Here’s how I did it.
So, we can all agree that nothing beats rocking a natural look, right? Whether you’re a curly 3a or coily 4c, the head-turning and envy-inducing styles that can be achieved by naturals leave you feeling blessed and thankful that you were born with (or had the dollars to buy) the full and healthy texture that has become your signature look.
Let’s be real, though: all that gratefulness goes down the drain on wash day.
“Wash day” is the term that plagues naturals everywhere. When spoken aloud, it immediately incites widespread panic and chaos, as anyone whose hair has the slightest hint of texture knows what’s about to transgress: sweat, tears, hours of manual labor and, the worst part, detangling.
Detangling is the enemy of internal peace. It’s a time consuming process that directly correlates with a spike in cortisol levels (and heart rates). In short, it’s cruel and unusual punishment that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.
Image Source: iStock
However, if this life has taught me anything, it’s that I must take the good with the bad. So, I’ve had to accept that if I want to keep a head full of gorgeous, bouncy, hydrated strands, I have to endure the bi-weekly wash day and all that comes with it...detangling included.
Hair Brush for Curly Hair: Yes, But the Right One
After years of trial and error, thousands of products, broken brushes, and lots of tears, I’ve figured out an antidote to long detangling routines. I finally learned how to properly work through the kinks and knots in half the time. Yes, you read that right. No, this is not a dream.
And because I live to make the lives of natural hair wearers easier, I’m sharing the wealth. Here’s our holy grail for cutting down on the time spent in the detangling phase of wash day:
1. GET THE RIGHT HAIR BRUSH FOR CURLY HAIR: Every natural hair wearer needs the right tool in their arsenal — one that cannot be easily broken when working through the knots, dreads, and everything else that comes with textured hair.
The right detangling brush for thick hair has teeth that are wide enough to move gently through your hair without tearing or damaging it. However, it’s strong enough to not crack under pressure, as most of my brushes have. It has completely taken the finger detangling step out of our wash day routine, as it’s defining side works through even the smallest of single-strand knots. Single strand knots seem like a non-issue in the beginning, but if enough of them form, it can become a huge matted and tangled mess. So, your curl brush should nip those small tangles in the bud before they become an issue.
The Perfect Detangling Brush for Thick Hair
And let's talk about definition: the key to achieving it lies in the rotation of your wrist as you work through your hair. Your brush should have a cylindrical, non-slip handle that makes the flick of the wrist effortless.
I suggest trying the High Definition Curlbrush by Heat Free Hair. It’s a dual-sided, multi-tasking curly hair defining brush that literally does everything and has been a game changing detangler, making the process a breeze. It has a detangling and defining side: the detangling side gently maneuvers through tangles without ripping or damaging your strands. The defining side not only produces maximum definition, but it also works through those pesky single strand knots. The brush can be used on dry or wet hair and when combined with the right products, helps increase my hair’s slip, making detangling, dare I say, simple. Now, speaking of products…
2. GET CLARITY: You may think it doesn't matter because you rinse it out immediately, but finding the right shampoo is SO important. A huge reason why our hair turns into a hot tangled mess is because of product buildup. Because your extensions didn’t grow out of your head, they do not have the same porosity and, thus, need a completely different set of lightweight products. They don’t absorb the heavy butters and creams you use on your natural hair. Instead, they sit on top of the hair, leading to an excessive amount of product buildup, which leads to, you guessed it, matting and tangling.
Therefore, to kickstart the detangling process, you’ll need an ultra-clarifying shampoo to remove that build-up and any residue it leaves behind. Tea tree oil is a great ingredient for this reason: it gently removes product buildup without stripping your hair of its natural oils. So when you’re looking for shampoo, be sure that it has this crucial ingredient in its highest grade — it’ll work wonders when you begin detangling.
