The brains behind Tangle Teezer and Beauty Works launch a brush that tackles hair hygiene head-on

By Lollie Hancock | Published: 23-Jun-2026

New brand Killabrush claims to tackle one of beauty’s “most overlooked hygiene habits” via an active antimicrobial hairbrush that offers a cleaner approach to daily hair styling. Founders Penelope Cheshire and Matt Lumb give CB the lowdown

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Penelope Cheshire, who built Beauty Works into a brand worth £55m, and Matt Lumb, who helped scale Tangle Teezer into a global name, have joined forces to create Killabrush – a brand that sets out to tackle one of beauty’s “most overlooked hygiene habits” via its new antimicrobial hairbrush.

Expensive serums, scalp scrubs and styling products have long had investment, but the humble hairbrush feels left behind as advances build across the rest of the hair care category.

While consumers are willing to invest in hair care products to keep their locks clean and fresh, the hairbrush they use is often overlooked with brush hygiene long ignored, but these two founders are on a mission to change that.

“The idea was born organically during a conversation between Penelope and myself, and a close friend from the medical hygiene industry,” Lumb told Cosmetics Business. 

“Having developed several patents for health care applications, he made us think differently about our hair care routines. 

“Killabrush is the result of three entrepreneurs that have built and sold businesses within the hair industry.

“We know that the most successful products solve problems consumers did not even realise they had.”


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The brand brings a new arm to the hairbrush category with its two launches, Original Paddle Brush and Vented Styling Brush, as Lumb explained: “I think hairbrushes are often thought of as a detangling and styling tool, [and] we wanted to elevate that. 

“Killabrush is creating an entire new category in hair care with a hairbrush that actively inhibits the growth of up to 99.9% of bacteria. 

“Once we partnered with the British Medical Group, we discovered that by utili

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