Unless your hair is super smooth and sleek, the chances are that in between washes it gets a few knots and twists. While these can sometimes be brushed, combed, or pulled apart with your fingers, curlier hair types will find some of these knots difficult and even painful to remove. Check out this advice on how to smooth your hair without ripping or damaging it.
Soak It Well
If you’re going to wash your tangled hair, start by soaking it for five minutes in cold water. The cold water helps seal the hair shaft, making it less brittle and less likely to knot. Don’t try and pull out the tangles, but you can gently massage your scalp and run your hands down your hair to smooth it.
Use Hair Oil
Before shampooing or conditioning, slather some hair oil over the ends of your hair, and any areas which are particularly tangled. Using a wide-toothed comb (or your fingers if necessary), start to gently loosen the knots, remembering never to pull or rip them as this will damage the ends of your hair. This process can take up to ten minutes, so stay patient and stick to it.
Skip Shampoo
If you have curly hair, or hair that is particularly tangled, you can skip the shampoo and concentrate instead on the conditioner. If you’ve followed the previous two steps, your hair should now be tangle-free—keep it that way for as long as possible by lathering up with a rich conditioner, and leaving it on for at least ten minutes. Rinse with cold water, as again this smooths the hair shaft and reduces frizz and breakage. Add more hair oil over the ends of your hair whilst it’s damp, and consider combing through again before it dries.
