Sharpened
A fleck on His Sword
What products are you using? Are you keeping the hair stretched by braiding or twisting up the section after you have detangled it? Have you tried finger-detangling before using your brush or comb?
Detangling: Updated, Collective Wisdom As Of 2016
- Thread starter YvetteWithJoy
- Start date
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- Tags
- detangle detangler detangling
Royalq
Well-Known Member
I alternate between using oil and water, oil and conditioner, and just conditioner. None seem to speed up the process. For oil i use olive oil because my hair doesnt like coconut oil, and for conditioner i use either Vo5 moisture milks or Sauve coconut. I keep my hair in stretched styles such as twists and twist outs. I detangle in sections and twist it up and oit the way when im doing it. I have tried finger detngling, detangling damp and wet, denman brush, wide tooth combs, paddle brushes. I havent tried a two step detangling process.
Sharpened
A fleck on His Sword
@Royalq have you tried castor oil yet? It imparts a coating on the hair even after rinsing and penetrates a little. That coating will stick under running water. You can lighten it with another oil, but not too much.
How does your hair behave under running water?
Have you tried conditioners with silicones? See if you can find one with one of these ingredients:
• Amodimethicone
• Behentrimonium Chloride
• Behentrimonium Methosulfate
• Cetrimonium Chloride
• Cetrimonium Methosulfate
• Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
• Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
From The Secret to Super Slippery Conditioners and the one bolded is the best and easiest to find. I wonder if using gel on wet, detangled hair will help.
If you need to divide your hair into 6-16 sections, then do so. Keep them in sections; do not combine and recomb. Have you tried doing your wash routine in twists before or after detangling? How about oil rinsing or a hot oil treatment prior to washing?
How does your hair behave under running water?
Have you tried conditioners with silicones? See if you can find one with one of these ingredients:
• Amodimethicone
• Behentrimonium Chloride
• Behentrimonium Methosulfate
• Cetrimonium Chloride
• Cetrimonium Methosulfate
• Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
• Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
From The Secret to Super Slippery Conditioners and the one bolded is the best and easiest to find. I wonder if using gel on wet, detangled hair will help.
If you need to divide your hair into 6-16 sections, then do so. Keep them in sections; do not combine and recomb. Have you tried doing your wash routine in twists before or after detangling? How about oil rinsing or a hot oil treatment prior to washing?
YvetteWithJoy
On break
@Sharpened, great, great post.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is key.
Mielle Organics DC, available from Sally's (and Target, I believe) detangled my hair like a BEAST. Behentrimonium Methosulfate is the SECOND ingredient in it, second only to water!
I hate recommending products to folks, especially when they are frustrated and there is no guarantee that a product that works on one head will work on another, but when I saw your post, @Royalq, my first impulse was to tell you to:
1. use the Mielle Organics DC as your detangler and DC and
2. stretch your hair via African threading (using black weave thread, 2 threads per section so that you can just easily tie them together at the end in order to secure the section)
If you thread your hair, then you can take the threaded sections and pin them up in a style. You can also wear a wig over them. When you take out the threads, your hair will be virtually tangle-free and SUPER stretched. It's SHOCKINGLY easy to handle your hair in that state.
https://mielleorganics.com/products...otein-moisture-replenisher?variant=1156277784
INGREDIENTS
water/aqua/eau, behentrimonium methosulfate, cetearyl alcohol, acetyl esters, Orbygnia speciosa *(babassu) nut oil, biosaccharide gum-1, Euterpe(acai)pulp oil, sodium PCA, sodium lactate, arginine, aspartic acid, PCA, glycine, alanine, serene, valine, proline, threonine, isoleucine, histidine, phenylalanine, Orbignya speciosa kernel oil, Astrocaryum murumuru butter, Pentaclethra macroloba (pracaxi) seed oil, *Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, *Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, dehydroacetic acid, Lavandula agustifolia (lavender) flower oil, Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) flower/leaf oil Salvia officials (sage) leaf oil, *Mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf oil, *citrus paradise(Pink Grapefruit) peel oil, *Litsea cubeba (litsea cubeba) fruit oil, *Mentha (spearmint) leaf oil, Benzyl alcohol
*CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
YvetteWithJoy
On break
Here are some ideas of what you can do with African threading:
Gorgeous African thread-out:
African threading up-do (I would part it differently, but this shows the gist):
African threading grown-up looking style (twists/threads left in for full hair with awesome hang!):
Gorgeous African thread-out:
African threading up-do (I would part it differently, but this shows the gist):
African threading grown-up looking style (twists/threads left in for full hair with awesome hang!):
Royalq
Well-Known Member
Ive never tried castor oil before washing. I usually use it as a sealant. I will try cutting it with another oil and using it before washing. Under running water my hair lossens up but those tangles are still there. Matter a fact yesterday I co-washed under running water with my fingers and it took my 1.45 hours. I thought I did well but when I got out my hair still had tangles in it
. I will try to find a conditioner with one of those ingredients. I know in the natural hair realm cones are a no no but avoiding itisnt helping me. Last cone product I used was Joico Moisture Balm and it worked well but was quite expensive. @Sharpened, great, great post.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is key.
