Beauty Heroes: La Bonne Brosse

Ten years ago two best friends from Paris, Flore des Robert and Pauline Laurent, decided to take on a challenging task: to bring a new high-performance hairbrush to the beauty market. The idea came when des Robert, a beauty specialist for more than 20 years who has worked for companies including L’Oréal and Estée Lauder, suffered hair loss after her daughter was born. Desperate to find a solution, she consulted hairdresser after hairdresser, all of whom asked the same question: do you have a good-quality hair brush?

Despite the importance of a good brush for hair growth, des Robert was uninspired by the products on offer. So she took her idea for a new kind of hair brush to her friend Laurent, whom she’d known since their schooldays and who has worked across brands such as Coty and Dries Van Noten. Their goal was to make a heritage beauty product “that people would buy and keep for their whole lives”, says des Robert.

During two years of development, the pair “consulted dermatologists, acupuncturists and hair stylists to really understand how a good hairbrush could support scalp health and hair quality”. All their research was channelled into their product, La Bonne Brosse, which was designed to be stylish, sustainable and above all, functional.

The brush is a labour of love. Each is handmade across six or seven stations in a French workshop that has been in operation for more than a century. The shell and handles are made from cellulose acetate, which is a biodegradable material, 70 per cent of which comes from plant fibres, and which is made without petrochemicals; the hypoallergenic bristles are made from boar bristles, nylon fibres, or both.

Part of the efficacy of the design is the arrangement of the bristles on the cushion, in little groups of varying heights. It’s “a little bit like a flower blooming”, Laurent says. “Every fibre has a different size so they can catch every hair one by one.” This makes it an effective detangler and gentle on hair. The bristles help to massage the scalp too, stimulating blood flow and exfoliating the skin, which encourages hair growth and prevents blocked hair follicles. Plus, boar bristles can work to distribute natural oils along the hair shaft which can protect hairs from breakage.

The brush looks as good as it feels, with a chic, ergonomically twisted handle. It is available in a range of sizes and 19 aesthetically pleasing colours, such as pale pink, cream and purple (priced from £88 to £142). The actress Emma Stone used a La Bonne Brosse ahead of the Oscars, and with recent collaborations with brands including the high-end children’s store Bonpoint and the skincare brand Augustinus Bader, it appears this is only the beginning for the haircare company.

Step inside the workshop to see for yourself how the world’s coolest brushes are made:

Direction: Mona Tehrani
DOP: Camille Guillemain
Edit: Laurène Vanacker
Production: Sarah Barnes

labonnebrosse.com