Ibiza Hair Tools: The Best Professional Hair Tools

Buying professional grade hair tools can be a minefield. 

With so many options available, we deep dive into what you need to look for when choosing your next blow-dry brush (and why boar bristle brushes - and more specifically, Ibiza Hair Tools - stand out as our best in class) The reality is that it usually comes down to a) performance and b) personal taste.

And let’s face it, how the brush feels in your hand matters just as much as the results it delivers for your clients hair.  

What makes Ibiza Hair tools a professional choice?  

Ibiza Hair Tools are the professional choice for any hairdresser wanting to deliver faultless blow-dry results each and every time. With years of experience under their belt, the team behind Ibiza Hair Tools’s award-winning design understand the intricacies of hair and what it takes to create desirable volume, smoothness and healthy shine. Travelling salesman and hairdresser, Max Johles established Ibiza Hair Tools in the 1950’s, selling his range of natural brushes, hair tools and combs to salons across the US from the back of his car. 

Fast forward to today, Max’s son Aaron Johles now runs the Ibiza Hair Tools business - building on the original range of hair tools with an expanded offering of hair volumizer tools, hair curling tools, wet brushes, styling combs and blow dryers.  

Trained as a hairstylist Aaron lends his own expertise and industry knowledge to the design process, using innovative techniques and finishes to keep the product performance at the forefront of its field. He set himself the challenge of developing quality hair tools that take the chore out of hairdressing. 

“If I had a nickel for every time a hairdresser said they disliked blow drying hair until they discovered Ibiza brushes, I would have a gigantic jar of coins.” Aaron Johles, founder - Ibiza Hair Tools  

His circle of influence, vision and affable personality has seen Ibiza Hair Tools transform into an internationally recognized hair brush brand, infamous for its unique cork handles, gripslip technology and stellar hair volumizing results. With the majority of hairdressers and stylists across the West Coast of the US already converted to Ibiza Hair Tools, the appeal of these US born, spanish made brushes is undeniable. 

“I am proud to have put Ibiza Hair Tools out there into the Universe and it gives me great pleasure knowing it makes the chore of blow drying to something more meaningful, quality hair.” Aaron Johles, founder - Ibiza Hair Tools  

Want to get your hands on the Ibiza Hair Tools range? MCM Beauty is the exclusive distributor of Ibiza Hair Tools in Australia and New Zealand. 

The Ibiza Hair tools range

“Doing hair is rad. Getting paid to make people beautiful is a spectacular profession that deserves hair tools to reflect the craft of hairdressing”, explains Aaron as we dive into the details of his hand-crafted range of blow-dry brushes.  Here, Aaron shares the secret formula behind his award winning Ibiza Hair Tools range. 

• Cork Handles - sustainably harvested cork offers a multitude of benefits; it’s lightweight, hypoallergenic and antimicrobial, ergonomic, comfortable to handle - and instantly recognizable as Ibiza Hair Tools. 
• GripSlip Technology - if you understand blow drying, you’ll know the importance of the grip and slip technique that you need to master to manage that perfect balance of resistance and tension you need to master the perfect blow dry. 
• Boar Bristles - or to be more precise, a blend of natural boar and heat resistant carbon fiber. Strong, resilient, and as close to human hair as possible, boar bristles deliver out of the park blow-dry results on all hair types. 
• Choices! Extra long handles, curved bristles, blonde bristles, wide spaced bristles for coarser hair, a multitude of size options to cater for every stylists’ (and client’s) needs. 

“The goal is to turn it from a chore to more, and one way to do that is to use quality hair tools that take the chore of hairdressing and make it more.” laughs Aaron.

Curling tools

Image courtesy of @christopherobinparis 

We turned to the director of QUE Colour and MCM Beauty’s resident expert Monique McMahon and her team of stylists for the low down on what curling tools make the difference between an OK blow dry and an EPIC blow dry result. 

“Here at QUE, we don’t believe in using curling tools or straightening irons, as they are not great for the condition of the hair - or keeping your colour looking its best. They often run very hot and can damage your hair over time.” explains Monique, ”Instead we use a blow drying technique called the Brushed Out Blow Dry to create soft, sexy curls with incredible volume from the roots.”

The Brushed Out Blow Dry relies on classic pin and set technique - an approach that relies on quality brushes to create the inimitable shape and volume you expect if you’re going to replace your curling tools. A heat-protecting curl cream like Christophe Robin’s Luscious Curl Cream or Larry King Haircare’s A Social Life for your Hair - smoothed through while hair is damp - and a finishing spray like ANTI Styling Spray (for hold) once you’ve brushed out the set are the other key components to have on hand before you start.  To add definition, gentle hold and gloss to curls after finishing your blow out, we’d recommend a smudge of ANTI Finishing Cream.  