Mielle Organics DC, available from Sally's (and Target, I believe) detangled my hair like a BEAST. Behentrimonium Methosulfate is the SECOND ingredient in it, second only to water!
I hate recommending products to folks, especially when they are frustrated and there is no guarantee that a product that works on one head will work on another, but when I saw your post, @Royalq, my first impulse was to tell you to:
1. use the Mielle Organics DC as your detangler and DC and
2. stretch your hair via African threading (using black weave thread, 2 threads per section so that you can just easily tie them together at the end in order to secure the section)
If you thread your hair, then you can take the threaded sections and pin them up in a style. You can also wear a wig over them. When you take out the threads, your hair will be virtually tangle-free and SUPER stretched. It's SHOCKINGLY easy to handle your hair in that state.
https://mielleorganics.com/products...otein-moisture-replenisher?variant=1156277784
INGREDIENTS
water/aqua/eau, behentrimonium methosulfate, cetearyl alcohol, acetyl esters, Orbygnia speciosa *(babassu) nut oil, biosaccharide gum-1, Euterpe(acai)pulp oil, sodium PCA, sodium lactate, arginine, aspartic acid, PCA, glycine, alanine, serene, valine, proline, threonine, isoleucine, histidine, phenylalanine, Orbignya speciosa kernel oil, Astrocaryum murumuru butter, Pentaclethra macroloba (pracaxi) seed oil, *Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, *Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, dehydroacetic acid, Lavandula agustifolia (lavender) flower oil, Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) flower/leaf oil Salvia officials (sage) leaf oil, *Mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf oil, *citrus paradise(Pink Grapefruit) peel oil, *Litsea cubeba (litsea cubeba) fruit oil, *Mentha (spearmint) leaf oil, Benzyl alcohol
*CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Oh cool. Thanks so much!! I saw that mielle brand at target and ignored it because I dont here much talk about it. I'll definitely pick it up for my next wash day. Ive never tried african threading because it seems extremely time consuming.
From yesterday I found that detangling in the shower does speed up the process as opposed to outside the shower on damp hair. So I will try the Mielle DC in the shower. Might give my wooden paddle brush a try again.
YvetteWithJoy
On break
Ive never tried castor oil before washing. I usually use it as a sealant. I will try cutting it with another oil and using it before washing. Under running water my hair lossens up but those tangles are still there. Matter a fact yesterday I co-washed under running water with my fingers and it took my 1.45 hours. I thought I did well but when I got out my hair still had tangles in it
Oh cool. Thanks so much!! I saw that mielle brand at target and ignored it because I dont here much talk about it. I'll definitely pick it up for my next wash day. Ive never tried african threading because it seems extremely time consuming.
From yesterday I found that detangling in the shower does speed up the process as opposed to outside the shower on damp hair. So I will try the Mielle DC in the shower. Might give my wooden paddle brush a try again.
Your more than welcome! Please keep us posted: I really, really hope the Mielle DC is awesome for your hair, detangling-wise. I purchased the Joico Moisture Balm at one point, too, despite not wanting to use 'cones. Yup: It had gotten THAT serious. The JMB did me good, but I'm happy to be able to report that the Mielle DC did me even better!
Yes: I agree that learning to African thread one's hair is time consuming. I've only done it once. Why it was time consuming: I made each section small inadvertently (I didn't know how big I could make each threaded section, and when I did my thread out I discovered that I should have put WAY more hair in each section to make the thread-out look better. That would have saved a ton of time, too!).
Also, I was detangling each section just before threading it. It took HOURS and HOURS, especially because I was so novice at threading.
To save time in the future, next time I plan to only do 12 sections . . . 6 on each half of my head.
