Natural hair is a relaxer-free hair, meaning it has not been chemically straightened. Often, within the black community, you’ll hear people refer to it as the “Afro-textured hair”. It is the type of hair that has unique characteristics, yet presents styling and care challenges.
One of these challenges is that natural hair is prone to knotting and tangling. That is why if you have coily, wavy, or curly hair, detangling it before washing is important to avoid damage. Using a detangling shampoo and a wide-toothed comb will be your asset.
Detangling helps keep breakage at bay. The less tangled your hair is, the easier it is to comb through it without breaking the pieces off.
The process may be more tedious than just directly applying shampoo, but it avoids the shredding of the cuticle – your hair’s protective outer layer.
So, for strong, damage-free natural hair, we hand-picked some of the best detangling shampoo that will “do no harm” to your hair and are totally worth splurging!
Top 7 Best Detangling Shampoo for Natural Hair
1. Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Conditioner and Shampoo
Product Description
Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo is best for Type 4 Hair but works well for just any hair type.
It uses natural ingredients, like babassu oil and honey to remove dirt and oil from your hair while retaining its moisture.
Detangling natural hair with Mielle Organics hair care product is also a joyful experience because of its amazing scent plus luxurious lather.
The company itself has been endorsed by famous personalities, such as film producer Yandy Smith-Harris.
Plenty of naturalists around the world have said good things about this product. Even on Amazon, it gained an above-average rating from more than 6,000 global ratings as of writing.
Even if you have color-treated hair, the Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo still leave your hair soft.
Why We Love It
- Does not build-up
- Smells nice
- Well-suited for people with dry hair and scalp
- Lightweight solution
- Makes hair soft
- Detangles thick and curly hair
What We Didn’t Like
- Very few users claim it makes their hair greasy or oily
- Not good as a standalone styling product
- Leaves a sticky residue in your hands
Convinced? Buy the product here!
2. SheaMoisture Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Detangler
Product Description
The SheaMoisture Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Detangler is made with certified organic ingredients and works best for damaged hair. It contains argan oil and sea kelp.
Argan oil works to moisturize hair and scalp while sea kelp is believed to prevent hair breakage and strengthen hair. Thanks to the minerals and vitamins contained.
This product adds softness and shines to your hair, stopping breakage and improving elasticity during the detangling process. It is loaded with botanicals meant to condition, renew, and soften hair.
The way argan oil is blended into this detangler’s formulation effectively improves shine and protects hair from further damage!
Also, check out Shea Moisture’s Red Palm Oil and Cocoa Butter Detangling Shampoo or the Raw Shea Butter Extra that work to fortify bonds within the hair shaft.
Why We Love It
- Contains sea kelp that seals hair cuticles and helps smoothen hair
- Restores shine
- Improves hair elasticity. Thanks to the argan oil content
- Good for dry and damaged hair; renews damaged transitioning hair
- Removes tangles and knots
- Good customer reviews online
What We Didn’t Like
- Some users don’t advise using this product in the hair roots as hair may look oily quickly
- Consistency is a little bit thick so you may sometimes have a hard time getting the content out of the bottle
Convinced? Buy the product here!
3. Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo
Product Description
The Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Shampoo is a curl-defining shampoo. It contains shea butter that nourishes damaged, dry hair for touchable curls!
Another reason this product is worth trying is that it contains pure macadamia oil that strengthens hair and makes it more manageable.
In fact, macadamia oil has emollient qualities that penetrate hair more efficiently compared to other oils and gives hair a shinier appearance.
Its first ingredient is aloe vera that helps an itchy scalp and controls creasy hair too! This ingredient even encourages hair growth! During wash day, this shampoo will give you good curls.
Aside from its nourishing and gentle formula, we also like that it is sulfate-free, vegan, and free from parabens and silicones. It also contains no synthetic dyes.
Why We Love It
- Moisturizes tight curls without the heavy feel
- A standout detangler for all hair types
- Contains a unique blend of aloe vera, macadamia oil, and shea butter
- Heals and hydrates hair
- Contains coconut oil that repairs and soften dry strands
- Weightless on hair
- No sticky feeling
- Adds volume; makes hair fluffy
What We Didn’t Like
- The product is so runny (thin consistency), it would be better if it was a bit thicker
- Some users said this hair product makes their hair greasy
Convinced? Buy the product here!
4. NOAH Kids Detangling Shampoo with Milk Protein & Sugar
Product Description
NOAH Kids Detangling Shampoo with Milk Protein & Sugar is a gentle hair care product that is designed for kids. It is sulfate-, paraben-, and silicone-free.
While others may not be comfortable using kids’ hair care for adults, we suggest you try this as it smells good. It just smoothed right in and detangled hair.
Since kids do not subject their hair to heat treatments and regular batteries, it makes sense that the formulation of this product would also work well for those with natural hair!
This product is super moisturizing and is also hypoallergenic.
It’s not only organic but also has a lightweight formulation that is effective in frizz management and static control. It helps strengthen hair’s elasticity.
The makers of this product share that they recognize that kids’ hair needs special treatment. As such, they created this product with a range of ingredients as well as neutral pH to calm, nourish, and hydrate delicate scalps.
