Remember when your mom used to yank your head to get all the tangles out of your curly hair? The whole thing always ended up in tears…
You hoped the nightmare would end now that you’re all grown-up, but detangling is still an issue. Sure, you may not cry anymore, but… surely there must be a way to make the whole process quick and pain-free? And without damaging the heck out of your hair.
Yep, you’re in luck. Here’s the best way to detangle curly hair and get all the knots out without fuss:
1. Always Detangle Your Hair Wet
Wait, isn’t hair more fragile when wet? True, but it’s also softer, more elastic and has way more slip. All things that make gliding through the knots a breeze. The trick is to make sure every part of your hair is wet - the more moisture it has, the easier the whole thing will be. You could wet your hair at the sink or with the help of a spray bottle. I prefer wetting mine in the shower. It’s a real timesaver!
2. Add Slip
Water ain’t enough. Once your hair is soaking wet, slather on a moisturizing conditioner or a layer of argan oil and let it work its magic for a few minutes. Once time’s up, you can start detangling your knots. The combination of water + conditioner makes your hair so slippery, your comb won’t have any trouble gliding through.
Speaking of conditioner, this is also a good time to remind everyone to be sure you are applying your Pure Protein treatment twice a month to help prevent split ends and breakage.
3. Start At The End
The ends of your hair, that is. Detangling from the roots down is a recipe for major pain and damage. Starting from the ends and working your way upwards may seem like more work but it's not, and will totally change your hair game.
To avoid pain, grip each section of hair just above the part where you’ll start detangling and keep moving upwards until you’ve reached the root. Once you’re done, you should be able to brush from top to bottom without pain or breakage.
4. Use A Wide-Tooth Comb or Brush
You can totally use your fingers. They’re gentle and give you a good indication of how your hair is reacting. Is it about to snap or is everything good? But what if you don’t like using your fingers? The next best thing is a wide-tooth comb or brush. The wide space between each tooth means that you can better separate hair without it being pulled and snapped. Look for a brush with pliable bristles that are more forgiving on the hair.
Remember the golden rule: be gentle. If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong.