We all have our haircare product preferences. Some of us have a huge inventory of hair sprays, dry shampoos, masks, serums, and oils, while others prefer the minimalist route. But, out of all the products available, I think a detangler is the one everyone should have in their arsenal. Whether that’s a spray, conditioner, primer, or a detangling brush, it’s a winner for all hair types.
Not only do they make brushing your hair a breeze, but they also prevent breakage and damage and can help soften and smooth hair. As a bonus, most formulas offer heat protection and infuse extra shine and hydration.
Below, you’ll find recommendations from a celebrity stylist as well as a few beauty editor favorites.
Pros: Great for all hair types, provides hydration, offers heat protection, color-safe. Cons: Can be a bit oily for fine hair. “This is a multitasking all-in-one hair detangling spray that preps and primes your hair for any style and is suitable for all hair types. It can be used on curly hair, straight hair, wavy hair—you name it. It also provides ultra-hydration, detangles, smooths strands, and leaves the hair shiny, silky, and smooth. It also provide heat protection and is color safe, Leaping Bunny-certified, no gluten contributors, keratin-safe and certified vegan.” — Kieron Justin Fowles, celebrity hairstylist. Customer Review: “Worked really well for my wavy, long, thick hair. Makes it softer and shinier, smells nice, minimizes frizz, and makes hair more manageable. May not be the product for fine hair, but if you have a lot of hair, give it a try.”
Pros: Great for thick and curly hair, leaves strands feeling smooth and silky. Cons: Has a slight fragrance. With star ingredients like pomegranate and honey, this detangling conditioner helps strengthen and condition thick, curly hair and gives it a smooth, silky texture. Customer Review: “This has amazing slip and left my hair so soft and moisturized!! Definitely repurchasing! For reference, I have 4a/4b hair with medium porosity.”
Pros: Contains anti-frizz nano technology, provides extra hydration with grapeseed, sweet almond, coconut, and argan oil. Cons: Strong fragrance. Another option for curls, Ouidad’s detangling spray has anti-frizz nano technology, which closes the cuticle to lock in moisture. Other ingredients like grapeseed, sweet almond, coconut, and argan oils leave the hair looking shiny. Customer Review: “Detangles my long, hard-to-manage hair without being greasy and keep my hair frizz-free for the overweight 100 degree weather we have here in Texas.”
Pros: High-slip formula contains sea moss, aloe vera, and grapeseed oil to dramatically boost hydration in natural hair. Cons: Contains a strong fragrance. Pattern’s detangling nectar provides natural hair with tons of slip by way of ingredients like sea moss, aloe vera, and grapeseed oil. Customer Review: “From the first time [I used this] product, everyone, including myself, noticed a huge difference. This product leaves my hair incredibly soft, and it is super lightweight. [It] does not weigh my curls down at all. I have a hard time finding products that don’t weigh my hair down as I have fine 2c hair.”
Pros: Budget-friendly and designed specifically for low-porosity hair. The formula contains rich and hydrating ingredients like grapeseed, tea tree, sunflower oil, and shea butter. Cons: Might be too heavy for some hair types. SheaMoisture’s detangler is a great option for those with natural low-porosity hair or hair that doesn’t absorb moisture easily. Grapeseed, tea tree, sunflower oil, and shea butter add slip and hydration to otherwise dry, thirsty strands. Customer Review: “I loved how the product moisturized and made my hair feel wavy and soft to the touch.”
Pros: Offers 25 benefits while detangling, conditioning, protecting against damage, and adding shine. Cons: Strong smell. “This is also one of my favorite detangling sprays. This is also suitable for all hair types. The spray-in treatment is both lightweight and makes detangling your hair and blow drying easier. It’s lightweight, and the highly conditioning ingredients also offer the same benefits as a multipurpose product by adding smoothness, hydration, and shine that helps to control frizz leaving the hair silky soft and without static.” — Fowles . Customer Review: “If you’re on the low-maintenance side of haircare and just want one thing to put in your hair after a shower—this is it. Lightweight enough for fine/straight hair but actually moisturizes and protects. I’ll repurchase forever. Also, the big bottle lasted me over a year!”
