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Detangling: Updated, Collective Wisdom As Of 2016

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YvetteWithJoy

YvetteWithJoy

On break
Detangling is one of the most important hair care skills we need. There are different methods of detangling, different detangling tools, different detangling products, etc.

Some people detangle their hair only when dry while others detangle only their wet hair. Some folks detangle at the cleanse/shampoo step, some detangle before or after. Some folks prefer finger detangling exclusively while others make great use of combs, brushes, or specialized tools.

Now that more time has passed and you've grown more knowledgeable, wiser, and product-laden ;), what can you add to our collective wisdom about detangling?

Also, what QUESTIONS do you still have about detangling?

Links to videos, articles, products, tools, and the like are encouraged!

single-strand-knots-detangling-shrinkage-dry-hair-protective-styles-natural-hair.jpg​
 

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Good thread!!
My question: when is enough, enough?
My sister was talking about a product/system she tried today that cut her detangle time to 10 minutes, down from 15. My usual detangle time is about 30-45 minutes. My hair is much curlier and more dense than hers but is there an upper limit to how long you will devote to detangling?
 
Reducing shed or broken hairs equals less detangling time.

Finger detangling under running water with castor oil at least four time per week means less use of a comb or brush

The search for products or ingredients with slippery factor on hair will never end.
 
KinksAndInk said:
I only finger detangle on wet hair, in the shower as the very last step with a handful of Suave naturals. It takes 5-7 minutes at most.
Click to expand...

For the sake of those reading who are wondering if this would work for them, what is your hair like?
  • Fine (thin) strands . . . or course (thick) strands?
  • High density of hair per square inch of scalp . . . or low density of hair?
  • Curl pattern?
TIA! :smile:
 
Fine, medium density 3c/4a as well. I prefer finger detangling throughout all steps of the wash process: when wetting the hair (under the running water), shampooing, conditioning, rinsing (under water again) and styling.

A note on finger detangling, there are different ways to do it that make the process work. Raking, Pulling hair taught w/ one head and raking with the other, spreading (which really helps with the roots). So if you have been unsuccessful with finger detangling, I highly recommend experimenting with different techniques. I've gotten way better with finger detangling in the last year and am always shocked at how easy it is.

Naptural85 has a good introduction.
 
10/26/2106: AN IMPROVED DETANGLING METHOD for me is on PAGE 3 of this thread at this post. The method entails use of a Soultanical awesome detangling product and oil.

ORIGINAL POST
NOTE: This is long because my hair tangles something serious. I'm sharing with as many details as I can, in case this might give a fellow coily some ideas! :smile:

My hair details:
4a coils, fine strands, high density of hair per square inch of scalp.

What tangling is like for me:
My hair is so fine and coily that a detangled section will almost INSTANTLY began to re-tangle right after I detangle it. My 4a curls shrink ferociously. :smile: When they shrink, they furl under, grabbing neighbor strands . . . ever furling under and shrinking.

What knots are like for me:
My strands are much thinner than thread. Thus, the knots my super thin strands can create are very, very, very small.

HOW I DETANGLE WHEN I AM NOT DOING A FULLY THOROUGH DETANGLING SESSION (so that my hair doesn't tangle up TOO much between full detangling sessions):
I elongate and unfurl in the shower using my clay wash/treatment. Working quadrant by quadrant, I separate strands using the harp detangling method. I try to do as much as I can but don't worry about being perfect. I add my SM Hipo Masque and let it do its work. Taking big sections of hair at a time, I gently run my Wet Brush through the big sections. Once done going all over the head, I run my head under the water to remove the conditioner. While the water is running through it, I try to finger comb through my hair all over my head. When my fingers get caught, I separate and untangle using the harp method typically, being careful not to inadvertently CREATE/TIGHTEN knots.

All of this goes better when my hair has the proper protein-moisture balance and is STRONG. Until I figured out how to detangle, I was going into the salon, and stylists were RIPPING through my hair and I was losing TONS of hair.

