list. Or, coming from a Taurus, treat yourself to the leading hairbrush in luxury haircare and turn every grooming moment into an indulgence.
Channing Smith is an art designer at Glamour. Follow her @artchanning.
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