Whether you have long or short hair, you probably might have had to deal with tangled hair at some point. Once two or more strands are wrapped around each other, the tangled knot can become quite hard to detangle, more so, for people with thick hair. I experienced this struggle before I started looking for the best detangling conditioner for thick hair.
Having knotted hair is one of the things I had to constantly deal with when I went natural.
My hair also happens to be quite thick, so I was desperate to get an effective conditioner that would save me from all the tangling.
Tangling can also be caused when your hair rubs against certain surfaces like a sheet or a towel.
Although it’s very frustrating to keep dealing with tangled hair and unraveling hair knots, it’s really not advisable to detangle the hair using picks or combs.
The best approach when dealing with knotted hair is to make use of detangling sprays and creams since these make the job easier and also protect your hair from damage which might sometimes be irreparable.
These products are very easy to use and can be used either on dry or wet hair. In some cases, the hair detanglers do not need to be rinsed out after application.
Table of Contents
Best Detangling Conditioner For Thick Hair
I’ve reviewed ten detangling conditioners that are perfect for people with thick hair.
The products have been tried and tested, and have proven to be effective in detangling and unraveling knots in thick hair types.
Unite 7Seconds Leave-in Detangler
As the name suggests, this leave-in conditioner detangles your hair in seven seconds!
It can be used to detangle and get rid of knots across all hair types.
Its conditioning properties leave the hair moisturized, soft, and manageable.
Not only does this product detangle the hair, but it also repairs, protects, and strengthens your tresses.
This is because it’s fortified light protein and moisturizers that help in nourishing the hair.
The leave-in detangler seals the hair cuticle and helps to protect it against heat damage when using styling appliances such as curling irons or blow dryers.
This product also helps to protect your hair against harmful UV rays.
Since it’s weightless, it doesn’t weigh down your hair or leave it all greasy.
The best time to use this instant detangler is after shampooing the hair.
It’s easy to apply – spray it 4-6 times evenly throughout your hair. You can then style your hair as desired.
For the best results, spritz it on the hair regularly.
This product is free from parabens or sodium chloride.
Pros
- Detangles hair fast
- Suitable for all hair types
- Strengthens the hair strands
- Protects against thermal damage
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Suitable for chemically-treated hair
- Protects against harmful UV rays
- Has a nice smell
Cons
- It doesn’t moisturize some users’ hair well
Biolage Hydrasource Detangling Solution For Dry Hair
This detangling solution helps in reviving dry hair that is easily susceptible to breakage.
Its conditioning properties help to thoroughly moisturize dry and damaged hair.
The moisture infusion helps to strengthen your hair against future damage.
As the product hydrates your locks, it also detangles the hair and helps to get rid of annoying knots.
For the best results, use this detangling solution on wet hair. All you need to do is apply it evenly throughout your hair and leave it in for about three minutes before rinsing it off.
This product is recommended for fine to medium hair. I initially wondered if this particular detangling solution would work on thick hair.
That’s when I learned that you can actually have fine, thick hair.
You see, having either fine, medium, or coarse hair has to do with the diameter of each hair strand.
Coarse hair strands are wider in diameter and circumference than other hair types (and vice versa for fine hair).
Thin and fine hair are not the same thing.
Hair thinness or thickness has to do with the density of hair follicles on your scalp. When you have more hair on your head, then your hair is quite thick.
Therefore, you can have fine hair that is also thick if you have more follicles on your scalp.
Pros
- Detangles hair
- Leaves hair soft and smooth
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Tames frizz
- Doesn’t weigh hair down
- Great for fine to medium hair
- A little goes a long way
- Has a nice smell
Cons
- Contains alcohol
Amika The Wizard Detangling Primer
You can use this detangler if you have straight, wavy, curly, coiled, or tightly coiled type of hair.
This weightless primer not only detangles your hair but also protects it against thermal damage.
Once you use it on tangled hair, it helps you use less time styling the hair.
Amika the Wizard works to detangle your hair while nourishing it in the process.
Its moisturizing properties help prevent hair damage as a result of dryness.
One of the main ingredients in this product – Provitamin B5 – helps in conditioning the hair and promoting its resilience.