The reason why Noah makes sugar substitute (Erythritol) as one of the active ingredients in this product is that it is both nutritive and moisturizing to the hair, owing to the glucose fermentation.
Why We Love It
- Gentle daily shampoo
- Hypoallergenic formula
- Helps rebalance sebum production
- Detangles long hair
- Sulfate-free
- Cruelty-free
- Rinses easily
- Nourishing formula
- Designed for frequent hair washing
What We Didn’t Like
- Others find the smell too strong
- Not as moisturizing enough compared to adult detanglers
- The pump bottle is sometimes a hassle
- The shampoo has a very runny consistency
Convinced? Buy the product here!
5. Alikay Naturals Knots Be Gone Hair Detangler for Curly Hair
Product Description
Whether you have tighter kinks or looser curls, the Alikay Naturals Knots Be Gone Hair Detangler will work perfectly for your hair.
Still, this is specially formulated for type 4C hair to minimize breakage and easy detangling.
This product contains aloe vera that smoothens and conditions hair. Hibiscus flower is also one of its active ingredients, which helps repair hair cuticles and discourages split ends.
Simply spray this Alikay Naturals hair detangler on wet hair and wait for 15 to 20 minutes. You can then use your fingers to gently loosen the knots before you detangle using a wide-tooth comb.
Another thing we like about this product is that it contains marshmallow root, known for its mucinogen properties that give hair slip and reduce dandruff.
Why We Love It
- Makes combing so much easier
- Smells good
- Detangling ability is amazing
- Moisturizes hair
- Contains hibiscus flower that helps repair the hair cuticle
What We Didn’t Like
- Expensive for its size as compared to other detanglers
- Super watery
Convinced? Buy the product here!
6. Carol’s Daughter Monoi Sulfate-free Shampoo
Product Description
Carol’s Daughter Monoi Sulfate-free Shampoo is a great way to keep your hair tangle-free and moisturized! This product is ideal for curly hair, any hair type that needs extra moisture, or hair prone to dryness.
One of its active ingredients is the monoi oil, which has been Tahitian’s secret to flawless, longer, and stronger hair.
Carol’s Daughter promises that the undeniable results that this monoi oil brings are the same today as it was created generations ago.
Why We Love It
- Good for delicate, fine, or chemically-treated hair
- Good detangler
- Leaves hair looking fuller (for those with fine and thin hair)
- A tiny amount of this shampoo already goes a long way
- Lovely fragrance
- Moisturizes hair
What We Didn’t Like
- Very few users said it made their scalp itchy
- The lid does not dispense well
- Price is a little steep
Convinced? Buy the product here!
7. Design Essentials Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo
Product Description
The Design Essentials Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo is a delight to have and use. It’s a go-to shampoo not just for women, but also for men and kids.
It gently cleanses the hair by removing buildup and dirt without stripping the hair’s natural oils.
With ingredients that include avocado oil, almond, this product is proven to moisturize and detangle hair. After using this product, you’ll notice your hair feels soft. Plus, it’s a sulfate-free shampoo.
For better results for natural hair, you can use it together with a detangling conditioner!
Why We Love It
- Good 4c hair product
- Moisturizes hair well
- No parabens, paraffin, mineral oil, and petrolatum
- Smells great
What We Didn’t Like
- A little bit expensive than other detanglers
Convinced? Buy the product here!
Guide to Picking the Best Detangling Shampoo for Natural Hair
Ingredients
Most detangling shampoos contain 10 or more different ingredients. Avoid those that contain sulfate, parabens, and phthalates as they may cause skin dryness, skin irritation, and inflammation.
Instead of synthetic ingredients, look for detangling shampoo or detangling conditioner that contains natural or certified-organic ingredients.
These ingredients are often mild and plant-based, meaning they are less likely to disrupt your hair’s oil balance or scalp’s natural pH level (between 4.5 and 5.0).
Slip/ Moisture-Sealing Properties
Another factor to consider when buying a detangling shampoo is its ability to reduce friction so strands can easily slide past each other and not tangle.
Some ingredients that are likely to have slip properties are marshmallow root, slippery elm, hydrolyzed proteins, and vegetable oils.
Scent
Complex notes of citrus, apples, and flowers may sound like perfume testing, but it’s the same process how hair product manufacturers get fragrance in their shampoos or conditioners.
So, choose the scent that you are most comfortable with. It would be best if the fragrance ingredients are naturally sourced from fruits, flowers, or other plants.
If you want, you may also buy the unscented products.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
Our top pick from this list would be the Design Essentials Moisturizing and Detangling Sulfate and Free Shampoo.
This product works wonders. We believe it! While the rest of these detanglers are great for natural hair, the detangling shampoo from Design Essentials stands out for us because it works for any hair type: be that textured, thick, coily, dry, chemically treated, color-treated, frizzy, or wavy!
We especially like that it contains hydrating almond and avocado oils. And because it has a gentle, sulfate-free formula, it is even safe for kids. Try it out and be stunned at how soft your hair will feel after shampooing!
If you like this article, you might want to check out our other articles at HairsAffairs.com.