Growing out your natural hair can be one heck of a journey, but the results are beautiful! I think that the absolute worst part about the journey is the DETANGLING! Detangling your curls can be a headache (literally), and as the hair gets longer, it just becomes more and more of a hassle. Here are four tips that will cut your detangling time in half!
1. Section your hair.
The funny thing about curly hair is that it loves to clump together and intertwine itself with other hairs. This is the absolute most counterproductive part about detangling your natural tresses. The best way to battle this is by sectioning your hair.
For shorter hair, you can do two to three sections. If you have long hair like me, you will need to detangle it in four to six sections.
The smaller the section the better! You should put each section into a two-strand twist. This helps you manage your sections, gives you easier access to maneuver through your head, and prevents the hair that you worked so diligently to detangle from re-tangling.
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2. Use conditioner.
Let me introduce you to my natural hair's best friend. Ladies, I cannot stress this to you enough. Get some cheap conditioner and have it on hand at ALL times on hair-wash days.
The conditioner gives your hair slippage so that you can comb through the hair easier without ripping and breaking the strands. For me, the Suave Naturals line of conditioners works best for detangling, and the best part is the bottle costs $1-$2.
Do not skimp on this conditioner and no worries - you aren't being wasteful. The more the better. This is why it's great that it's so CHEAP! Replacing this product costs next to nothing.
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3. Get the proper tools.
Everyone's strands are different. Although experts have tried to come up with ways to categorize the "types" of curls there are, I have come to realize that there is still a lot of gray area in these categories.
Some ladies have wavy curls in some parts of their head, and then have kinky coils in others.
The best way to tame your mane is by learning what works for your hair and your curls! Denman brushes, wide-toothed combs, or even tangle teezers, are all options for detangling.
My personal favorite is the tangle teezer. It glides right through my tangled strands. Once you have found which tool works for you, stick to it. No need to rush out and buy the newest trend; just stick to what works!
4. Use proper technique.
The best way to detangle is from tip to root. This alleviates a lot of breakage. Work your comb/brush from tip to root in a delicate fashion, being mindful not to force your tool through tangles and knots.
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How to prevent your hair from getting tangled
You've just spent all that time untangling your hair, so it's a good idea to have tools on hand to reduce the incidence of hair tangles in the future.
Here's what you can do:
- Sleep with a silk or satin scarf. Silk and satin scarves will reduce the friction between hair strands and lower the incidence of hair fibers tangling around each other. Can't find real silk/satin? That's ok. It’s a myth that the silk or satin has to be real. As long as the texture is very smooth, the silk/satin bonnet or doo rag will work.
- Get a silk or satin pillowcase. Don’t like having something over your head? A pillowcase may be a good alternative.
- Sleep with your hair in twists. If your hair is long and kinky, you could benefit from putting it in twists before bed. This will prevent it from getting matted up as you sleep.
- Don’t dry your hair with an ordinary towel. You can prevent tangled hair by blotting it dry with either a 100% cotton shirt or a microfiber towel, but remember: don’t rub, just blot dry. If you're prone to frizzy hair, this technique will also help.
- Don’t shake your hair dry! This only increases the incidence of tangles.
- Wash your hair in an upright position. You probably wash your hair like most people: bent over a tub or bent into the shower. This can lead to more tangles. If you need to wash your hair in this position, wrap a towel around your head before standing back up and once it’s been blotted dry remove the cotton shirt or microfiber towel carefully.
- Wash your hair in twists. If you have very kinky or curly hair that goes past shoulder length, it’s more likely to tangle. Try detangling your hair and then twisting it and moving from section to section as you wash and condition it.
- Don’t swim without twisting, tying, or putting your hair into a bun. Swimming with free-flowing hair exacerbates tangles.
