A double comb is a hair accessory that is used both to keep hair contained and to add beauty to a hairstyle. Although they can be worn when the hair is down, their primary use is to provide some glamor to updos and ponytails. It is best for hair with at least a little wave, because straight hair tends to slide out of combs so easily.
The main feature of a double comb, as the name implies, is the two combs that slide into the hair. The combs usually are made of heavy-duty plastic, but they can be made of other materials such as bone or metal. The teeth of the combs face each other when the comb is in the hair. The hair hides the majority of the comb, but to help the outer edge of the combs blend into the hair, ladies usually pick a comb color close to their own hair color. Combs with wide, big teeth are best because it is harder for hair to get tangled.
The second part of a double comb is the connecting materials. These can be straight across from comb to comb, but more often, they are designed in a criss-crossing pattern. This adds interest as well as strength. The material normally is stretchy elastic of some type. This lets the material move with the hair while simultaneously supporting and containing it, but over time, the elastic can wear out and render the comb unusable.
Some double combs have very thin elastic connectors covered by beads. The beads can be virtually any shape, size or color. When a woman wears a double comb with beads, the beads appear as if they are intricately woven into the hair. This creates the illusion that the lady spent much more time on her look than she really did, quickly adding elegance with little fuss. The downside of beaded double combs is that hair easily can get caught around the individual beads, making the comb a little troublesome to remove.
Women come in all shapes and proportions, so manufacturers make double hair combs in many different sizes. This allows a woman to find a comb that does not overwhelm her or get "lost" in the hair. This variety in size, combined with the many different materials that can make up the comb and connectors, results in a wide range in double comb price.