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All You Need to Know About the Detangler Brush

Is it time to retire your wide-toothed comb?

Before the detangler brush even was a blip on anyone’s radar, we had the after-shower comb to deal with our knotty needs. The comb was a selective tugger: Its well-spaced-out prongs got rid of tangles while allowing the rest of the hair strands to slip right through. The detangler brush however had a whole different take on removing those knots. And before you chalk this up to just reinventing the wheel, we get to the bottom of why another brush actually might be worth precious real estate on your vanity. Read on to learn more about this innovative hair care product:

Birth of the Detangler Brush

The detangler brush was the brainchild of a well-meaning hair stylist. Featuring an ergonomic bristle bed that fit right into your palm, the design eliminated the tugging torque exerted by a longer handle. No handle, less yank, less potential for breakage.

Second, the detangler brush had teeth made of bendable plastic, meaning it could unfurl the most stubborn of knots with considerable less pulling and friction. The bristles also came in varying lengths and heights, making it able to efficiently get through more knots. Whereas a comb would detangle in a rigid straight line, a detangler brush would be able to handle several knots at a time, and all with a gentler tug.

Using the Detangler Brush on Fine, Limp or Aging Hair

Hair that’s more delicate or of a thinner density benefits the most from a detangler brush. These hair types, especially when longer in length, can be prone to tangles and knotting after washing hair or a long day without grooming. Second, they also have to protect twice as hard against hair loss or breakage, since hair is relatively brittle.

detangler brush messy fine blonde hair
Knots landing: Fine hair is prone to gnarly tangles, especially after the shower or upon waking. Photo credit: indigitalimages.com

Fine or limp hair

Some experts consider fine hair to be the most fragile and prone to damage. It also tends to be oilier than thicker hair types, as the sebum from the follicles can liberally coat the hair lengths. This is also the reason why fine hair is oftentimes considered to be limp hair as well, as it falls flat easier than other hair types. Using a detangler brush can help with the proper distribution of these hair oils and reduce overall stringiness. It also properly coats hair with an optimum level of moisture from the follicle, giving it some brushed-out volume as well.

It may seem a bit unlikely, but people with finer hair can also have a lot more density than people with thicker hair, making this one of the reasons it’s prone to knotting. A detangler brush can also address this issue with minimal to no damage to the strands.

Aging hair

Hair strands on older women tend to be thinner, more brittle and overall have a much sparser density than younger women, which is why extra care needs to be taken in their upkeep. The detangler brush can carefully remove any knots and kinks in aging hair without exerting unnecessary force on already-fragile (and thinning) locks.

Even if you’re not about fixing something that ain’t broke, a detangler brush is still a useful tool to have in your arsenal. The fact that it works just as well on wet hair as it does on dry hair—along with its compact size—makes it also great for travel and whenever you’re on the go.

Do you own a detangler brush? What has your experience been like?

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