I honestly think with practice, once threading stops feeling so new a thing to my hands, it should hardly take me any longer to THREAD my hair than to TWIST my hair. Especially if I save my threads and just wash them and reuse them instead of cutting new ones each time.
And, I plan to get more out of threading so that the time is made up by all the time I save having the threads in. I hope to be able to wear the threads for 1.5 weeks either in an up-do or under a wig, then wear the thread-out for half a week. That means I wouldn't have to "do" my hair for half a month. And THEN, once it IS time to redo my hair, because it's a thread-out, there will hardly be any tangles. That should ALSO save time and hair.To save time in the future, next time I plan to only do 12 sections . . . 6 on each half of my head.
I honestly think with practice, once threading stops feeling so new a thing to my hands, it should hardly take me any longer to THREAD my hair than to TWIST my hair. Especially if I save my threads and just wash them and reuse them instead of cutting new ones each time.
I don't know if this will actually work out the way I'm hoping, am describing it, and have envisioned it, but I'm going to try it. If my hair is truly tangled, detangling can take a very, very, very long time (hours and hours). I've got to get a strategy and weekly/monthly rhythm down that addresses that and makes it a small or non-factor.
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Cattypus1
All loced up...
The absolute best detangling device I've ever used is this coconut and keratin infused comb I bought at Sally's. I mostly start with fingers and the comb. If I'm getting really fancy doing a twistout then I'll add the denman to the mix. I do the major part of the detangling with my deep conditioner on right before rinsing. I twist each detangled section and rinse in twists.
NowIAmNappy
Well-Known Member
Concurring 1,000%.
Has literally CHANGED MY WHOLE HAIR LIFE!
I got it for about $9 at Target.
Nine. Dollars. To change . . . my hair life.
After reading this I just went out and bought a Wet brush, you guys are the worst/ best. lol
YvetteWithJoy
On break
LOL!
I use it on damp or wet hair that is saturated with Soultanicals Hair Glide, and my tangles don't stand a CHANCE!
Your mileage may vary, though! I have 4a (super coily) hair. I believe that is the reason the Wet Brush works for me so well. If I had 4b or 4c hair, I don't know what it would do for me.
Here is the post from this thread with details/videos about how I incorporate everything when I detangle. It may let you know whether anything that works for my hair is likely or not likely to apply to your hair: https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...wisdom-as-of-2016.796885/page-3#post-23251023
Let us know how it works for you! If you bought it from Sally's or Target and it doesn't work for your hair, you must return it!
NowIAmNappy
Well-Known Member
LOL!
I use it on damp or wet hair that is saturated with Soultanicals Hair Glide, and my tangles don't stand a CHANCE!
Your mileage may vary, though! I have 4a (super coily) hair. I believe that is the reason the Wet Brush works for me so well. If I had 4b or 4c hair, I don't know what it would do for me.
Here is the post from this thread with details/videos about how I incorporate everything when I detangle. It may let you know whether anything that works for my hair is likely or not likely to apply to your hair: https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...wisdom-as-of-2016.796885/page-3#post-23251023
Let us know how it works for you! If you bought it from Sally's or Target and it doesn't work for your hair, you must return it!
Thanks so much for all the details, I'll be sure to look at everything before trying. I use to use a paddle brush back in the day, but once it broke I never purchased another one. I use to exclusively finger detangle but found I wasnt detangling enough which led to more problems and lots of broken strands. Im currently taking out my crochet locs and was thinking about the most effective way to detangle my hair and stumbled on this thread. Here's to trying something new.
Thanks hun! BTW my hair is mostly 4b with patches of 4a in the front and back with fine/medium strands with high density.
YvetteWithJoy
On break
Regarding the bolded blue: Thanks for sharing! I'm so glad I'm not alone with this! I have felt SO GUILTY for not being able to join the "finger detangling only" club, because supposedly it is SO MUCH better for your hair if you don't use tools. I tried it for a few weeks, and so many tangles and shed hair remained in my hair.
So both tangles and shed hair were building up more and more over the days. It was no bueno.Regarded the bolded black: Aww! I love your spirit! I need to have such an attitude when I'm branching out.
YvetteWithJoy
On break
@Sharpened,
While reading about Behentrimonium Methosulfate at the NaturallyCurly site, I saw a comment about Naples shampoo bars and conditioner bars.
