I was that little kid who ran when it was time to brush my hair. As a teenager, I figured it was normal to have to regularly clean a small poodle’s worth of hair out of my brush. A detangler brush would have made all the difference.
With all the technological advancements of the past decade (I mean, come on–I have a tiny computer in my pocket) I’d be pretty annoyed if no one had figured out a brush that could save scalps of all ages from the kind of pain I went through as a kid. Thankfully, people have been hard at work and have come up with a variety of different solutions.
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1. EDITOR’S CHOICE: Tangle Teezer Salon Elite Hair Brush
Pros:- Prevents hair breakage
- Perfect for thin or fragile hair
- Comes in fun colors
- No-handle design leads to greater control
Cons:- Not as effective for very thick hair
- Slippery in the shower
- Not super durable
The Tangle Teezer got rid of the handle because it forces us to change the way we brush our hair.
The natural way we hold the handle for normal brushes, the bristles contact our hair at an angle and exert greater force on one part and much less on the other, over-stressing the hair and breaking it.
Holding your brush directly over the bristles gives you better control and subconsciously tricks us into being gentler. The Tangle Teezer’s no-handle design naturally leads to direct, even distribution of pressure.
The Salon Elite has an improved ergonomic grip to the Original Tangle Teezer making it easier to work with.
It has thin, flexible plastic bristles that are arranged with staggered heights. Even the longest bristles are much shorter than your average brush making you brush smaller sections of your hair at a time, keeping it from snagging and yanking.
Its flexible bristles are great at preventing breakage and reducing painful snags, but it also means they can be a little less durable with long term use. While great on wet hair, the Tangle Teezer isn’t awesome in the shower and tends to be slippery when wet.
This one is best for fragile hair, and thin to medium-thick hair. For those with super thick or coiled hair, the Tangle Teezer will work but you’ll have to work in small sections.
Find more Tangle Teezer Salon Elite Hair Brush information and reviews here.
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2. Remington Wet or Dry Tame the Mane Electric Detangling Brush
Pros:- Great for thick, curly, and coarse hair through 4c
- Eliminates most pulling
- Unique approach to stubborn knots
- Batteries are included
Cons:- Needs batteries
- Have to move slowly through hair
- Noise similar to electric toothbrush
I have to admit, the first time I saw this my thought was, “That is a scary toothbrush.” This Tame The Mane brush is unique to say the least.
You don’t use this as a standard brush–you move the brush through your hair slowly, letting the electric bristles do all the work.
Cone-shaped bristles confront knots at two angles, but the Tame the Mane comes at them from all angles. It’s battery-powered (two AA’s included) which make the eight wavey-looking bristles that rotate and vibrate. It sounds like it would create more tangles than help but this brush basically shakes the knots apart
It works amazingly with thicker and kinky hair. For hair that tends to get matted, this is indispensable. If your current brushing routine is taking forever, this can significantly cut that time down.
Check out the video below–you really have to see it in action to believe it.
Find more Remington Wet or Dry Tame the Mane Electric Detangling Brush information and reviews here.
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3. Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush
Pros:- Cone-shaped bristles prevent breakage
- Wet or dry use
- Ergonomic grip
- Multi-height bristles
- Colors to choose from
Cons:- Not for very thick hair
- Handle slippery when wet
- Handle is a little short
The Crave Naturals Glide Thru has cone-shaped bristles set at three different heights for gentle separation. It’s safe for wet or dry use, though the handle can get slick when wet due to its narrowing shape.
It’s hollow to keep the weight down and the curvy shape of it is ergonomic for right-hand use, but not so extreme to be awkward for lefties.
This one works well with thin, average, and medium-thick hair, but tends to snag in extremely thick or coarse hair. It’s also available in many other bright colors.
Find more Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush information and reviews here.
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4. Mason Pearson Detangler Hair Brush
Pros:- Nearly painless detangling
- Great for sensitive scalps
- Trusted, top of the line brand
- Longer bristles for thicker hair
- Built to last years
Cons:- May create some static for some
- Not for extremely thick hair
- Pricier
The Mason Pearson Detangler Hair Brush has a traditional paddle brush design but each tuft of bristles contains four pure nylon bristles–two tall and two short to create a multi-height surface. The nylon is very flexible and paddle has a thick layer of cushion to protect even the most sensitive scalps.
The bristles are longer than most other detangling brushes, allowing them to move through more layers of hair faster while the flexible bristles keep it from snagging.
This also comes with its own cleaner tool made specifically for this brush so you’re not struggling to keep your brush tidy.
Mason Pearson is about the most trusted name in hair brushes. It’s one of those brands with a cult following that once you try it, you can’t go back. They’ve been making brushes for over 100 years and some parts of their manufacturing are still done by hand so they last for years. If what you want is top of the line quality, this is it.
Find more Mason Pearson Detangler Hair Brush information and reviews here.
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5. Wet Brush Original
Pros:- Inteliflex bristles prevent snagging
- Designed for in-shower use
- Great for medium thickness hair
- Tried and true option
Cons:- Not for super thin or extremely thick hair
- Not a magical solution for everyone
- Only okay when dry
The Wet Brush doesn’t look like anything special but it’s hiding an intuitive design.
We know brushing your hair when wet, let alone while in the shower, is a big no-no because it will lead to more breakage. The Wet Brush is designed to break those rules and works best while your hair is wet.
I know my hair is the least tangled right after I condition. The Wet Brush allows you to brush when it makes the most sense for your hair without risking the extra breakage from normal brushes.
The Wet Brush has what they’ve termed “Inteliflex” bristles that are soft enough not to snag but sturdy enough to work out knots, especially while being set at varying heights. The paddle is cushioned for scalp comfort and the handle is rubberized to it’s easy to hold onto when wet.