The Essential Ibiza Curling Tools

Best for fine and colour treated hair - Ibiza Hair Tools, B5 80mm 

This blonde boar bristle brush is perfect for creating soft loose curls, big volume and large sections. Ideal for long hair and back sections. 

Best for frizzy, coarse hair - Ibiza Hair Tools, G Series 

Swirled sparse bristles allow coarse hair to get wrapped around the bristles easier than with uniform bristles. Swirled bristles are also great for spinning the brush to create texture, waves and smoothness. The G series mixes natural boar bristle with a unique carbon fiber heat-resistant nylon. GripSlip technology. Made in Spain.

Best for tight curls - Ibiza Hair Tools, MB Series 

The MB’s extra long, narrow barrel works like a dream on big sections and tight curls, drying the hair in half the time. With its award-winning blend of natural boar and heat resistant carbon, cork handles, GripSlip technology, on demand slip, this series is go-to for effortlessly shiny curls. 

Best for blow dry beginners - Ibiza Hair Tools, CC Series 

Ceramic Brushes are best to add smoothness and volume when blow drying thick or curly hair types. The secret lies in the design of the brush. The ceramic allows them to hold heat longer which makes them the best choice for changing the shape of your hair, adding shine and eliminating frizz and the synthetic bristles slide effortlessly through thick hair - no tugging! Ceramic brushes will produce a tighter, more defined curl. 

“For your super curly or coily girls, you want to avoid brushing your hair altogether as it can just amplify the potential for frizziness.” says Monique, “To bring out your best curls, I recommend reaching for a low SLS, creamy shampoo like Christophe Robin’s Luscious Curl Conditioning Cleanser or Curl Balm. “

Curious why you need to reach for a curl-specific cleanser? We were too. Monique gives us the inside line.

“These specially designed cleaners are super gentle and hydrating, so they won’t dry out your curls but still lift away impurities and build-up. The  key for curls (any hair type TBH)  is to avoid sulphates. Sulphates are often added to shampoo to make them more foamy, but bubbles are the enemy of hydration - they can overstrip hair, leaving it dehydrated and frizzy.” 

What about conditioners? 

“If you’re prone to tangling follow with Larry King Haircare’s Liquid Hairbrush which is a light emollient conditioner designed to detangle without tugging or pulling. Very carefully comb through using your fingers or a wide toothed comb like Ibiza Hair Tool’s Gold Detangling Comb.” recommends Monique. 

“Rinse and squeeze out any moisture using a soft towel. NO RUBBING please ladies! You need to be gentle with those curls! Smooth through your curl cream, and use your fingers to separate any stubborn tangles.” 

PRO TIP:  ANTI’s brand ambassador Nathan Yip advises leaving curly hair to air dry with just a slick of Everything Cream - or use a curl diffuser attachment on your blow dryer to slowly dry your hair on a very low heat. 

Volumising

Big, beautiful volume stays in vogue season after season after season. Mastering the art of the expert blow dry is a skill that takes practice - and great tools. Using equipment that’s been thoughtfully designed to deliver professional results is the first step in achieving a luscious bouncy blow-out that would turn Farrah Fawcett weak at the knees. 

This is where a blow dry partner like Ibiza Hair Tools comes into its own. Each round brush has been engineered to deliver next level volume. LA stylist Chris Cunningham is a long term fan of Ibiza Hair Tools, religiously turning to the B Series as his ultimate volumizer tool for his starry clientele including Jennifer Aniston. Creative Director of Virtue Labs Adir Abergel, is similarly enamored with Ibiza Hair Tools unique take on the volumizer brush, reaching for the G series to give him that extra bit of manoeuvrability needed to give his glossy starlets like Kirsten Stewart, Charlize Theron and Anne Hathaway their unique je ne sais quoi. 

“I think the G Series Round brush is the best quality in boar bristle brushes. I love the combination of boar and nylon, which gives the hair shine and traction. I also like the cork handle because it makes the brush a lot lighter to handle.” shares Adir.  

The Ibiza Hair brush secret blend of natural boar and heat-resistant carbon fiber bristles from Spain creates matchless volume like no other boar bristles can. It won’t get stuck, it won’t rip or break the hair. 

“The bristles literally wrap around the hair.” explains Sydney-based hairdresser and educator, Monique McMahon. 

The unique GripSlip technology comes into play as the key factor that makes these volumizer tools deliver a Hollywood quality blow dry finish, lending control and dexterity. 

