Manta’s brushes impressed the Dragons – but did they give me shinier hair?

Manta original hairbrush design

The company's original hairbrush is the brand’s technology in its simplest form. It fits seamlessly into your hand and is comfortable to hold, thanks to the ergonomic design and handy finger grip. Before first use, it’s recommended that you bend and flex the brush in your hand to increase flexibility – I found that this helped the brush mould to my hand, making the process much easier.

The materials claim to be anti-static, which makes a world of difference for frizzy locks. The specially designed bristles are intended to detangle without going against the hair, pulling, or causing breakages.

One of the major takeaways in testing was how great it is for travelling. It's extremely lightweight, about 46g (yes, I weighed it!). The flexible nature and general squishiness mean it fits into any bag seamlessly. Whether it's a low-maintenance brush for holidays or one to chuck in your handbag, I saw great potential in its travel possibilities.

Manta original hairbrush performance

I first tested the brush on wet hair when conditioning, as advised by Manta. It helped distribute the product from root to tip and my strands felt thoroughly coated. While I was impressed by how well such a small brush worked through my hair, it did struggle slightly with thicker tangles – so I’d recommend working in smaller sections if you have particularly thick hair. I did appreciate that the brush was gentle, as often brushing wet hair can be drying and damaging.

Once dry, my hair was unmistakably soft. Often, curly hair can feel heavy or even crispy due to the products used to fight off frizz. But with the addition of the brush, my hair remained non-frizzy and remarkably silky.

Manta pulse brush design

I’m aware that a vibrating hairbrush may sound either very weird or very relaxing, but in my opinion, it is certainly the latter. This brush features all the same benefits and design elements as the original, including the ergonomic design, Flexguard technology bristles and heat resistance. But what makes it unique is the addition of two speeds of vibrations – either 2,000 pulsations per minute for a relaxing massage or 4,000 pulsations per minute for a stimulating and invigorating increase in blood flow.

By massaging the scalp, the brush is designed to help hair follicles become more flexible, allowing them to turn into stronger hair roots, which should lead to less hair breakage. When shampooing, the vibrations exfoliate the skin and help the product penetrate the scalp – a task that can often be difficult with thick or textured hair. The brush is waterproof and charged using an included USB charger that allows the brush a 90-minute battery life.

Manta pulse brush performance

I first tested this brush when shampooing – applying the product directly onto the brush and working it into the scalp and hair. It may come as no surprise, but this felt like a great spa treatment. The recommended two minutes was almost not long enough as this scratched every itch on my scalp I didn't know I had. Shampoo seeped into my scalp seamlessly and I liked how every strand felt coated. As my hair got more wet though, the brush struggled slightly to manoeuvre every nook and cranny.

My main gripe came when I tried to rinse my hair. I realised the brush had done such a good job at working the shampoo into the scalp, that it was actually a mission to rinse it out again. This is a common problem for thick hair as any excess product can lead to build-up. Despite the brush saying it is ideal for all hair types, I can’t help but feel that it’s probably not best for those with thick hair.

When used on dry hair, the pulse brush is a great scalp massager – I’ve reached for it for a two-minute stimulation blast and tension reliever. Of course, it is too soon to tell the longer-lasting effects of the brush, but I did enjoy the idea that something so good for my hair could also feel so good.