Wash Day Routine: Detangling
Ready. Set. Figh...I mean detangle!
Hey ND Fam! This is the third installment of my wash day series. If you are just tuning in, I encourage you to take a step back and read my first posts on cleansing and conditioning. They aren't critical to this post. However, I will reference some steps.
Let's get those curls tangle-free!
“If you don't have a firm foundation, you can't expect your hair to flourish when styling.”
Detangling
Final step of the washing process! Detangling isn't outside of washing. It is a part of the conditioning process. At this point, you should have fully coated strands with your deep conditioner.
Detangling can be a touchy subject. What YOU use to detangle is your business. Fingers. Combs. Brushes. All. Whatever helps you achieve thorough detangling. The key here is to be gentle and take your time even if you are in a hurry. Here's the thing. Healthy hair does not require long detangling sessions. I can hear you now. "Where they do that at?!?" "My hair is too tightly coiled and takes forever." "Girl, bye."
Here me out. I thought the same thing when I would hear MoKnowsHair say it. Her hair is not as tight as mine. (I am not 4C and never will claim it but type 4 is still tight. Please do NOT be fooled by the crown and top of my head.) Detangling took a long time for me. But after I had an AMAZING experience with one of my new favorite deep conditioners, detangling takes me 10 minutes. MAYBE 15 if I am coming out of a wash n go. However, longer than 10 minutes is rare.
Remember when I said downward motions when applying the products? Remember as I said to lightly finger detangle along the way? These steps matter. Also, breaking down the hair into sections (the breakdown method) also makes a difference. What you do before detangling matters. If you pile all your hair at the top of your head when shampooing, you have already set yourself back.
Healthy hair does not require long detangling sessions.
Healthy hair is pliable. Pliable hair is critical to detangling. When the hair doesn't easily snap back, something is amiss. Generally, that's a protein/moisture imbalance. IF YOU NEED A TRIM, detangling may take longer.
The goal is to safely remove shed hair and make sure each strand is free flowing. Shed hair is the main culprit of tangles. I begin with finger detangling especially if my hair has been in a bun or ponytail for a few days. Shed hair abounds since my hair was not loose for the strands to slide out. I follow up with a shower comb to help with anything I miss. Do NOT yank the comb or brush through. If you hit a rough spot, stop. Remove the tool. Finger detangle to feel the knot. Most likely, this is a patch of shed hair that needs to be released. Sometimes your hair will knot up. You can safely pull apart the knot with your fingers. It is much better than ripping through the hair (which causes damage boo). Once the knot is broken down into smaller pieces, you can return to using a detangling tool.
Please use combs and brushes that are created to detangle. Not all combs and brushes are created equal. Keep tools clean and replace as needed.
As always, glean what you can. Try a step or two. Find what works for you.
I'm taking a break from the washing series next week. Look out for subsequent styling posts. Different strokes for different....styles? Eh, I tried. LOL! I hope this series is helpful to you.
Let me know what after wash style types you want to see in this series.
Drop a question in the contact form or comment below. Let's help each other.
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