Knots are an inevitable part of having curly hair and there is absolutely no avoiding them no matter how fine tuned your routine is, so finding the right detangling brush can make or break your wash days. Luckily we’ve seen innovation in detangling tools that are leaps and bounds from the styling tools of yesteryear that would leave us in tears. We talked to ten natural hair stylists from all over the country to get their opinion on the best detangling brushes for curly hair
Image: @theloftmedford
Sharita Payton
Sharita is the owner of The Loft Hair Studio which specializes as the only curl exclusive salon in Medford, Massachusetts. As a curl specialist Sharita remains committed to helping individuals of all backgrounds and curl types to embrace and love their natural hair. She has taken classes with prominent curly brands like DevaCurl, Rezo, and Forever Curls in her pursuit to provide a safe space for customers of all curl patterns and textures.
Sharita’s pick: Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush
“Our Salon “ALL TIME” favorite detangling tool…drum roll please…“Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush” Brush With The Best”! For the last four years it’s been undefeated at The Loft Hair Studio. While we do lots of “finger detangling” at the shampoo bowl for low to medium density, we need a little extra help for clients with higher density. In addition to detangling it gives some great curl definition with very little hair shed in the brush. We highly recommend it to our clients.”
Image: @dosbydeb_
Debra Gomes
Debra Gomes is a Rhode Island based hair stylist whose passion lies in helping people embrace and love their own natural curls. She has dedicated her career to becoming a resource for fellow curlies and is committed to providing them with an excellent experience. Whether it is keeping up to date with new trends or styling techniques, she is committed to improving the educational gap in the curly world and helping people learn how to love and care for their hair properly.
Debra’s pick: The Wet Brush
“When it comes to detangling curly hair, I always recommend finger detangling first, followed by the Wet Brush. I love this brush because not only does it help reduce detangling time, but it also has soft tips and flexible bristles that eliminate stress on the hair strand. It will prevent damage such as ripping or pulling of the hair strand that can eventually lead to split ends, breakage, and even hair loss often caused by detangling wet hair. The Wet Brush also has a beautiful slip, making the hair easier and faster to detangle. I even love this tool for styling curls!”
Image: @loveleyshair
Haley Smith
Haley Smith found a passion for hair care on the journey learning to loving her own natural curls. Originally from NJ, now in Richmond, VA, she has specialized in bridal, advanced color, wig customization, and mastered methods of cutting natural hair, ultimately creating LoveLey’s Hair; her salon specializing in curly/natural hair solutions. Haley is Licensed by Virginia as a master instructor in cosmetology. She has been published in magazines, including Essence, MunaLuchi Bride, TheVoyageLa, VPM, and has also trained under celebrity stylists like Tabatha Coffey, Yene Damtew and Metowi.
Haley’s pick: The CurlTamer Brush
“I am a huge fan of the CurlTamer Brush for styling all textures in the salon. This detangling brush is amazing at getting through all curl patterns, from loose to extremely tight curls. I prefer this brush because the bristles are very pliable, small and flexible. These special bristles make it super easy to glide through and around tangles and stubborn knots in the hair without ripping and causing unnecessary damage. This CurlTamer Brush is hands down my most trusted tool in the salon for successfully shampooing, conditioning, detangling, and defining curls.”
Image: @yourhairstylistserina
Serina Lopez
Serina Lopez is the owner of the Curl Lounge in Sacramento, California and is passionate about styling curls and advocating for natural hair as a “Curl Activist”. As a Latina stylist she is proud of her heritage and seeks to educate women and children on the importance of self love with their curls. She is Rezo certified and prides herself on bringing curls to life after they may have experienced damage.
Serina’s pick: Rizos Curls Pink Detangling Flexi Brush
“My detangling brush of choice would have to be the Rizos Curls pink detangling flexi brush. It’s kinda like a wide tooth comb/wet brush hybrid. It doesn’t rip out hair or cause any breakage. It’s also the perfect comb for kids because it is gentle and can help detangle out all those fairy knots.”
