Back in 1991 or 1992*, when I lived in West Lafayette, IN, my friend Amy Jo’s roommate Greg was a hairstylist and he gave me a hairbrush—a Paul Mitchell SuperSculpting 413. At the time, I’m sure I said thank you, but I’m not sure I knew what a gift it was, because it turned out to be the best hairbrush ever. I mean, to look at it you wouldn’t think it’s anything special. It’s just a skinny hairbrush with some bristles set into a flexible pad. Except that I’ve never been able to find that exact combination. There are skinny brushes, but they all have their bristles affixed directly to the handle. There are brushes with that flexible pad, but they’re all wide.

I would notice the difference between my hairbrush and others when I was over at someone’s house or something, but it didn’t really matter, because I had mine.

Except that, of course, over time the flexible pad began to crack a little, which released some of the bristles. Others stayed affixed, but lost their tops. I think 10 years ago or so, I noticed that the brush was showing some signs of wear and made a few stabs at replacing it. I can’t remember what research I did, but I got it into my head that Paul Mitchell didn’t make it anymore and that it was irreplaceable.

Well, over the last few months, Erica’s mockery of my old hairbrush accelerated from periodic to frequent and it’s become obvious it would need to be replaced. I did some research on hair brushes in general and ran into the same dichotomy—I could have flexible or skinny, but not both. Until I thought to check on the brush name itself. Duh.

And of course Paul Mitchell still makes it—a little changed over the years*, but essentially the same brush. And there’s a salon six blocks from work that carries Paul Mitchell supplies and I rode my bike over today and got a replacement for eight whole dollars (plus tax). Actually, I got two, for sixteen, so I can take one on trips and not worry about losing the Best Brush Ever.

* Haven’t we all?