Horn Combs, all hair types, beard, moustache, cats, babies

Combs

Choose from a range of hand crafted horn combs for the ultimate natural hair, moustache, beard care. All of our horn combs are finely crafted, precisely detailed, carefully smoothed and selected from premium quality cow horn. Combing with a horn comb adds instant sheen to the hair and pulls out less hairs than normal brushes or plastic combs. Horn combs help to defrizz the hair and combing with a horn comb does not induce static build up in the hair. Most of all, using a horn comb and gives a pleasurable scalp massage for improved hair growth. Horn combs, while lasting for many years, retain a ‘primal’ and invigorating quality on each occasion of use.

It is widely believed that horn combs impart strength and accelerates the growth of hair and there is no doubt a horn comb leaves the scalp tingling with pleasure through the stimulation of micro-circulation. Given that horn is high in sulphur, linked inextricably to healthy hair growth, it is no wonder that horn combs have been valued for so many thousand years and that they appear so frequently as attributes of beautiful mythical beings such as long haired goddesses, nymphs and mermaids.

These horn combs are so well finished, that just picking them up is joy and even from the first stroke, they glide through the hair.

The Benefits of Using a Horn Comb

• For everyday combing of hair of any length, giving the hair a well cared for appearance.
• Cleans the hair by removing lint, dust and broken hairs.
• Helps to transport protective oils from the scalp along the shaft of the hair, making the hair appear better conditioned with less grease near the roots.
• Helps to smooth the cuticles of the hair shaft down helping to protect the hair from tangling and desiccation and sun damage.
• Gentle to hair – horn is composed as the same substance as hair – keratin, and with the same material hardness, horn will not damage the shaft of the hair.
• Horn combs pull out significantly fewer hairs while combing compared to a plastic comb or hairbrush. This is partly due to the construction. Plastic combs are moulded and the inside edges of the tines of plastic combs contain rough edges of plastic which is harder than hair. This rough edges of plastic snag hairs and damages the protective cuticle (scale-like) coating on each hair. The tines of horn combs are cut by saw and smoothed, leaving nothing to snag the hair.
• Does not induce static build up (unlike plastic). This is because a horn comb has the same charge as the hair – two materials of the same type due not build up static charge when rubbed together and brought into contact. With reduced static, again less hairs are pulled out while combing.
• By stroking the scalp with the tines during each grooming session, the stimulation improves scalp circulation and supports healthy hair growth.
• Cleans the hair follicles, maintaining follicle health and supporting the healthy grow of the hair, again when the tines are taken over the scalp.
• Perfect for detangling slightly damp hair after washing and for helping to reduce frizzy hair.
• Fantastic for relieving stress. Animals groom themselves to relieve psychological stress and after escaping from physical danger. Gently comb the entire scalp several times a day, or briefly throughout the day.
• Leaves a lovely tingly sensation on the scalp

Choices of Horn Comb

We have a large choice of horn combs and a video to help show you
the different types and the benefits of using a horn comb.

 

The Versatile Triangular Cow Horn Comb

Made and designed by Natural Spa Supplies, our Triangular combs, can be used on almost any hair type. With long, strong, deep reaching tines, this comb glides through fine hair, medium, thick hair or wavy hair, reaching the scalp for that all important massage. Our new horn comb maker lives in Calcutta, India and is a second generation horn craftsman. Not only is his detailing exquisite, we are in awe of the beautiful figuring of the horn.

 

We have three main colour types:

• Combs which are predominantly black;
• Those with figuring – usually a dark base colour with streaks of blonde, white, brown, green, black, yellow horn.
• Blonde horn
• The rarer toffee coloured combs.

These triangular combs are about 13cm tall and 7.5cm at the widest point.

Hair Parting Horn Comb

Whether you are wearing your hair up or down, your starting point is a neat parting.

Most hair styles depend on three types of hair parting.

1. The straight centre or side parting
2. The diagonal parting and
3. The zig-zag or criss-cross parting

How to create a neat hair parting with the tip of the hair parting / styling comb

I find it easiest, if I start the tip of the comb handle near the crown and draw it forward. As my hair grows in a slightly forward direction, it gives a cleaner line and I can get the parting right with the first attempt. Conversely, if your hair grows towards to the back, start your parting near the forehead and draw back towards the crown of the head.