Pros: Lightweight and color-safe protein-based leave-in conditioner that provides heat protection. Cons: Leaves a slight coating on the hair. Unite is a brand beloved by both stylists and editors. Who What Wear beauty director Erin Jahns swears by this detangler from the brand, claiming it provides moisture, heat protection, and shine. Proteins in this formula keep hair extra soft and are color-safe. Customer Review: “I have long, fine hair that was a mess to comb out after a wash, no matter how much conditioner I used. My hair stylist recommended this. It detangles my hair and leaves it manageable without weighing it down.”
Pros: Contains hyaluronic acid and a moisture multiplying complex to lock in hydration. Also provides UV protection and helps prevent color degradation. Cons: Can leave a bit of build-up. WWW beauty editor Katie Berohn loves this leave-in detangler from JVN for those with thick, wavy hair. It contains a unique moisture-multiplying complex that draws extra hydration into the hair, while hemisqualane (a silicone alternative) and black spruce bark extract provide UV protection. Customer Review: “Good product…GREAT packaging. [It] may not sound important, but the sprayer on this is perfect. Even distribution of product, which is huge if you have thick hair. Smells nice, does its job.”
Pros: Silicone-free, replenishes hair’s natural protective layer, provides heat protection, color-safe. Cons: Contains fragrance. Living Proof’s spray is infused with the brand’s “Patented Healthy Hair Molecule,” which smooths, softens, and protects the hair from damage when detangling wet hair. It also provides heat and UV protection. Customer Review: “This spray is amazing! I spray it after the shower on my wet hair, and it helps so much with frizz and makes [my hair] silky smooth!”
Pros: Contains silk amino acids, aloe vera, green tea leaf, and sunflower seed extract to nourish and protect strands. Cons: Could be more hydrating. Enriched with silk amino acids, aloe vera, green tea leaf extract, and sunflower seed extract, this spray detangles, conditions, controls frizz, prevents breakage and split ends, and adds shine. It’s no wonder it’s a drugstore classic! Customer Review: “I have been using this product for years! I have thick, wavy hair, and it really helps me detangle before I brush my hair out. Plus, it smells AMAZING! What’s not to love about this product? I would say it’s definitely a 10!”
Pros: Cuts down drying time, provides heat protection, preserves color-treated hair. Cons: Leaves a bit of a waxy coating on the hair. This spray and detangler is great to use before heat styling. It protects against heat damage while providing extra hydration to the hair with ingredients like agave extract, lavender extract, and mango butter. Customer Review: “I don’t know what kind of magic this stuff is, but it’s amazing on my biracial hair. I use it before blowdrying/flat ironing, and I don’t have to use any other oils or serums. It’s wonderful.”
Pros: Contains organic oils and proteins that protect and nourish the hair. Is silicone-free and provides UV protection. Cons: Expensive. This lightweight spray conditions and hydrates the hair, making it shiny, soft, and frizz-free. It contains plant extracts, organic oils, and proteins that boost hair’s shine and protect it against environmental stress. Customer Review: “This product really made a difference in my hair. [I] have been looking for a spray leave-in conditioner that worked. Finally found it. [I] bought one for my teenage daughter, who also loves it. Great product. [I] hope they never stop making it.”
Pros: Quickly detangles knots, conditions and softens hair, and seals the hair cuticle to boost shine. Cons: Expensive, strong scent. This lightweight primer from stylist-loved brand Oribe detangles, protects against heat, and deeply hydrates for silky-smooth hair. Customer Review: “I absolutely loved this detangling primer. For someone whose hair tends to get tangled pretty easy, this product was absolutely amazing. I didn’t struggle at all to brush my hair out after using it, and the smell didn’t give me a headache. After using this product, my hair had such a shine and was so smooth! I absolutely would use this again—one of the best detangling products I have used!”
