This Is When To Use Detangler Instead Of Hair Oil

As an adult, the term "detangler" may be out of commission for you in lieu of smoothing and hydrating products like leave-in conditioner or hair oil. But detangler isn't just for kids — it can seriously soften and protect your strands before you run a comb through them. While your detangler may have lost its place in your routine, hair oil serves a vital purpose as well — although it's much different.

While hair oil works to strengthen and spur growth, detangler has one job: to help knots fall away with ease. According to Byrdie, this type of product mitigates stress on your mane from combing, pulling and styling. Yoshico Alexis, a colorist and stylist adds, "It's essential to detangle your hair right. Make sure to stay away from hair breakage by not using rough brushes or pulling or yanking your hair."

However, if you're looking for a natural way to reduce tangles, hair oil may help do the trick. Loved by Curls explains that many oils can be more gentle on your tresses than store-bought detangling products; plus, they soften knots while hydrating any dry areas. The outlet explains that detanglers frequently contain chemicals that promise to soothe and make knots slip right out, but they also can cause damage with prolonged use — drying out your hair as well.

Since both products help soften tangles, you can use them interchangeably. However, one may be better than the other when it comes to frequent use.

After you shower, your hair needs an extra product to smooth it out before you brush — that's for sure. But, using a detangler with a lot of chemicals on a regular basis may dry out your hair in the long run — making it a recipe for even more tangles. If you notice that your hair is particularly snarly, this is when you should use your detangling product. Otherwise, your hair oil or leave-in conditioning treatment should do the job, Loved by Curls notes.

As for which hair oil to use, coconut oil works well as a spot treatment that will have your comb gliding through your tresses in no time, according to the outlet. A natural addition to your hair care shelf, coconut oil and olive oil may be best for individual tangles. You can also use oil blends as an overall treatment after you shampoo and condition. They often use a combination of various natural elements and other softening agents.

Lastly, leave-in conditioner combines the softening agents of hair oil and the thicker consistency of detangler. Finding the right one will help detangle your strands while protecting them similar to the way your favorite oil would.

Consider trying each of these products and seeing which is best for your hair type!