The Long Cow Horn Comb with Widely Spaced Teeth

This comb is about 16cm long and 4cm deep. The teeth or tines are more widely spaced compared to the comb below. These combs are best for long hair, medium or thick hair and hair with light curls.

The Long Cow Horn Comb with Narrow Teeth Spacing

This comb is about 15cm long and 3cm deep. The teeth or tines have ‘narrow’ spacing, ideal for fine hair.

The Bulls Horn Afro Comb or Rake

This comb is 8cm by 8cm. It has strong and deeply cut tines with rectangular tine nibs and it is ideal for combing curly hair and Afro hair. We have Afro combs which are either predominantly of dark horn and those which are available in light coloured horn.

Small Horn Combs

The Horn Pocket Comb

A small portable comb, just 8cm long which will fit in almost any pocket. With finely cut tines this comb is suitable for fine hair tidying up hair during the day and for short hair. To avoid snapping this small pocket comb, it is best to keep this in the breast pocket of a jacket, rather than the seat pocket of your trousers!

The Tiny Horn Comb for the Moustache, the Beard, the Pussy Cat, Babies and Very Fine Hair

These adorable little combs are small enough to comb the moustache and agile enough to groom the cat or the baby’s hair. At a diminutive 8.5cm length they are so charming that I wonder if they were made by the ‘little people’ of folklore. Saying that, one of these marvels of craftsmanship combed my fine hair and it slipped though with also zero friction!

The Moustache or ‘Tache Comb

Designed specifically for combing the moustache, their whimsical shape, forms part of their functionality. According to men with moustaches, it is the best shape for combing the moustache without knocking the nose. The comb can also be used to groom the beard. These ‘tashe combs are beautifully made and you can see how the tine depth is varied to harmonise with the lip shaped handle. They are exquisite works of art and make great gifts.

Any of these smaller combs are suitable for grooming cats and they are adept at catching fleas!

Wooden Comb

For wooden combs please see our dedicated shop page where we have our own high quality design, Neem Wood Comb made of a single piece of neem wood.

How to Use a Horn Comb for Combing the Hair

• Start by combing the hair at the ends, using the comb to locate knots and the fingers to untangle the knots.
• Gradually work up the shaft of the hair, going around the head one tress at a time.
• When the hair is tangle free, use long strokes from the scalp to the end of the hair.
• Then take the comb against the scalp for the massage to improve the scalp circulation.
• Take you time and enjoy the experience!

How to Care for your Horn Comb

• Do not leave the comb in the sunshine as it might warp.
• Store away from heat, humidity and direct sunlight.
• Do not drop the horn comb in case you break it.
• Protect from dogs and other animals – even herbivores will eat horn!
• When transporting the comb, protect the tines from damage and the comb from snapping.
• To protect the tines of the comb and your hair do not force the comb down the length of the hair nor drag the comb through knots. Use the comb to locate the knots and then untangle the knots gently with the fingers working from underneath the knot until the hair is free. Then comb through the free hair. Take your time!

How to Clean the Horn Comb
A horn comb is much easier to keep clean than a hair brush. Simply remove and dispose of loose hairs from the comb after each use and periodically clean the tines of the comb. If the tines are clogged with sebum, oils, lint and dead skin, they will not travel as smoothly through the hair.

• Clean the tines with a stiff nail brush or an old bristle toothbrush, brushing from the handle towards the tips of the tines, or use the versatile military hair brush.
• Do not allow contact with solvents, chemicals or hair dyes.
• If you do use the comb on damp hair, dry the comb afterwards.
• To restore the polished look to your comb, rub it vigorously with dry wood ashes using a chamois leather, or polish with a drop of oil.

The Ethics of using Horn Combs

•  Made of cow horn, nature’s own ‘plastic’  prized for it strength, durability, and ability to take on different forms. Cow horn is only taken from domestic bull and cows after the end of their life.
•  A horn comb will after a long use-life eventually biodegrade (apart from the archaeological combs found in ‘special preservation conditions’ )
• Combing is a natural process, beneficial to health and mood.