How I do FULLY THOROUGH detangling (at the moment):

1: I do "first-pass" detangling in the shower using only my fingers and whatever detangling hair product I'm using at the moment.

Details: Since I have very coily hair, a major first step in detangling for me is to ELONGATE my coils, unfurling them. I don't ever detangle using shampoo: I don't want to strip my hair of natural oils ever, but ESPECIALLY not while my hair has tangles. I feel blessed to have discovered that I can detangle with a conditioning, detangling clay that is very moisturizing yet cleansing and detoxifying at the same time. (Currently I use Naturalicious's 5-in-1 Rhassoul clay treatment/cleanser/detangler, but I have bought ingredients to learn to make this myself at home.) I rinse the clay and saturate my hair with a conditioner that instantly softens and elongates my hair and has lots of slip for my hair: Shea Moisture's High Porosity Moisture-seal Masque.​

2: Next, out of the shower I section my hair using small butterfly clips.

Details: I end up creating three rows in my hair. The bottom row is the back of my hair and I section it into two sections. The middle row goes from the top of my ear up to an 1.5 inches or so above my eyebrow. I divide the middle row in two parts, then further divide each half into two parts for a total of 4 sections in the middle row. What's left is the top row which consists of the hair in my crown. I create a section in the back of my crown so that there is no split down the middle of the back of my hair at the top. Then I split the remaining two sections -- that are on the left and right side of my crown -- into two sections each. If I want a side part at the FRONT of my hair, this is when I create it.​

3: Now that all hair is sectioned into butterfly clips, I detangle section by section.

Details: I keep a spray bottle of water nearby in case I need to rewet a drying-out section of hair. I remove a butterfly clip to work on that section. I add detangler to the ends first and wrap my thumb and forefinger around the ends with ONE hand so that I can gently pull through the ends with the fingers of my OTHER hand. I use my fingers at this stage so that I can feel for any tiny knots that might be there but would not get caught in a comb or brush. With my fingers only, I attempt to comb through the ends. When my fingers get caught, I do everything I can to separate the strands in a way that does not create a knot. Once I can finger comb through my ends without my fingers getting caught, I grab my authentic Wet Brush (purchased from Target).

I gently grab the section of hair near the ends and hold it out slightly less than taut from my head. I place the Wet Brush onto the hair near the ends. I gently rock the Wet Brush back and forth at the ends of my hair, slightly attempting to pull the brush through my ends as I rock the Wet Brush back and forth. I repeat this at a higher up place in the section of hair. I do so until I can slide the brush from the root of the hair section to the ends of the hair section.

VERY IMPORTANT: If I don't FIRST use my fingers at the end to feel for knots and remove them before brushing . . . if I instead use the Wet Brush before finger de-kotting and detangling, then essentially I would end up using the Wet Brush to tie my knots tighter!!!

When I am using the Wet Brush, the hair is SUPER saturated with conditioner and detangler. It's just sliding through. The teeth of the brush aren't close enough together to "find" the very tiny knots in my hair that my fingers can and do.

After doing all of that careful detangling work, often I'll quickly chunky-twist up the section: I can't afford to let the section retangle, and that's exactly what my hair commences to trying to do INSTANTLY after I cease detangling it.

With this slow, careful process, I lose VERY little hair, my hair is fully detangled so that tangles aren't tangling upon tangles over the days and weeks, and when I add styler such as gel I am not gel-ling tangles and knots together.​

I am ever trying to improve the process, avoid damage, be gentle, and decrease the time it takes. :smile:
 
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ETA on June 10, 2017: The KareCo Tangle Buster Brush has bumped my Wet Brush in EVERY WAY. (My Wet Brush bristles had stopped holding up.)

ETA on April 21, 2017: CAUTION -- An LHCF just mentioned that her stylist says the Wet Brush damages hair.

