Kitsch's New Hair Brush Collection Uses This Intriguing Biodegradable Material

You might know Kitsch best for its glitzy bobby pins or cute cotton face masks, but the brand is expanding its repertoire — and quickly. Bottle-free shampoo and conditioner bars arrived on Sept. 1, followed by the Kitsch Consciously Created Hair Brush Collection two weeks later on Sept. 15. And similar to the cult-favorite hair accessories, the price is there: The brushes in the new five-piece drop range from $12 to $18. However, like the waste-minimizing haircare bars, they also happen to have an eco-friendly slant.

Since the brushes happen to be made from biodegradable material. Depending on how often you cook, you may or may not recognize the hero "ingredient" used to create the brush handles: corn starch fibers.

"Corn starch, a renewable resource, is a carbohydrate derived from corn. When processed under certain conditions, corn starch can be transformed into a material called polylactic acid, or PLA," Cassandra Thurswell, founder and CEO of Kitsch, explains to TZR over email. "PLA has all of the good qualities of plastic — namely durability — but unlike plastic waste, PLA is fully biodegradable. This means that our hair brushes maintain the quality of salon brush tools while at the same time are better for the environment."

And no, just in case you're curious, this doesn't mean you should avoid getting a new brush from the collection damp. "In order for any item to biodegrade, it needs to be exposed to and broken down by other living organisms (bacteria, fungi, and microbes)," Thurswell adds. "You can get the brushes wet and not have to worry about damage to the product."

In addition to the biodegradable material used for the body of the brushes, any bristles in the collection are crafted from recycled nylon, with a "natural, biodegradable rubber cushion" at the base if need be, according to Thurswell. "The brush set is 100 percent vegan, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly without sacrificing quality," she continues. "It looks chic on any vanity or in your purse, and the fact that it's biodegradable gives that feel-good factor we always hope our customers have when they purchase our products."

Shop the new collection, available at mykitsch.com and Ulta Beauty, below.

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