I found a product with the first ingredient as BMS that also contains wheat germ oil!
https://www.naplessoap.com/product-p/834.htm
Product reviews are here: https://www.naplessoap.com/ReviewsList.asp?ProductCode=834&Reviews=Y
While reading about Behentrimonium Methosulfate at the NaturallyCurly site, I saw a comment about Naples shampoo bars and conditioner bars.
I found a product with the first ingredient as BMS that also contains wheat germ oil!
https://www.naplessoap.com/product-p/834.htm
Product reviews are here: https://www.naplessoap.com/ReviewsList.asp?ProductCode=834&Reviews=Y
Sharpened
A fleck on His Sword
And a bit cheaper than a similar Lush product. I wish there were more options sans the coconut oil, though.
YvetteWithJoy
On break
Yay! I am SO praying that both of those do your hair right.
Mielle Organics
I looked at the reviews for the Mielle Organics DC here: https://mielleorganics.com/products...er?variant=1156277784#shopify-product-reviews.
Mayunnnnn! 105 reviews, mostly raves. People love the smell.
I find it too strong an not pleasant, but nonlingering so I deal. Clearly, my nose is different and doing its own thing. 
I think I'm going to invest in the Mielle Organics gel and edge control! I was going to re-up on Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, but I love the MO gel's reviews and pricing.
Mayunnnnn! 105 reviews, mostly raves. People love the smell.
I find it too strong an not pleasant, but nonlingering so I deal. Clearly, my nose is different and doing its own thing. I think I'm going to invest in the Mielle Organics gel and edge control! I was going to re-up on Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, but I love the MO gel's reviews and pricing.
BTMS-containing Products I'm Kinda Looking At:
* I am tempted to try the Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Smoothing Lotion. People have been advising me to try it for a long, long while now. I just haven't gotten around to it. It might be best for seasonal use, given its ingredients.
* I really, really, REALLY want to try the Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner . . . but I want the newer formulation, I'm guessing? A quick LHCF search revealed that the formulation of old was pretty good!
Reviews are good: Amazon product ASIN B0011DL6R6
Ingredients (for the 2016 formulation, I'm hoping???):
* I really, really, REALLY want to try the Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner . . . but I want the newer formulation, I'm guessing? A quick LHCF search revealed that the formulation of old was pretty good!
Reviews are good: Amazon product ASIN B0011DL6R6
Ingredients (for the 2016 formulation, I'm hoping???):
- Purified water,
- behentrimonium methosulfate,
- cetearyl alcohol,
- cocos nucifera (coconut) oil,
- vegetable glycerin,
- ceteareth-5,
- extracts of camellia sinensis (green tea),
- moringa pterygosperma seed,
- agave americana and trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek) seed,
- certified organic extracts of althea officinalis (marshmallow) leaf/root,
- aloe barbadensis leaf,
- lavandula angustifolia (lavender),
- rosa canina fruit,
- melissa officinalis,
- calendula officinalis and chamomilla recutita (matricaria),
- panthenol,
- citric acid,
- potassium sorbate,
- phenoxyethanol
Royalq
Well-Known Member
I dont like the smell of mint in general. The Curlaid smells lovely though. What detangling tool do you think I should try?Yay! I am SO praying that both of those do your hair right.
Mielle Organics
I looked at the reviews for the Mielle Organics DC here: https://mielleorganics.com/products...er?variant=1156277784#shopify-product-reviews.
Mayunnnnn! 105 reviews, mostly raves. People love the smell.
I think I'm going to invest in the Mielle Organics gel and edge control! I was going to re-up on Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, but I love the MO gel's reviews and pricing.
BTMS-containing Products I'm Kinda Looking At:
* I am tempted to try the Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Smoothing Lotion. People have been advising me to try it for a long, long while now. I just haven't gotten around to it. It might be best for seasonal use, given its ingredients.
* I really, really, REALLY want to try the Alba Botanica Leave-in Conditioner . . . but I want the newer formulation, I'm guessing? A quick LHCF search revealed that the formulation of old was pretty good!