--------------------------

vanray said:
Wet brush!!
Click to expand...

Concurring 1,000%.

Has literally CHANGED MY WHOLE HAIR LIFE! :smile:

I got it for about $9 at Target.

Nine. Dollars. To change . . . my hair life. :laugh:
 
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My hair is 4a very coily and thick. I finger detangle in shower with conditioner after washing . I was using wide tooth comb occasionally when I remembered to bring it in the shower. Well I lost the comb about 2 months ago and keep forgetting to purchase another so......I only finger detangle now. It takes me about 5-10 minutes.
 
YASSSS!!!! I soooooooo need this thread. I am losing soooooo much hair due to poor detangling skills. Everytime I think I have it down pack, I end of causing knots and then have to cut several inches off.

I will be subbing to this thread!!!!

Great topic OP!!!!!!

Moving forward, I think I will detangle like this:

1. Prepoo with Olive oil and finger detangle in small sections
2. Place hair in four sections and wash hair in those sections. Lightly finger detangle from the ends up
3. Apply DC and use a wide tooth comb for finish detangling.

**Finger detangling alone doesn't work for my hair. I always have matting if I don't use a comb.
 
MeaWea said:
Good thread!!
My question: when is enough, enough?
My sister was talking about a product/system she tried today that cut her detangle time to 10 minutes, down from 15. My usual detangle time is about 30-45 minutes. My hair is much curlier and more dense than hers but is there an upper limit to how long you will devote to detangling?
Click to expand...

I have this problem too!! I never know if I got all the hairs, so I end up detangling for 45mins to an hr.
 
MeaWea said:
Good thread!!
My question: when is enough, enough?
My sister was talking about a product/system she tried today that cut her detangle time to 10 minutes, down from 15. My usual detangle time is about 30-45 minutes. My hair is much curlier and more dense than hers but is there an upper limit to how long you will devote to detangling?
Click to expand...

Good question!

When I'm doing a FULLY THOROUGH detangling session (see my post above), I know that I am done detangling a section of hair when I can comb through it with my fingers. That's the test for me.

And, it is VERY important for me to fully, thoroughly detangle periodically: If I don't, tangles STEALTHILY build up on tangles and the knots get BAD and NUMEROUS . . . only really stealthily . . . and over time, so it's ALL BAD.

It can take me an hour to fully, thoroughly detangle, but I loose hardly ANY hair and I am staving off stealth knotting that will require serious cutting later. That gives me DEEEEEEP peace of mind. I was really sad before when I was doing all that cutting out of knots.

I know that I will get faster at it, too, as my skills increase! :yep:
 
Dee Raven said:
Fine, medium density 3c/4a as well. I prefer finger detangling throughout all steps of the wash process: when wetting the hair (under the running water), shampooing, conditioning, rinsing (under water again) and styling.

A note on finger detangling, there are different ways to do it that make the process work. Raking, Pulling hair taught w/ one head and raking with the other, spreading (which really helps with the roots). So if you have been unsuccessful with finger detangling, I highly recommend experimenting with different techniques. I've gotten way better with finger detangling in the last year and am always shocked at how easy it is.

Naptural85 has a good introduction.
Click to expand...


@Dee Raven, many thanks! This video was GREAT!
 
For me, my biggest detangling hit (tool wise) has been the Conair Double Wavy Comb (the Oui.dad knockoff that's way way cheaper and more manageable to use).