If brushing your hair in the shower sounds like a dream, then this is for you. If that doesn’t sound appealing, then this will be a huge upgrade from a wide tooth comb, but not a miracle worker.
Find more Wet Brush Original information and reviews here.
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6. Detangling Rainbow Brush With Mirror (2-Pack)
Pros:- Great with curly to type four hair
- Adorable
- Unique squiggle design
- Many colors to choose from
Cons:- Not the best choice for thin hair
- Not as durable as others
- A little small for some
I love looking at this Rainbow Volume Brush. If I was a kid, this is the brush I would pick out, but I was all about rainbow unicorns back in the day (just kidding, I still am.)
This unique squiggle bristle approach has the benefit of having built-in flexibility of bristles and the longer length helps get through thicker hair. It will work on thin hair, but this brush really shines with curly, thick, and naturally coarse hair.
It’s hard to explain but it just sort of wiggles right through the hair. It works great both wet and dry, and the mirror is a cute touch, but is too small to be that useful. Also, because the bristles are so long and wiggly, the durability of this brush isn’t the best, but for the price, it’s so worth the reduced pain.
Find more Detangling Rainbow Brush With Mirror information and reviews here.
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7. GranNaturals Detangling Wooden Bristle Hair Brush
Pros:- Unique wooden bristles great for thick hair
- Won’t create static
- Travel-friendly
Cons:- Not for sensitive scalps
- May be too small for some
- Not for thin or fine hair
A completely unique solution to snarled hair, the GranNaturals Detangling Wooden Bristle Hair Brush keeps the traditional paddle brush design but with thick wooden pins for bristles.
The thickness and distance between pins keep the brush from snagging and the smooth texture of the wood helps it glide through knots, gently separating the strands of hair.
This one is much smaller than a lot of the other brushes, making it perfect to throw in a purse for travel. There is a good deal of give in the cushion supporting the pins, but as they are inflexible wood, this isn’t one for children with sensory issues or adults with particularly sensitive scalps.
The wide set bristles make this great for thick, curly, or coiled hair. And since it’s wood, it won’t ever create static when brushing.
Find more GranNaturals Detangling Wooden Bristle Hair Brush information and reviews here.
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8. Knot Genie Supreme Detangling Brush
Pros:- Proven design with added handle
- Fun design kids will love
- Comes in three colors when available
- Multi-height bristles
Cons:- Not as durable as others
- Bristles may be too pointy for very sensitive scalps
- Harder to find in stock
The original Knot Genie has been creating thankful parents and kids for years, but the biggest complaint was the no-handle design, while great for adults, can be a little awkward for tiny-kid hands.
So Knot Genie came out with the Supreme Detangling Brush which looks like it’s right out of a fairy tale. This is the same awesome Knot Genie with an added handle.
If you love the Knot Genie but your hands have difficulty gripping this is a great solution. It’s also perfect if you have a very independent little one who wants to do it themselves but has a hard time holding onto brushes without handles. Plus, it looks like a cartoon, magical brush so there’s built-in potential there to convince reluctant kids to give it a try.
It has multi-height, pointed bristles to gently separate knots. The bristles are short, so those with thicker hair will want to section their locks out. The brush has a very light feel to it, just like the original Knot Genie. Since it is made to minimize weight, this one won’t hold up as long as other sturdier models.
Find more Knot Genie Supreme Detangling Brush information and reviews here.
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9. Miss Pouty Original Detangle Diva Brush
Pros:- Great for right and left-handed use
- Wet and dry use
- Multi-height bristles to the extreme
Cons:- Not for super thick hair
- May be too small for some
- Stiffer bristles not for sensitive scalps
- More expensive than some
The Miss Pouty Original Detangle Diva Brush takes advantage of the no-handle design and has the most extreme height differences in bristles that I’ve seen. These are stronger bristles than other brushes, ready to stand up to any knot. The robust bristles untangle like a change but the stiffness makes it a bad choice for kids with sensory issues.
It is smaller than other no-handle brushes and the ladybug-shape is ergonomically comfortable for both right and left-hand use. Someone’s looking out for lefties, which I like.
It’s safe for wet and dry use and doesn’t get very slippery in the shower. Since it uses the shorter bristle design, this has a harder time with thicker hair and requires parting thick hair into sections. For thin to average hair, the Detangle Diva Brush cuts right through knots like it’s nothing.
Find more Miss Pouty Original Detangle Diva Brush information and reviews here.
So what makes a good detangler brush different from any ol' brush?
Wide tooth combs were the traditional tool for tangled hair but today, detangler brushes have either far more bristles than the average brush or far fewer.
The bristles are usually much thinner and more flexible to avoid the yanking that can lead to hair breakage and tears. These bristles are often set in varying heights so that different bristles work on different parts of the tangle at the same time.
Many brushes use a cone-shaped bristle design that is narrower at the tip than at the base. Normal bristles work by getting between the strands of hair and separating them by dragging down. This puts a lot of strain on hair.
Cone-shaped bristles fit between tangled strands where the tip is narrow and as the brush is pushed in, the bristles widen, separating hair by parting the strands at the same time as pulling them down. This distributes the pressure, separating knots in a gentler way.
Hair type matters.
What type of detangler brush will work for you or your child is going to depend on the type of hair that needs to be tamed. Brushes are going to work differently for wispy, thin hair than on thicker, but more fragile, type four natural hair.
If you're not sure what your hair type is, check out this easy-to-read chart to see where you land.
These are the brushes that have executed the best solutions to tangled hair and I'll help you see which one is the best fit for your hair type. As someone who was that crying kid yelling, "Ow! Ow! Ow!" please give one a try.