Are your curls a tangled mess? Before we discovered these products and tools detangling was a dreaded chore, but we have found that these work like magic to transform our toughest, most tearful detangling sessions. You don’t need to go out and buy all 13 of these, in fact you won’t need to, since a couple of these are free and already at your disposal, but a few of these just might become your secret detangling weapon.
Your Digits
That’s right, your fingers. This is the cheapest and best way to detangle your curls. I finger detangle as often as possible. Many curlies name this cost effective tool as their favorite way to detangle.
The Technique: Pretending that my hands are wide tooth combs, I rake my detangling product or conditioner through my hair starting at the ends and work my way up the hair shaft.
Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner
This conditioner is one of my favorites, and yours too as it won the 2012 Best of the Best “Best Daily Conditioner!” Its slip is like no other and meets the curly requirement of being silicone-free! Not to mention the glorious scent it leaves in your hair. If your hair likes this conditioner, don’t rinse it all the way out in the shower and it can make a great leave-in conditioner too.
The Wide-Toothed Comb
This is the tool EVERY curly girl should have. Using fine-toothed combs on our hair when wet or dry can be extremely damaging and increase the amount of breakage we experience. You’ll find this tool on every curly must-have list, article, and YouTube vlog, so if you haven’t made the (small”> investment – it’s high time you do!
Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee
Curly girls have been raving about this detangler for years. It contains no mineral oil, lanolin, silicones, parabens or artificial fragrances. After you detangle, leave it in your hair. It has great moisturizing qualities that will benefit your curls all day long.
Denman Brush
The Denman is the brush has been known to magically detangle countless curls and coils. It also won our 2013 Editors’ Choice award for Best Type 4 Styling Tool.
Most popular with Type 4 curly girls, a modified version may suit you better. The popular modified version involves removing every other row of bristles from the brush, making it a wide-toothed brush.
This video shows step-by-step instructions on how to modify your brush.
As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner
After hearing about this conditioner from curlies everywhere, I finally had a chance to use it for myself and it definitely lives up to its reputation. This product won your 2012 Best of the Best vote this year. This co-wash ticks all of the curly boxes:
- Great slip
- Paraben-free
- Silicone-free
- Sulfate-free
It also smells amazing!
V05 Moisture Milks Conditioner
If you don’t know you better ask somebody! This conditioner has slippy slip qualities. Another great smelling, silicone-free conditioner that is super moisturizing. My favorite scent is Passion Fruit. Sometimes you can find these for 50 cents each on sale at your local drugstore! YES! #FIDDYCENT
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner
This moisture-intensive conditioner is a favorite amongst transitioners. This product is recommended for chemically treated hair including bleached and highlighted curls, and claims that its herbal emollients detangle and rehydrate your thirsty strands. We love that it contains no parabens, silicones or sulfates!
Tangle Teezer
Some curlies swear by this detangling tool, saying they simply couldn’t detangle their curls and coils without it. Others say it’s not for them, but like any product or tool, you need to determine what works best for your curls, so do your research and use the tool on your ends first to see how your hair reacts to it. Always work your way from your ends up to your roots when detangling.
Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner
This whole line is a favorite amongst curly girls. Most however, are not aware that it is available right in the Natural Beauty aisle at your neighborhood Target! You can also find this organic conditioner in larger bottles with a pump in the beauty section of TJ Maxx or Marshalls for less.
Rat Tail Comb
Yes, I know what I said. The comb part of the rat tail comb can KILL your hair, but flip that baby around and you’ve got a got tool to help section your hair.
Detangling in sections for curly/coily girls is crucial. Using the pointed end of a rat tail comb can be a lifesaver when it comes to your detangling process.
Clips
Similar to the rat tail comb, after parting your hair for your washing and or detangling session some snag free clips are important to use. Some sturdy plastic clips or clamps work great.
Patience
That’s right! Probably the most important tool to keep in your detangling arsenal. As one of my favorite gurus used to say, “treat your hair like a fine lace”- Nina Pruitt. That is if you want to keep your hair, and I’m sure you do.
What do you use to detangle your hair?
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This article was originally published in May 2013 and has been updated for grammar and clarity.
