Comb Freely with the Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Tangled Hair

Wouldn’t it be great if hair stayed perfectly combed out? Think of the time you could save without having to deal with knots. But the reality is that if you have hair of a certain length, texture, or health, you’re dealing with tangles at some point in the wash, style, and repeat cycle. Combing out knotted hair can be a process, and for particularly thick hair, it’s a regular arm workout! Fortunately, the best shampoo and conditioner for tangled hair can make this task easier and even be a huge time saver. Along with technique and an awesome leave-in spray, let’s look at how you can ease your tired biceps.

Why Start with the Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Tangled Hair?

How does hair get tangled in the first place? Unless your body goes through something exceptional, like giving birth or undergoing medical treatment, it’s normal to shed up to 100 hairs daily. Those hairs have to go somewhere, and if they don’t easily slide away onto your couch, they can get wrapped around other hairs, and, congratulations, you have knots.

Tangled hair can worsen, and knots can become matted, thus becoming difficult or impossible to comb out. Some people are more prone to knots and mats, including those with:

• Curly hair (any curl type)
• Long hair
• Damaged and dry hair
• Hair that’s mishandled (for example, long hair that’s always bunched up into a scrunchie)
• Hair that easily breaks along the hair shaft

If you’re noticing a pattern, it’s that pretty much anyone can be susceptible to tangles and that hair health is a huge contributing factor. This is why high-quality products, like the best shampoo and conditioner for tangled hair, are essential from washing to styling.

Why not use any old shampoo and focus solely on the conditioner? Because shampoos aim to cleanse, and many contain ingredients that progressively strip your hair of its natural moisture, leaving it dry and depleted. This forces your conditioner to compensate for the lost moisture, and playing catch up is a lousy place to be for achieving silky, easy-to-manage hair. So start strong with an excellent hydrating shampoo that will clean impurities and be gentle on your hair’s natural structure.

The Best Shampoo for Tangled Hair

1. Dry hair strongly contributes to tangles, so if major hydration is needed to reach maximum silkiness to release those knots, go with Christophe Robin’s Hydrating Shampoo with Aloe Vera.

Aloe vera is the star of this formula, and most of us are familiar with its uses on the skin. But aloe is also incredibly effective at cleansing and balancing hair while supplying supportive nutrients like fatty acids and several vitamins. This shampoo restores while it cleanses, which is a great step leading to a gentle comb out.

2. If you tend to feel weighed down after your usual shampooing, consider a product aimed at leaving it with a little more spring in its step, like Aveda’s Sap Moss Weightless Hydration Shampoo. Travel to the forest with this vegan shampoo that’s great for keeping that springy bounce in your curls and waves after combing them out.

It uses Iceland sea moss extract to supply incredible hydration, plus coconut and kukui oils to lightly seal in moisture. Aveda uses these unique ingredients because they’re committed to cruelty-free and sustainable practices from product to packaging, without formulating with harmful or damaging ingredients.

3. For a positively indulgent experience, choose the Oribe Signature Shampoo. Unique plant extracts like watermelon and lychee help prevent environmental damage, while plant-based humectants allow your hair to draw in and retain moisture. And a fabulous detangling shampoo wouldn’t be complete without keratin and other amino acids that keep your strands strong and less prone to breakage. This color-safe, daily-use shampoo has everything your hair needs to be nourished, moisturized, and protected.

The Best Detangling Conditioner and Leave-Ins

The latter half of the best shampoo and conditioner for tangled hair is where the detangling really gets going. There are a few universal rules when it comes to combing out knots:

• Always apply a conditioning treatment to get strands to slide past one another and easily release knots
• Use a wide-tooth comb
• Work in sections and start combing from the ends up

Depending on your hair, you’ll want to take on this task differently. Here’s how.

Wavy to Curly Hair – It’s best to detangle curls while wet or damp. A nourishing spray, like the UNITE Hair 7 Seconds Detangler Leave in Conditioner, is the best detangler for curly hair as it allows your comb to slide through the hair with ease. Section your hair to get the evenest application, and work in smaller sections if the hair is particularly dense or knotted.

Once combed out, this multi-tasking leave-in conditioner protects hair from heat styling, reduces frizz, and can be used on all types of hair and hair extensions. It’s basically a curl’s best friend.

For In-Shower Detangling – Experts stress that if you use shampoo, conditioner must follow to maintain healthy hair. If your hair is less of a challenge, and you prefer detangling in the shower, always do so after applying a conditioner like Sachajuan’s Normal Hair Conditioner. This luscious formula contains Sachajuan’s Ocean Silk Technology, which uses nutrient-rich algae extracts to work magic on your strands. Once applied, spend a few minutes combing your hair, then rinse away to feel soft, smooth tresses.

Straight or Fine Hair – Straight hair may get tangled for lots of damage-related reasons, so using a reparative leave-in conditioner will help with the process and work to restore hair health. Joico HydraSplash Replenishing Leave-In is made for fine to medium hair, and it’s formulated to not weigh it down.

To use, allow hair to dry a little, but not wholly, before applying and combing through this moisture-rich spray. Coconut water and sea kelp infuse hair with a dose of vitamins and minerals, and you get the benefit of reduced frizz after styling.

Using the best shampoo and conditioner for tangled hair is just one of the ways to reduce knots and mats. Protective styles like braids help during vigorous activities and sleeping. And switching to a satin or silk pillowcase will reduce friction while you dream about all the time you’ve saved by having enviable hair. Speaking of getting highly-desirable hair, click over to our Beauty Resource Center to read about other ways to keep your mane looking camera-ready for every season.