The avocado oil contained in this primer is also great at nourishing and promoting smooth hair.
You’re left with soft, shiny, and healthy hair that is quite easy to manage.
Tocopheryl, another ingredient, is instrumental in protecting your hair against environmental damage.
Another ingredient worth mentioning is sea buckthorn berry – a treasure trove of nutrients.
It contains Vitamin C, E, and A. You also get over 100 active compounds and Omega-7 in high concentration.
For the best results, apply the primer evenly on damp hair before detangling or styling using an appliance such as a blow dryer.
This detangler is vegetarian-friendly and hasn’t been tested on animals.
It’s also free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
Pros
- Effective detangler
- Tames frizz
- It’s color-safe
- Doesn’t weigh hair down
- Safe to use on keratin-treated hair
- Nourishes the hair
- Protects against heat and environmental damage
- Great for thick hair
Cons
- Some users find the smell to be a little strong
Oribe Priming Lotion Leave-In Conditioning Detangler
Oribe Priming Lotion is one of the best conditioners to use on curly hair. Such type of hair is prone to tangling, which can be a nightmare to unknot.
Using the lotion regularly leaves you with tangle-free and smooth hair. Now you can easily pass a comb through without breakage or pain.
Apart from its beneficial detangling properties, you can use it to hydrate your hair. Its nourishing qualities make the hair stronger and healthier.
Certain kinds of butters like cocoa, mango, and Murumuru are part of its hydrating formula. Another essential ingredient is olive oil that not only makes the hair soft but also repairs damage.
The leave-in conditioner is recommended for hair that has any type of color, dye, or highlights. Not only does it not cause fading, but it protects the hair from the same.
Also, you can use it even with sensitive skin since its dermatologists tested. Additionally, it free of gluten, sulfate, paraben, silicone, and salt.
Use it on wet hair. Get a generous amount on your palms and massage it on your hair from roots to tips. After that, comb your hair and style it easily.
Pros
- Works best for curly tangled hair
- Hydrates the hair
- Helps repair any damage
- Free from harmful ingredients like gluten, sulfates, salts
- Easy to use and style the hair after
- Tested by dermatologist
- Lovely smell
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Once the hair dries, it feels greasy and weighed down
R+Co Pinstripe Intense Detangling Spray
Say goodbye to hair that is increasingly unmanageable with this detangling spray in an easy to use bottle. Not only does it detangle your hair, but it adds a most attractive shine.
Apart from its detangling properties, it also has some beneficial ingredients. One is a ginger root extract that works to make hair cuticles firmer.
Two is a vegetable protein known to add more moisture to the hair. It leaves it nourished and without the dryness that causes brittleness.
Three is Abyssinica seed oil that is full of crucial nutrients like Vitamin E and fatty acids. Both work to seal in the moisture in the hair while detangling.
Furthermore, the spray is lightweight and won’t weigh down your hair or lead to greasiness. If you have thin hair, the pro-vitamin B5 in it adds thickness and volume to it.
It’s safe to use if you are a vegan, and it’s a cruelty-free product.
Pros
- Adds shine and softness to the hair
- Seals in moisture
- Easy to use after washing the hair
- Detangles even the most unmanageable hair
- Contains nutrients like pro-Vitamin B, Vitamin E, and fatty acids
Cons
- Lead to dryness and frizz for some users
Verb Leave-in Mist – Detangle + Defrizz + Conditioning
The best solution for tangled hair is an excellent detangler.
Verb has a leave-in mist that works to detangle your hair and condition it.
When you want to use it well, make it the second step after you wash your hair. You condition, detangle, and then follow this with easy styling of your hair.
As for benefits, you can say goodbye to dry and brittle hair. The mist works to nourish your hair by moisturizing it and also leaves it soft and smooth.
Also, there is no more worry about frizz and split ends that plague tangled hair. The formulation works to repair all the end, and you wind up with healthy hair.
As part of its ingredients, it has hydrolyzed quinoa protein. It helps you have smooth and soft hair that you can easily comb.
Yet another vital ingredient is vegetable keratin protein that strengthens the hair once the shaft absorbs it.
Benefit also from Argan oil that works to restore your hair to its best state. Also, it plays a significant role in having soft and smooth hair. Green Tea extracts benefit your hair by protecting it from damage that free radicals can cause.
