The 15 Best Detangling Shampoos and Conditioners

Growing up with curly hair, I was not too fond of the little fairy knots that would form in the back of my head.

I knew that brushing them out at the end of the day would be a pain—literally.

I was taught to tug and pull my hair with a brush until all the stubborn knots and tangles were gone, and my hair was smooth. But that was never even the case.

Instead, I’d lose hair after brushing so hard since I’d be pulling hair out from the root.

It wasn’t until high school that I discovered the wonders of detangling in the shower with a shampoo and conditioner with lots of slip. It was the first time I got knots out of my hair without any pain and hair loss!

Many people swear by wet brushes, but in my opinion, it’s high quality, slippery products that make detangling an easy and satisfying experience.

Related: The 21 Best Shampoos and Conditioners for Tangled hair

The benefits of detangling

Knots in your hair is never pretty and incredibly uncomfortable. You get more frizziness and never quite pin down that smooth and silky look you’re going for.

If you’re lucky, knots and tangles aren’t a major problem for you.

But if you have kinky, curly hair, or a long and thick mane, knots are probably an everyday predicament.

It’s also a recurring issue for chemically treated hair since dry, dehydrated hair is more prone to forming knots.

But are knots and tangles actually bad for your hair?

Obviously, they’re uncomfortable and make you look less put together, but do they affect your hair in the long run?

Yes, very much so.

Many people don’t know that if you don’t detangle, you can actually lose hair and have to use the shampoos and conditioners for hair growth and laser hair growth devices.

You’ll likely be brushing out your hair very roughly when the knots become unbearable. This can rip out hair strands and cause split ends in the process.

Detangling has benefits not just for the look and feel of your hair, but also for its health.

First off, detangling makes sure your hair is smooth, silky, and tidy.

You can never get that healthy bounce to your hair if there are tangles and knots in it. Detangling your hair allows for your hair to look and feel amazing.

Regular detangling also prevents breakage in your hair.

If you can run your fingers through your hair without any blockage from knots and tangles, the less likely you’ll tug at your hair with a brush or comb.

This means fewer split ends and less hair loss. Consequently, detangling does wonders for hair growth.

Because you have less breakage and split ends, you won’t need to come in for trims that often, so you can maintain your hair length.

Tips and techniques to easily detangle hair

For some people, easy detangling comes in the form of special brushes.

Among the most popular tools to use are wide-tooth combs and wet brushes, which are fantastic to use in the shower for wet detangling because they’re gentle and won’t pull out hair.

Others use a boar brush for dry detangling a couple of times a day. A boar brush’s bristles are soft but can also work through your hair to remove tangles easily.

If none of these brushes are to your liking, you can also opt for finger detangling.

It’s best done in the shower, section by section on your hair, but you can also finger comb throughout the day to make sure you don’t get any tangles, especially in the back of your head.

No matter your preference, a good rule of thumb to follow when detangling your hair is to start at the ends of your hair and work your way up to the root. If you start from the top instead, you may form even more tangles.

But the biggest and most important tip I can give you when it comes to detangling hair is to look for a detangling shampoo and conditioner with excellent slip.

If you have these, getting rid of knots and tangles in the shower with whatever tool you choose will be a walk in the park.

A good detangling shampoo and conditioner combo is very moisturizing. The more moisture it provides, the greater the slip it has, and slip is your best friend when it comes to detangling.

A couple of ingredients can tell you right off the bat if a product will have a good slip.

• Vegetable oils and butter—like coconut oil and shea butter—are among these.
• Proteins like keratin or hydrolyzed wheat are known for making the hair silky smooth, so they also have a fantastic slip.

All of these, including fatty alcohols and other detangling botanicals, reduce the amount of friction on the hair strands when you comb, brush, or run your fingers through your hair in the shower.

With that in mind, here are some of the detangling shampoos and conditioners I love the most:

The 15 Best Detangling Shampoo and Conditioner

1. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner with Marula Oil 

Using Keratin shampoo and conditioner gives the hair natural movement throughout the day.

It also tames frizziness and flyaways, so you can enjoy soft hair you can run your fingers through with no problem.

2. Love Beauty and Planet Hope and Repair Shampoo and Conditioner

This is a vegan cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner which repair damaged hair and replenish moisture in it too.

They also prevent breakage and split ends to keep your hair strong and healthy.

3. Creme of Nature Detangling and Conditioning Shampoo

The coconut milk used in this shampoo is certified natural.

It also has a beautiful coconut fragrance, so you will fall in love with this one if you love tropical scents.

4. Creme of Nature Detangling Conditioner

This product is great for detangling because of the easy, satisfying slip it has. It’s so gentle on the hair and can help remove tangles pain-free.

Best of all, its coconut scent lasts long on the hair, so you can smell like a tropical paradise for long.

5. Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek Shampoo and Conditioner

Avocado and argan oil also help reduce the friction on the hair cuticle during detangling.

These have the scent of wild berries, fresh flowers, and creamy vanilla, making for an even more invigorating shower.

6. Aussie Total Miracle 7n1 Shampoo and Conditioner

It’s super easy to detangle the hair with these because they’re rich in Australian macadamia oil, giving it a nice slip.

It also contains apricot, giving it a clean, refreshing, fruity touch to how your hair smells.

7. Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado Shampoo

Unlike other detangling shampoos, this one creates a very creamy lather, making it easy to run your hands through your tresses and detangle them.

While this shampoo is amazing on its own, I recommend it to be used in conjunction with the matching conditioner, which is coming up next on this list.

8. Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado Conditioner

This combo of powerhouse ingredients provides deep moisture and incredible shine to your hair. It makes detangling in the shower insanely comfortable and gives you soft and bouncy locks afterward.

Maybe you don’t know: The above Design Essentials Shampoo and Conditioner is also two of The best Shampoos and Conditioners for Relaxed Hair.

9. ArtNaturals Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

Meanwhile, the conditioner has shea butter to give deeper nourishment and softness.

It also adds even more ease for brushing out knots and tangles.

10. Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo and Conditioner 

All of these hydrate and moisturize the hair, making detangling a breeze even if you have knots that seem impossible to brush through.

11. Herbal Essences Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner

It has a bright and sweet coconut and vanilla scent for an even more enjoyable and lively hair wash day.

12. SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner 

The oils provide the products with a slip like no other, for a fuss-free detangling sesh.

13. BIOLAGE 3Butter Control System Shampoo 

The kind of butter works to nourish every strand of hair, making detangling a breeze even for kinky and unruly hair.

Because it’s so rich and emollient, this shampoo helps de-volumize poofy hair too. It has no sulfates and parabens, making it safe even for chemically treated hair.

14. BIOLAGE 3Butter Control System Conditioner

This is great specifically for super curly hair because taming frizz and detangling knots actually help define your pretty ringlets and spirals.

15. OGX Thick & Full + Biotin & Collagen Shampoo & Conditioner 

But aside from its reconstructive benefits, these vitamins and proteins also provide intense slip to make running comb bristles through your hair easily in the shower.

Conclusion

Detangling your hair can either be a massive pain or easy-breezy—it just depends on whether you get the right shampoo and conditioner to do it with.

Check out my reviews about the best detangling shampoos and conditioners for each hair type: Locs, Permed, 4C,  Brazilian Weaves and African-American hair.

Knots in your hair can be such a hassle, and you shouldn’t have to tolerate it every day.

So what are you waiting for? Choose your favorites among this list, and let’s get detangling!