Reviews are good: Amazon product ASIN B0011DL6R6
Ingredients (for the 2016 formulation, I'm hoping???):
- Purified water,
- behentrimonium methosulfate,
- cetearyl alcohol,
- cocos nucifera (coconut) oil,
- vegetable glycerin,
- ceteareth-5,
- extracts of camellia sinensis (green tea),
- moringa pterygosperma seed,
- agave americana and trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek) seed,
- certified organic extracts of althea officinalis (marshmallow) leaf/root,
- aloe barbadensis leaf,
- lavandula angustifolia (lavender),
- rosa canina fruit,
- melissa officinalis,
- calendula officinalis and chamomilla recutita (matricaria),
- panthenol,
- citric acid,
- potassium sorbate,
- phenoxyethanol
YvetteWithJoy
On break
I might try different tools on a few sections and compare:
Once coated with the DC and then water, elongate a section with your fingers as much as you can, unfurling and separating a bit. Try your paddle brush on just the last inch of the section. Plan to progress by moving up, inch by inch. If the brush is not effective on the first inch, try a wide-tooth comb on the first inch and try going inch by inch.
My coily hair gets so tangled that for each section, I use the Wet Brush inch by inch, starting at the ends. Then I use a wide-tooth comb. The I use a finer comb. That's my way of doing the Funnel Method of detangling, which I learned about from a YouTuber who does it under shower water.
It's a lot of passes. I hope I'm not causing split ends.
The Mielle DC made the process fast. If one tool won't work, I either back up to the wider toothed tool or remove some hair from the section I'm working on so that it's thinner/smaller.
I twist up the section immediately and move it under a processing cap. I leave all hair I'm not working on under a processing cap to keep it moist.
Royalq
Well-Known Member
Maybe I'll go wide to fine. Fingers, wide tooth, paddle. I would love to finger detangle exclusively because there is no snagging. We shall see.
YvetteWithJoy
On break
Hi, @Royalq!
YouTuber ProtectivePrincess has a super neat detangling hack. It entails slightly ironing the hair on low heat, and she discusses it in a dedicated video and also in the video below:
YvetteWithJoy
On break
EXCELLENT! Thanks for sharing. Encouraging, clear, detailed, REAL, and did I mention encouraging? 
Tefnut
Well-Known Member
My detangling cocktail consists of coconut oil and Paul Mitchell's The Detangler conditioner. I had rinsed my hair with ACV earlier that day to help "degrease" any buildup (my hair had been cornrowed since early January). It really helped. As I took down the cornrows put ACV on them again and added the mix. I then worked to detangle with my hands. I found knots came out easily. I was very pleased and remembered how rinsing with ACV daily (sometimes with a good conditioner) helped my extension braid take down much easier. I had way less gunk.
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Royalq
Well-Known Member
So i tried the mielle organics DC and it didnt help. I ended up with a 3 hour detangle session in the shower. Usually when i detangle in the shower it takes 1.5-2 hours. So im not sure why this session was longer. I had to use suave coconut to help me out. I think ill just go to a natural hair salon once a month and let them do it. This is way too exhausting.
LavenderMint
Well-Known Member
I'm reaching that point as well.
My only fear is that they won't have the patience necessary and will rip through the tangles.
Royalq
Well-Known Member
Im wondering that too. If it takes me hours i dont know how it will take them just 30 mins. Unless they have some special method.
YvetteWithJoy
On break
Awwwww! Hugs!
I've been thinking about you! I was SO hoping this would work. *pout*
Well, I'm really hoping that both of you -- @Royalq and @MeaWea -- find stylists who can detangle your hair as gently as you would.
I had to stop going to salons for that very reason: They were ripping through my hair. They just couldn't take the hour+ it takes to gently detangle my hair. I feel like if a salon opened up in the city (Dallas) that only offered the services of gently detanging and instructing clients on how to detangle, cornrow, and flat twist, then the salon would make a mint and have to TURN CLIENTS AWAY.
Saludable84
Better Late Than Ugly
Not sure if it was mentioned, have you tried ACV rinses before applying conditioner, or possibly after, and using aloe vera on damp (or even wet) hair to further detangle?
I mention that because I have LoPo hair, however, especially after clarifying, my cuticles are so raises that it dries out my hair and causes tangling. The only thing that helps is applying conditioner that will close my hair (get it back to its normal state) and I don't have Detangling issues.
Your issue may be related to Porosity versus hair type.
Royalq
Well-Known Member
I'm aware of my high porosity and I use things for it. I've tried acv rinses at the end but never during. But right now I'm jaded...
YvetteWithJoy
On break
When I get jaded, I pull back and try new things on only a small section of my hair. That way the new thing/method I'm trying doesn't take too much investment of time and energy and I get "feedback" (results) quickly. That way I can quickly move on to the next thing without bad feelings if it doesn't work out.
All that to say, maybe try the ACV and/or AVJ that Saludable mentions on just a small section of your hair?
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