The Best Detangling Products for Curly Hair

These are the best detangling products for curly hair, at every step of your washday and styling routine. To maintain strong, healthy hair and frizz-free, defined curls. With product recommendations to suit your hair type, budget and availability in your country. This is the second article of a two part series on how to detangle curly hair. With tips, techniques and product recommendations that work for any hair type. Because detangling curly hair doesn’t have to be time consuming and frustrating. Once you’ve got the right products and are using the correct techniques, detangling becomes quick, easy and effortless. Here’s what you need…

The Best Detangling Products for Curly Hair

The products you use matter. Some shampoos are more hydrating than others. Some conditioners and hair masks are better at detangling. And some styling products have better slip. So whether you want something rich and creamy, fragrance-free or lightweight with lots of slip. The products recommended in this article will help you glide through your washday, in less time and using less product. Saving you time, money, product and packaging. And who doesn’t want that?!

If you really struggle with dry, knotty and tangled hair, I recommend you wash your hair 2-3 times/week for best results. These washday and styling products will give you the shine, slip and hydration you need to effortlessly detangle your curly hair. You can get up to 21% off all the products in this article using code CURLMAVEN wherever I’ve linked to them. See Maven Market for where you can get those products and discounts in your country. Start with wet hair and use a hydrating, sulfate-free shampoo to make the detangling process a whole lot easier. Here are the best ones.

• Bounce Curl Moisturizing Shampoo – I can fully detangle my hair when I use this
• If you find that too moisturizing for your hair, get the Bounce Curl Clarifying Shampoo instead
• Miribel Naturals Creamy Hair Cleanser also has great slip, as well as a little grit
• If you’ve got really dry or damaged hair, you may prefer the super affordable As I Am Coconut Co Wash
• I also really like BREAD Beauty Supply’s Gentle Milky Hair Cleanser, available at Sephora, Space NK or Beauty Bay

The Best Detangling Conditioners for Curly Hair

I don’t want to overwhelm you with product recommendations, but I want to give you options. From product and hair type to budget and availability. Because there are some conditioners and hair masks that are better at detangling than others. The two are interchangeable, you can use a hair mask or deep conditioner as a regular conditioner. And you can use a regular conditioner to deep condition – or as a leave in conditioner. Here are the best detangling conditioners for curly hair.

Budget-friendly + affordable

If you’re in the USA, then the best detangling conditioner is the MopTop Daily Conditioner. If you’re in Canada, you can get it on Amazon. But don’t be fooled by the budget-friendly price, this is super concentrated and made using high quality ingredients! If you can’t get the MopTop Conditioner, Imbue’s Curl Respecting Conditioner is similar and at the same price point. They both contain protein.

lightweight

If you need hydration that isn’t heavy, with lots of slip to detangle curly hair. Then choose from the Bounce Curl Ayurvedic Deep Conditioner, which is protein free. Or the TrèLuxe Soothe + Restore Restorative Protein Mask, which is the most lightweight, has incredible slip and contains some protein. Innersense Clarity Conditioner or Curlsmith’s Shine Conditioner, are the best fragrance-free conditioners for detangling, and also protein free.

strengthening + repairing

I really like the Act + Acre Conditioning Hair Mask (previously called the Restorative Hair Mask) or the Innersense Color Radiance Conditioner. They both contain protein to strengthen and repair the hair. These are the ones I use the most to detangle my curly hair.

rich + creamy

Innersense Hydrating Cream Conditioner and BREAD Beauty Supply Hair Mask are both luxuriously rich and creamy conditioners that work really well to detangle thick, coarse or dry hair. But if you have really dry, knotty or tangled hair, KLORANE’s Nourishing + Repairing Mask is the richest, and absolute best at detangling! The Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioning Balm is more balmy than creamy. And more lightweight than the others I’ve mentioned here. If you’re in the USA or Canada, you can get the affordable dupe, Sally’s GVP Conditioning Balm.

The Best Styling Products to Prevent Tangles

The best detangling products for curly hair aren’t just conditioners and hair masks. Styling products can add slip and prevent knots and tangles. For fine hair, you want to look for lightweight products that give slip, shine and hydration. Such as leave in conditioners, serums, foams and hydrating gels.

For dry or coarse hair, you want products that are creamy and moisturizing. Such as leave in conditioners, lotions, curl creams and custards. Here are some of the best detangling styling products for curly hair. Remember, you can get up to 21% off all the products in this article using code CURLMAVEN. See Maven Market for where you can get those products and discounts in your country.

• TréLuxe Untie the Knot Leave in Conditioner – perfect for fine hair
• Curl Smith Shine Cream – a hybrid leave in conditioner/curl cream
• TréLuxe Aloe Vera Curl Primer – slip in a bottle, in a controlled study this decreased detangling time by up to 70%
• TréLuxe Reflex Styling Serum – ringlets in a bottle
• Umberto Giannini Curl Foam – an affordable, hydrating and defining foam
• Bouclème Curl Defining Gel – perfect for refreshing or fine hair
• TréLuxe Hi! Definition Gel – medium hold, custard-like gel
• MopTop Curly Hair Custard – a strong hold thick, creamy custard gel

Tools + Accessories

Now that you’ve bought the best detangling hair products for curly hair. And you know how to detangle curly hair, following the tips + techniques I shared in part one of this series. There are some tools + accessories which will really help you maintain strong, healthy hair and frizz-free, defined curls. The first one is the Denman Large Cushioned Paddle Brush, which you can use to distribute, detangle and define in your conditioning and styling steps. I highly recommend brush styling to prevent knots and tangles and achieve smooth definition. Protect your hair at night using a silk scrunchie or PuffCuff. The best silk wraps or turbans are these ones from Silke London. And finally, if nothing else, sleep on a Slip silk pillowcase.

Top Tip: don’t use a body or bath towel on your hair! They roughen up the hair cuticle, causing breakage, damage, frizz, knots + tangles. Use your hands, a cotton t-shirt or microfibre towel instead.

I really hope you feel informed and empowered with these product recommendations. You might already have some, or now you know the best ones to get for your hair type and within your budget. I hope this two part series has given you all the product recommendations, tools + techniques you need to effortlessly detangle your curly hair on washday. Leave a comment if you have any questions.

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*This article contains some gifted items and affiliated links and discount codes. This doesn’t effect my opinion or the way in which I write about products featured on this site.

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