This is a very subjective post but I feel that I am an authority on the subject of detangling fine hair because I have a lot of it. It takes ages to detangle and I have been in this game for over 10 years, constantly trying different things. Now, we’re talking fine individual strands, not overall hair density. I am also skipping out finger detangling. I fully endorse it. It is the best thing ever, but if you have limited time, it will not work. So here’s the list starting from best to worst:
1. Hercules Sägemann Magic Star comb
Taking its rightful place in first position (I really cannot sing the praises of this comb enough) is the Hercules Sägemann! It is a seamless, rubber comb that unlike the flexible combs and brushes touted to be less damaging is completely stiff! It is the closest that a comb will take you to finger detangling. The stiffness of the comb means it acts like your fingers, stopping wherever the hair is too tangled to proceed. It works well on dry or wet detangling. It’a not as beneficial in the mini or jumbo rake size for clumping curls, but my hair does not clump, so I don’t care. If your hair does clump, there are smaller combs from the same manufacturer that could work post-detangling.
It is cheap and cheerful but not often seamless. You should pay close attention to the finish of the teeth, skipping those that are raggedy and avoid those with decorative painted tips since that paint will chip over time. I found that shower combs unlike the Hercules Sägemann, are not that great on dry hair, but conditioner combing is easy breezy.
Sitting right in the middle of the rankings is the Goody ouchless comb. It is seamless, but a little strange as the teeth have no points and are rod-like. Additionally, the spine of the comb is flexible. I have managed to break this comb twice and therefore gave up on it. It’s not really much better than a shower-comb, but it costs more.
4. Denman D3
We are now entering into the devil’s territory. I have yet to find a brush that will not split my fine hair and the Denman D3 did not disappoint. It was stealthy too, because at first, it works beautifully especially with conditioner combing as it has nice firm well shaped bristles and decent spacing. However, a week or two later, I had split ends galore. Some naturals modify the Denman by taking out some of the teeth and say it works just as well without splitting. This was not my experience. I do not think this brush is badly made, I just think it does not suit fine hair. Medium and thick strands…….go for it!
This shredder wreaked havoc on my fine strands. Mid shaft splits, split ends, breakage…..all within just two detangling sessions. The claim is that the flexible teeth work to stop hair breakage, but I experienced the exact opposite with horrific immediate breakage. I found too that the teeth were not really well made and some were rough and snaggle prone. I know some naturals love the tangle teezer but if you have fine hair, steer clear. On a positive note, it works wonderfully on a long haired cat!
Which tools do you swear by when it comes to detangling your hair?