My favorite shampoo right now is P.E.K.’s Fresh Kept Secret. The moment you begin lathering it into your hair, you’ll feel it loosen up the knots as it clears out any of the leave-ins and oils applied throughout the week. It’s infused with tea tree oil, so once you reach the conditioning and detangling portion of the routine, it’s already given you a head start, making it so much easier to brush through, especially if you’re using the HD Curl Brush.
3. GET THE RIGHT CONDITIONER: You need products that produce SLIP. Without increased slip, detangling will always suck the life out of your hair (and you). Adding the right conditioner to your wash day routine will work wonders in cutting down on the time spent eliminating knots.
To achieve maximum slip, look for products that have ingredients like argan oil, which is great for both slip and hydration. Again, tea tree oil is also a great ingredient for gently breaking down product buildup, in turn reducing tangles and time spent working through them. When shopping for products with these oils, make sure you’re getting the most premium and highest quality of each — lesser quality will do more harm than good, as they tend to dry your hair out and create more work in the detangling department.
New Condition, a conditioner that’s included in each Perfect Extensions Kit, is a great example of a product that uses the highest quality of these ingredients to increase your hair’s slip. It’s super hydrating and, when applied to wet hair, helps get through the tangles with minimal effort. It’s helped cut my detangling process in half.
4. GET A NEW ROUTINE: Throughout the week, make sure you’re taking all of the necessary steps to set yourself up for minimal tangles and a hassle-free, stress-free wash day that isn’t so labor-intensive. That means adding lightweight, hydrating products to your daily and wash day routines.
First, look for the right ingredients like jojoba oil, which is perfect for providing that lightweight moisture, while also protecting your hair from tangling. Aloe vera juice is another ingredient to look for, as it’s packed with natural lightweight moisture that prevents your hair from dullness and dryness.
Lightweight care is critical because, again, the heaviness of the products you put in your hair will inevitably lead to more matting and tangling. The Perfect Extensions Kit equips you with everything you need to style your hair effortlessly without creating extra tangles and work, including the right styling products such as the Primestyle Multi-Benefit Style Perfecter to prep your curls and give them a healthy sheen to the Curl Whipped Texture Defining Mousse that adds the extra silky slip to keep your textures ultra defined.
Each product in the kits are formulated with a special oil-infusion technology designed to provide your hair with the precision balance of the highest grade ingredients designed specifically for hair extensions.
5. THE RULE OF THUMB: There is such a thing as too much product. Here’s a simple breakdown of how often we recommend using your daily essentials care products vs. your wash day routine products. Note that Daily Essentials Care Products are Steps 3 & 4, while Wash Day Products are all Steps 1 through 4.
- For Straight Kit
- Step 3 (Primestyle Multi-Benefit Style Perfecter) and 4 (Straight Shooter Pro Smoothing Serum and Sealant) are best used three to five days a week.
- Steps 1- 4, including Fresh Kept Secret Restorative Shampoo and New Condition best are best reserved for your wash days, every two weeks.
- For Wavy/Curly Kit
- Step 3 (Primestyle Multi-Benefit Style Perfecter) is best used one to two days a week and Step 4 (Curl Whipped Texture Defining Mousse) are best used three to five days a week
- Steps 1- 4, including Fresh Kept Secret Restorative Shampoo and New Condition best are best reserved for your wash days, every two weeks.
- For Kinky/Curly Kit
- Steps 3 (Coil Up Moisturizing Curl & Coil Definer) and 4 (Curlfix Curl Refreshing & Detangling Leave-in Spray) are best used two to five days a week, depending on how dry your hair is.
- Steps 1- 4, including Fresh Kept Secret Restorative Shampoo and New Condition best are best reserved for your wash days, every two to three weeks.
Never Has it Been So Easy to Brush & Define My Curls
There’s finally a set of products and a method that checks off all the boxes to the once-secret list that hairstylists use to detangle natural hair extensions and make them last. Click below to shop the newest product line that’s taking the industry by storm.
SHOP THE KITS AND HD CURLBRUSH
