MANILA, Philippines?Even the most low-maintenance girl needs a good hairbrush. It is a basic styling tool and a necessity for everyday grooming.

But with so many types available, it is easy to get confused and use just any brush to style the hair. A few years ago, I didn?t know one hairbrush from the other; shopping for one would take me less than a minute. I would browse the store for the most uncomplicated looking brush I could find and buy it.

Eventually, I learned about the different types of hairbrushes and found out how each one was tailor-made for a particular styling purpose.

The next time I purchased the ?right? brush, I immediately saw results. I now have a couple of brushes that I use for different purposes. Investing in the right hairbrush can make styling your hair a breeze.

Purpose: For fringes and short layers
Brush for you: A small radial brush is perfect for short hair, and works particularly well for styling fringes and layers. The size of the barrel should be in proportion to the length of your hair; the shorter the hair, the smaller the barrel.

Purpose: For polishing or straightening hair
Brush for you: An oversize paddle brush works best for long straight hair. This brush is made for smoothening out your hair and is great for blow-drying.

Purpose: For volume
Brush for you: A medium to large radial brush is designed to make volumizing easy. It is used to tame and control wavy hair, and it adds on the curls effortlessly with the help of a hair-drier.