This New Brush Saves Thinning Hair—And Artisans In Asia

Snow Fox Skincare Gua Sha Hair & Scalp Revival Brush

There are plenty of snake oils when it comes to thinning hair. But when something has been around for centuries and uses a proprietary design passed down through generations, you know it’s the real deal. That’s why Phoebe Song, Founder and Concept Developer of Snow Fox Skincare, wanted to bring the Snow Fox Skincare Gua Sha Hair & Scalp Revival Brush to her customers. Every element of the hairbrush is handmade and assembled by traditional Taiwanese brush makers.

“It's literally a dying art,” Song says. “Every single thing on this brush is done by hand. You don't get anything like this anymore. The reason why these guys [barely] exist is because they lost everything to the factories in China. It's basically a perfected art form for over a century. It's such a unique thing.”

Snow Fox Skincare Tetrapeptide And Ginseng Hair & Scalp Serum

After experiencing hair loss after Covid-19, Song wanted to launch a drug-free, traditional option that also helps those suffering from premature hair loss, hair thinning, post-partum hair loss and excessive hair fall. A traditional gua sha brush was recommended to Song by her local hair salon, and it didn’t take long before she saw major results. She knew a better version was out there, so she partnered with the families that make the brushes. “Different families specialize in different components of this brush,” she explains. “Initially I thought it was one family, but there's one family that makes the needles, one family that makes the mold and one family that makes the rubber.” Others do the assembling and other components.

The bristles on the original brushes Song used were too stiff and sometimes painful, so she partnered with the families to create one that was gentler. “We don't just use gold because it’s pretty—we use gold because it’s soft,” Song says. “The needles are made from a special blend of titanium, stainless steel and gold that doesn't scrape the scalp; it stimulates all the pressure points and is comfortable.”

Creating the 24k gold-plated Gua Sha Hair & Scalp Revival Brush was a two-year journey. It stimulates acupressure points, promotes healthy hair growth, and boosts and balances blood circulation in the scalp as each of the 150 gold-and-titanium-plate needles scrape and massage over the reflexology and Meridian lines throughout the scalp. However, it’s still gentle enough for sensitive scalp skin.

“We have 150 points because you need to run through all the meridian legends,” Song says. “You probably have seen those ancient Chinese diagrams of the scalp with acupressure points. Traditional culture is holistic healing. The brush is designed to release all the stress by running through every single acupressure point.” To use the brush properly, start at the very front of your hairline, at the top of the forehead, and run it from the top of the face to the back of the neck in long motions.

A before and after of Snow Fox Skincare Founder Phoebe Song's hair

For maximum results, use the Gua Sha Hair & Scalp Revival Brush with the Snow Fox Skincare Tetrapeptide And Ginseng Hair & Scalp Serum. Designed to be a drug-free alternative for those sensitive to minoxidil, the spray-on serum is a cinch to apply and instantly softens and nourishes hair. The potent complex of caffeine, tetrapeptide and ginseng root works to minimize hair fall, breakage and damage, as well as promote healthy hair growth. Plus, it detangles and smooths frizz. The formula coats hair follicles and is quickly absorbed by the hair and scalp without any greasiness, delivering shine, softness and bounce.

The serum is inspired by a clinical study Song read. “The mix of tetrapeptide, ginseng and caffeine was used as an alternative for minoxidil and they found that it worked just as well as 3% minoxidil without any of the side effects,” she says. “It had outstanding results and no side effects, so we took this knowledge and we created our own, layering a lot of complexity into it. It leads to stronger, thicker looking hair and it should definitely boost the hair cycle of regrowth.”

Snow Fox Skincare Gua Sha Hair & Scalp Revival Brush with packaging

Even better, each purchase of the brush helps preserve this artisanal, centuries-old tradition. The youngest of Song’s brushmaker partners is 65 and the oldest is 85, and currently they don’t have any apprentices because making the brushes doesn’t seem like a viable career path for the next generation. As a result, they fear the techniques and traditions will die with them.

“These grandpas are like treasures to me,” Song says. “What we're really hoping to achieve here at Snow Fox is that we would get enough volume for these brushes to get these young people to come and work and make the brushes. Right now, we're still making them in small batches and that's not enough to sustain an entire generation of new brushmakers. But, honestly, I don't know how long we can sustain it. We've sold out in Japan three times because this kind of art form resonates there. They have a lot of dying art of their own and they love this type of precision. And from what I see, it really, really works.”