Detangling Curly Hair Is As Easy As 1, 2, 3 With These Tips

Curly hair is notoriously thought to be high maintenance because of its structure and texture. The problem for most people with curly hair is the detangling process, and not everyone is cut out for it. A lot of curly-haired people opt for a relaxer or texturizing treatment to loosen up their hair as a means to bypass the tangles and knots. Some are guilty of not even properly detangling, which ends up causing split ends and hair breakage — ultimately ruining their curly hair.

Whether you already have a gorgeous head of textured hair, or you are thinking of transitioning back to your natural state, the thought of detangling could overwhelm you before you even start. While curly and kinky hair generally require more intensive care and routines than straight, fine hair, taking care of it doesn't have to be a hassle. 

You might just be going about it the wrong way. Since it's better to work smarter than harder, we have put together a few simple tips you can take to make your detangling process a blissful one. Once you learn how to handle your textured hair, detangling it becomes a lot easier.

One of the biggest mistakes people make with thick, curly, or kinky hair is detangling their hair dry. Detangling dry hair is the quickest way to break your hair and give yourself split, uneven ends. Coarse hair should always be detangled wet. Hairstylist and owner of Intangible Inches Hair Salon Lakeisha Heard emphasized to Byrdie the importance of moisture in removing tangles and knots from thick hair. The hair has to be hydrated with water, as well as conditioner.

Your detangling routine should start off with sectioning off your damp hair, dividing your hair into six sections and twisting it up. Then, go through each section and finger detangle, which involves separating your locks by hand. After this, you can use a Denman brush, or a detangler brush, and go from the ends to your roots, gently detangling as you move up the strands. Being as gentle as possible is important; the last thing you want to hear is your hair snapping and breaking.

Celebrity hairstylist Brian C. Hawkins also recommends using a wide-tooth comb, as fine-tooth combs are not for coarse hair. Hawkins suggests using the comb after finger detangling, and before the Denman brush. This will do more of the work and lessen the impact of the brush on the snags and knots in your hair.

Detangling hair can be a fun way to learn about your hair and appreciate its curls and coils. However, it will also help to prevent those tangles from occurring in the first place. While this is probably impossible to avoid completely with curlier textures, it's possible to take steps that will discourage knots from forming.

One of the ways to prevent your hair from tangling all the time is by using a leave-in conditioner. This will keep your hair hydrated and slicker, minimizing the likelihood of your strands ending up in a never ending embrace. Another great way to prevent tangles is by getting regular trims. Your ends are prone to twisting all up, and clipping them will eliminate potential snags and reduce the occurrence to a minimum.

Finally, protective styling your hair and making sure your ends are braided or twisted after wash day will control tangling more than if you leave them open-ended.