Image: @mycurlconnection
Genese Cervantes
Genese Cervantes is the owner of My Curl Connection which is a curly hair salon located in Central Texas. She has a deep love for curly hair and believes her purpose is to help people embrace the curls God gave them! Her goal is to partner with those who are ready to master their curls through a simple and practical routine. Genese believes that “curly hair doesn’t have to be hard, and I want to show you that.”
Genese’s pick: Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush
“I personally recommend the Felicia Leatherwood Detangling Brush to my curly guests! It’s so gentle on the hair when it is used properly. Even though it’s called a detangling brush, I use it to style my curly guests too! It helps to evenly distribute the product which is an important part of our curly set process. I absolutely love it and you will too!”
Image: @vancityhairgirl
Dawn Archer
Dawn has spent over a decade as a hairstylist and 20 years in fashion. Her intuitive approach to hair with curls and texture is unique as it’s based not on her education but on her personal experiences. Her approach is shaped by getting her haircut at both commercial and natural hair salons and being disappointed, but not knowing what to ask for. She currently works at Axis Hair Salon in Vancouver where she is working with clients to create trendy summer styles.
Dawn’s pick: Wet Brush Pro Detangler
“I recommend the Wet Brush Pro Detangler because it is great on textured and curly hair. It manages to untangle curls without breaking the hair which is ideal for any curl texture. I also love that it can be used on wet or dry curls which can be a lifesaver between wash days. Clients like the way it stimulates the scalp especially since curlies don’t brush their hair very often so getting that extra scalp care is perfect!”
Image: @ashleycurlskc
Ashley Kukay
Ashley Kukay is a curly hair specialist located in Kansas City. She has been in the hair industry for five years and has been focused specifically on curly hair the past three years. She enjoys working with all curl types and encouraging women and men to embrace their natural hair. Ashley remains passionate about helping her clients achieve healthy and beautiful hair.
Ashley’s pick: Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush
“Brush with the Best by Felicia Leatherwood is by far the best detangling brush I have ever used. I use it on every one of my textured clients and get amazing results. I choose this brush over the rest because it has amazing detangling benefits, and it also gives me great definition for styling natural hair.”
Image: @thenadianicole
Nadia Nicole
LA’s very own Curly Hair Specialist Nadia Nicole has always been excited about cultivating a community that empowers women to embrace their naturally curly hair. With certifications for various types of curly hair including, Rezo Cut and Lights, as well as the popular Deva cut and style, she has truly mastered the art of taking care of all textures. She was inspired to create her own brand, “Curly Babes” and it has allowed her to teach women how to truly love their natural beauty. She continues to make a name for herself transforming lives one curl at a time.
Nadia’s picks: The Tangle Teezer and Denman Brush
“I highly recommend the Tangle Teaser and Denman Brush for all my curly babes. Tangle Teaser has flexible bristles which allows detangling of wet hair without causing any breakage. Once you begin styling I’d switch over to the denman brush which has stiffer bristles. This brush allows you to define and style your curls for that maximum bounce with some added definition.”
Image: @ashleynisheehair
Ashley Nisheé
Ashley Nisheé is based in Tampa, FL and is a texture specialist focusing on all natural curl types. She believes in embracing your natural hair and walking around with your head crowned in your curls. She takes her time to give each curl the love that it needs in order to hydrate and flourish!
Ashley’s pick: The EZ Dentangler Brush
“I highly recommend buying the EZ Dentangler Brush! I absolutely LOVE to use it not only on my clients, but also myself. It does not break or yank your hair while you’re detangling. Other detangling brushes I’ve used in the past, have ripped and pulled the tangles, instead of working them through. This brush gently glides over the knots until they are completely gone and is so gentle for my clients with sensitive scalps!”
Image: @aadri.hair
Adriana Acosta
Growing up, Adriana was exposed to all textures of hair and instantly fell in love. She understood that women struggled with their hair and how to manage it. She made sure to invest in her education so she could perfect her craft, and now she teaches and helps women understand how to style their hair. Most importantly, her clients get to a point where they LOVE their hair.
Adriana’s pick: Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush
“One of my favorite hair tools is the Felicia Leatherwood brush. Its versatility helps with detangling and styling all at the same time. It’s so easy to clean and definitely one of the tools I always recommend my clients to invest in.”