Pros
- Simple to use
- Good smell
- Can protect the hair from heat damage
- Prevents frizz and split ends
- Detangles the hair
- Free from paraben and silicones
Cons
- Doesn’t detangle all hair textures
L’anza Healing Moisture Noni Fruit Leave-In Conditioner
Everyone needs a healing leave-in conditioner that benefits the hair. Here is one that comes in an easy to use spray bottle.
It hydrates the hair by adding moisture. Also, the formulation is light and won’t weigh down your hair. You benefit from intense moisture without greasiness.
While healing any damage on your hair, it detangles all knots. After spraying it on, you can gently comb the hair and style it.
You won’t need to wait long to comb the hair. The conditioner penetrates the hair quickly.
It’s highly recommended to use after shampooing the hair. But, you can also spritz it at any time and change your hairstyle easily.
Regular use of this leave-in conditioner results in soft, shiny, and smooth hair. Additionally, you can say goodbye to frizz and split ends.
Pros
- Gets rid of split ends and frizz
- Leaves the hair silky soft and shiny
- Can be used to spritz the hair all-day
- Weightless formulation
- Easily penetrates the hair
- Works fast
- Improves the health of your hair
- Hydrates the hair
Cons
Doesn’t untangle all hair textures
Aquage Equalizing Detangler
Once you use this equalizing detangler on your hair, moisture infusion is instantaneous. The result is hair that is nourished and hydrated all day.
It’s an emulsion formula that adds no weight or grease to your hair. After washing the hair and applying it, you feel fresh.
In the ingredients are botanicals from the sea. They are known to be some of the best hydrators of any type of hair. Additionally, your hair is protected from heat and environmental damage.
Another benefit is equalizing of the hair’s porosity while equalizing. It means all the hair shafts are lubricated.
Also, all the cuticles are sealed. It’s important because you don’t have to worry about breakage or tangling as you comb the hair.
Note that the best way to use it is on clean hair. Apply after shampooing the hair with an equally good shampoo.
Pros
- Improves hair combability
- Equalizes the porosity of your hair
- Weightless formulation
- Easy to use on clean and wet hair
- Hydrates the hair
- Nice smell
- Ideal for many hair textures
Cons
- Some users complain of fake product sold online
Leonor Greyl Paris Lait Luminiscence Bi-Phase – Detangling and Heat Protecting Spray
This leave-in detangling and heat-protecting milk is very useful for people with thick and dry hair. It has the triple impact of giving your hair a nice sheen, protection and making your hair easy to manage.
It contains amino acids that add shine to your hair and help in detangling. The detangler also has seaweed extracts that are instrumental in detangling, conditioning and smoothing your mane.
Another ingredient, Mongongo nut oil, helps to nourish, protect and soften the hair strands.
Karanja oil is the ingredient responsible for protecting your hair from harmful UV rays, while the Senna Alexandria extract helps in smoothing and conditioning the locks.
The product has a lightweight feel when applied to the hair and the sweet flowery scent leaves your hair smelling really nice.
This leave-in conditioner nourishes your hair and facilitates the styling of the most difficult, thick hair.
You can apply the conditioner in three different ways: using it on damp hair after shampooing it, before blow-drying hair to protect it from heat and keep hair tangle-free, or before exposure to the sun for its protective properties.
Pros
- Its ingredients are mostly natural
- Makes hair manageable
- Detangles hair fast
- Gives hair a nice sheen
- Silicone free
- Has a lightweight feel
Cons
- Doesn’t work perfectly on dry hair
- Doesn’t condition hair well
- Too much spray leaves hair greasy
Conclusion
Dealing with hair knots and hair tangling problems is quite frankly very exhausting and in some cases very painful.
Having products that give you the desired results without having to go through the normal stress and pain is a welcome relief.
Detanglers could be in the form of hair sprays or lotions but as long as it gets the job done, this shouldn’t be an issue.
There are a number of hair detangling products in the market.
You should pick one based on your hair type, needs and texture.
Hopefully, this article will make it easier for ladies with thick hair types to make the perfect choice when choosing a product to detangle their tresses.