A backcombing brush for backcombing hair includes an array of bristles 4. Each bristle extends from a base to a free end and two lengths of bristle are provided. Shorter bristles 4a and the bottom of longer bristles 4b carry out backcombing, whilst the longer bristles smooth hair, or untangle knots/tangles in the hair to reduce the level of backcombing. The long bristles have a relatively wide first portion 5, towards the base of the bristle, and a relatively narrow second portion 6, towards the free end of the bristle. The bristles are arranged such that bristles in one row neither extend between adjacent bristles in an adjacent row nor partially occlude the space between bristles in an adjacent row.