While I wish it was seamless and you have to exercise some care when using (as with any comb), I absolutely love it :love:
 
ETA: Update on June 10, 2017:
I can now detangle at ANY step of my regimen because I have found the following, INCREDIBLY slippery products:
  • J.R. Liggetts Moisturizing Shampoo Bar (HOLY GRAIL!!! Slip = 9.5, Detangle-ability = 10+)
  • Soultanicals Slip-N-Slide Hair Glide (HOLY GRAIL!!! Slip = 9.5)
  • Curl Junkie Smoothing Lotion (Slip = 10!)
  • Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Original Post

Relevant Product Review

Summary: Holiest of Holy Grail products for detangling my hair

Product name: From Etsy.com, NaturelleGrow's Protein Free Marshmallow Root, Slippery Elm Bark & Cinnamon Deep Cond for hair growth at https://www.etsy.com/listing/173473924/protein-free-marshmallow-root-slippery?ref=shop_home_active_1.

Details:
It comes in a version with protein and a version without. I just used it for the first time this morning, and right now I literally have no words. I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone or an alternate universe or something--this deep conditioner's SLIP is OTHERWORLDLY and UNREAL.

This deep conditioner unknots tangles and knots that before I would have had to snip out after much -- ultimately fruitless -- effort to resolve the knot. This morning I had about 4 knots that I was SURE were "goners" (i.e. were so tiny and tight that they were going to have to be snipped). Somehow . . . SOMEHOW . . . using this product and my finger detangling methods, those knots were resolved! I honestly don't see how. Ah-mazing!

Precisely how I used it:
  • Washed scalp with DevaCurl Decadence No Poo.
  • Washed/conditioned strands with Naturlicious's 5-in-1 Moroccan Rhassoul Clay treatment.
  • Allowed hair to dry 90% so that I could deep condition on dry or just-about dry hair (didn't want any water to sit in my hipo hair, blocking entry to the deep conditioner's penetrating ingredients).
  • Sectioned hair into large, chunky sections.
  • Section by section: Added deep conditioner to ends and proceeded with my full detangling methods as outlined in an above post in this thread.
 
Last edited:
In the end I simply use a comb.
  • I think I have a mix of fine (thin) and course strands
  • High density of hair in sections
  • Fractals/zigzags or 4s('s'omething)
I can't do anything w/my hair while it is dry, so I MUST prepoo (Tresemme Naturals) and work in sections! There is no getting around this. I finger detangle as I apply/rinse out the prepoo and as I apply/rinse out clay. When I apply KKKT, I use a comb. Most times my hair is more tangled at the roots and my fingers just cannot get down there.

I may have to tend to a few SSK issues, but they have never been a problem for me at all.
 
Coarse, dense, 3c/4a (mostly 4a)

I DC x 1 hr w/Silk dreams VS or Aubrey Organics HR. Then detangle in the shower (4 sections, from ends to root) w/the magic star jumbo rake. I can detangle my whole head in 20 min or less, not including DC time. A great improvement for me. At one time detangling my hair would literally have me in tears.
 
FoxxyLocs said:
Coarse, dense, 3c/4a (mostly 4a)

I DC x 1 hr w/Silk dreams VS or Aubrey Organics HR. Then detangle in the shower (4 sections, from ends to root) w/the magic star jumbo rake. I can detangle my whole head in 20 min or less, not including DC time. A great improvement for me. At one time detangling my hair would literally have me in tears.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing. :smile: What did you change so that you no longer have tears over detangling and can detangle in 20 minutes or less?

That is WONDERFUL!

TIA!
 
YvetteWithJoy said:
Thanks for sharing. :smile: What did you change so that you no longer have tears over detangling and can detangle in 20 minutes or less?

That is WONDERFUL!

TIA!
Click to expand...

In the beginning I didn't DC first. I would just put whatever detangling product or mixture on my hair and immediately start combing. Next was the comb. Getting a seamless comb made a big difference, and the jumbo rake is really big so that helped. Once I changed those two things, I was able to start detangling in the shower.
 
4a high density with thick strand here.

I was detangling with deep conditioner but I noticed less hair loss when I apply a rinse out on top of my DC and then detangle. I use my fingers. I was using my seamless comb but I noticed more breakage with that and I'm just not that careful. I'm nicer to my hair when I use my fingers. This is the only time I detangle.
 
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