Hairbrushes made specially for babies and children were in mass production by the early 1880s, and often had softer bristles than those for adults. The backs and handles were available in a number of decorative materials such as mother of pearl, as well as plain wood. The most popular were natural ivory or bone, perhaps because of the association of colours such as white and cream with infancy. Ivory also lent itself to the application of the child's name or initials, or the word 'Baby' in silver or in coloured paint, a decorative treatment which continued even when celluloid was introduced as a cheaper substitute.

Baby's hairbrushes, especially those with silver backs, were popular birth or christening presents, often as part of a set with a comb, and brush and mirror sets were available for older children. Some firms, such as Kent's (which had the royal warrant) carried out a repair service to re-tuft the bristles or repair the backs of their products.