PRO TIP: Start building your volume from the back basin. Not a traditional volumising tool as such (but a good one), Christophe Robin’s Cleansing Volume Paste with pure rassoul clay is the baseline for many of QUE Colour’s blow dry services. This innovative shampoo treatment densifies hair from the roots to create a natural lift before you even pick up your first volumizing tool. 

Boar Bristle Brushes 

Gigi Hadid uses an Ibiza Hair Tools B7 brush for snatch-back pony style.  

Suitable for all hair types, boar bristle brushes (or a blend of natural boar and heat resistant carbon bristles like the ones used in some Ibiza Hair brushes) provide more stretch and tension on the hair during your blow dry, leaving you with ultimate shine. 

Boar bristles are more gentle on the scalp than synthetic bristles and help redistribute natural oils from your scalp for healthy luminosity. They have a similar molecular structure to human hair containing the protein, keratin. Boar bristles have microscopic plates down the entire length of the shaft which collect and move the scalps natural oils from the roots right down to the ends.  Synthetic or nylon brushes are great for detangling, but they won’t shift your natural oils from your roots.  

As with all brushes, boar bristle brushes like those from Ibiza Hair Tools’ range should be regularly washed in warm, soapy water and left to air dry to keep them clean. Hairdressers will clean their brushes weekly (if not daily) to keep them free of product build-up and oils. On a hygiene note, Ibiza Hair brushes have a sustainably harvested cork handle, which has the added benefit of being anti-microbial - handy in the salon or home environment.   

• HEAT. Obvious, yes, but worth highlighting that heat is the number one boar bristle brush killer. Hold those bristles too close to your hairdryer, and you’ll sizzle your pure boar bristle brush to death. Harsh, but true. Don’t leave it next to your curling tools or straightening irons either - the same issue applies. 
• OIL based treatments and serums. Natural boar bristles do not fare so well if you coat them in oil based products. This means using your favourite boar bristle detangling brush to comb through your weekly pre-treatment oil. (Use a wide toothed comb) 
• WATER. Brushing wet hair with a boar bristle brush - or anything other than a comb or shower brush - will damage your hair and seriously reduce the lifespan of your favourite Ibiza. Because boar bristles are similar to human hair, they are also vulnerable to splitting or breaking if you use them in the shower or on wet hair. 

More from the range of Ibiza hair tools

Image courtesy of @paulmcmahonphoto  

Alongside the Ibiza Hair Brush range of volumizing tools and curling tools, the brand also does a side hustle in shower brushes, cutting combs, detangling combs (scented combs - the rose, people!), oval brushes and wooden pin brushes. 

Here we curate the Top 5 on our Wish List: 

1. All that glitters, the NEW GL7 is as golden as it gets. Luxuriously plated in gold with boar and white nylon bristles, this eye popper massages, stimulates and exfoliates the scalp for healthy future growth
2. Inspired by the materials used in modern European sun and eyeglasses, the Pearl MP7 oozes European sophistication. Its wooden bristles deliver blowing scalp stimulation, detangling and airy texture when used with a blow dryer. Made in Italy. 
3. The Airwave is an Aussie’s summer sidekick, engineered to be used before, during or after a shower, spa, ocean, pool, or shampoo bowl.
4. Ibiza Rose-Scented Detangling Comb. This one comes smelling like roses in our opinion, literally leaving a floral scent to our daily comb-throughs. 
5. Because we fancy ourselves as pro’s, Ibiza’s Carbon Wand Comb makes the top 5. This long haircutting comb is for the advanced hairdressers among us, great for face framing sections.

Are Ibiza Hair tools worth it? 

Don’t just take our word for it! Here’s a handful of verified reviews from hairdressers, celebrities, home hair stylists and regular humans pulled from Ibiza Hair Tools site.  

Ibiza for life! 

Review by Eric F. on 5 Sep 2022

"So long it has been that Ibiza brushes have been in my drawer and sold to my clients. They are the only brushes I use, I recommend them to everyone!"

Beautiful brushes!! 

Review by Mina C. on 3 Sep 2022

"Bought my first 2 bristle brushes, they are super lightweight and love the grip on the handles! Love them, will order more!"

Must Have in Assortment! 

Review by Rachel J. on 19 Aug 2022

"I’ve always kissed my wetbrush when combing out my hair after the shower. Never thought something could trump that until I tried this brush! No snagging, no tough pulls, just easy effort to comb out my slightly damaged very long and thick hair!"

We’ll let you be the judge! - View the full Ibiza Hire Tools range HERE