The 7 Best Detanglers for Transitioning Hair in 2024

Transitioning to natural hair is simple, but it’s not easy. It requires having the best detangler for transitioning hair on hand. And finding the best option for your transitioning hair can be a nightmare sometimes. 

What’s the Best Detangler for Transitioning Hair?

If you want to transition to natural hair without having to chop all your hair off, you’re going to need a great detangler. Transitioning your hair will take time no matter what you use, so patience is necessary. But having the best products will certainly help. 

With our top picks, you can rest assured that you’ll find whatever you need for your hair care routine. These detanglers are the best and will help you get your natural hair and feel good about it. 

Our Top 7 Picks:

1. Best Overall: Shea Moisture Jojoba Oil & Ucuuba Butter Detangler
2. Best Leave-In Detangler: It’s a 10 Haircare Silk Express
3. Best for Frizz Control: Marrakesh Original Treatment & Detangler
4. Best for Thick Tangles: Knot Sauce Coil Detangler
5. Best for Softening: Design Essentials Moisturizing and Detangling Conditioner
6. Best for Moisturizing: Richee Rich Moisturizing Conditioner
7. Best for Pre-Styling: Oyin Handmade Oh My Glide!

Any one of these helpful detanglers will be your constant companion during your transition process. Don’t be timid about giving one a try. After all, detangler is one of the crucial elements you need to get back to your natural hair texture. 

Why You Need a Detangler for Transitioning Hair

If you’ve been relying on hair straighteners and straightening treatments, your hair has likely suffered a great deal over the years. Getting back to your natural hair will take time, and it’s a lot more frustrating if you don’t have the right products in your corner. 

Finding a good detangler will help make your time more effective. Combing through your transitioning hair can leave you frustrated and often with a headache. Just like you need quality shampoo and conditioner, you need quality detangler.

Detangler does all the challenging work for you. It softens and loosens your hair so that you can work your comb through it with ease. You have to be extremely careful with transitioning hair, as it is easy to damage in this state. Detangler helps prevent any damage. 

Detangler conditions and smooths your hair, usually with some kind of oil. The detanglers that we’re going to talk about tend to use natural oils, like argan or avocado oil. The oils help prevent static in hair that makes tangles bad and difficult to work out. 

The simple truth is that detanglers are essential. Using a good detangler will make the transition process less painful and more enjoyable. 

Best Detangler for Transitioning Hair: Top 7 Picks

Each of the detanglers on this list has proven to be the best. This means you can pick your favorite with absolute certainty. With these detanglers, you can begin your transitioning journey with confidence. 

1. Shea Moisture Jojoba Oil Detangler

This product is the best detangler that you can get your hands on. Your hair will receive critical, hydrating care with a soothing blend of ucuuba butter and carrot seed oil. 

Shea Moisture has been creating quality hair products for years, and this detangler ranks high on the list.With rich nutrients, it’s essentially hair food. 

Your hair will never look or feel as good as it does with Shea Moisture’s detangler. It’s great for styling, rich in absorbing fatty acids, and super supportive. 

Customers love this product for its nutrient-rich properties and the fantastic results after only days of use. 

2. It’s A 10 Hair Detangler

Most customers list this product as their absolute favorite detangler. From the easy spray bottle to the great shine it produces, they love everything about It’s a 10. 

As a leave-in option, the product produces superb glossiness and extreme hydration for its users. There’s no way around how effective this detangler is. 

The spray is particularly effective in guarding against excess frizz. With such a shield, customers have peace of mind when they work this into their haircare routine.

While you pay a little more for this product, you get a great result with consistent use. 

3. Marrakesh Original Hair Detangler

Marrakesh original provides a unique blend of botanical extracts to deliver an effective detangler special to the technicians at Earthly Body.

With Moroccan argan oil, hemp seed oil, and panthenol, you have everything you need with this detangler. Its rich moisturizing properties are particularly desirable. 

Customers love the glossy shine that this product provides them and the extensive protection from frizz and heat damage. 

You really can’t go wrong with the static-controlling, nutrient-rich Marrakesh Original. As long as you don’t mind the scent, this is a five-star product. 

4. Knot Sauce Hair Detangler

Some customers reported lousy luck when they ordered the Knot Sauce, but those were just a few in an otherwise outstanding reputation of success. 

Knot Sauce is one of the best detanglers out there. And best of all, it has excellent relaxing qualities that make using it a joy.

Most customers find it has the right consistency and a pleasing aroma and works like nothing they’ve tried before. Many have found success going natural with Knot Sauce.

Knot Sauce is an excellent option with a decadent spread of effective ingredients. It works particularly well along with other cleansing products from Soultanicals. 

5. Design Essentials Hair Detangler

The highly effective combination of sweet almond oil, avocado oil, and shea butter makes for a great-smelling detangler that smooths and softens hair with each use.

Design Essentials boasts that their product saves hours of detangling struggles, and customers agree.

In four easy steps, you can be on your way to more hydrated, less tangled hair that looks and feels natural. And with all-natural ingredients, you can trust that you’re only using the best in your hair. 

6. Richee Rich Hair Detangler

One of the best things about this nutrient-rich, highly-moisturizing conditioner and detangler is that you don’t need much to get effective results. The tiniest bit will do the trick.

While some customers were dissatisfied with Richee Rich, most will tell you that it’s great for all hair types. Many credit Richee Rich with helping them fully transition. 

Richee Rich is known for its therapeutic qualities, nurturing dry hair and enriching curls to their former glory. 

While Richee Rich works best on curly textures, it can be equally effective on all hair types. Regardless of your transitioning needs, Richee Rich can probably help you.

7. Oh My Glide! Hair Detangler

Not only does Oh My Glide help you get all the stubborn tangles out of your hair, but it also works as a tremendous pre-styling spray for any hairdo you’re considering.

While some customers found it less than overwhelming, many will say that this is the best detangler they have ever used. With natural ingredients loaded with nutrients, your hair will feel and look refreshed.

The transitioning process is made much easier with a product like this. The product boasts that combing your hair will feel like gliding, and many customers support this statement. The struggle, it seems, is over. 

Finding the Best Detangler for Transitioning Hair

There are a lot of products out there that want you to think they’re the best. Whatever your preference for hair products, you’ve found dozens – if not more – that claim they’re the answer to all your problems.

Finding a great detangler is about more than just finding something that works.

You want to find something that works for you. And that means a lot of research and testing for yourself. Keeping a few essential things in mind will help you on your hair transitioning journey.

Work Small Sections

When you’re detangling, you want to work just a little bit of your hair at a time. It takes a little more time, but it’s better for your hair overall. It’s also less frustrating to have many small victories than to feel stuck in the same spot for hours. 

A thick, creamy conditioner and detangler might not always be the best option. A spray option will help you work through small sections of hair without getting overwhelmed. 

Moisture Is Key

When you’re transitioning your hair, you’re probably already dealing with many dry, frizzy struggles. Going from treated hair to natural hair is a process, and dryness is unfortunate.

One of the most important things you need to look for in your detangler is hydrating properties. Usually, this shows up in the form of good oil, and the fewer parabens, the better. 

Moisture is going to help detangle your hair without damaging it. It’s the best way to see success and avoid breakage. 

Avoid Chemicals

Don’t pay any attention to them if your friends call you a hippie for going the all-natural route. You know what your hair needs, and it’s your job to give it what it needs.

All-natural or organic ingredients might seem like an eye-rolling consideration, but they are essential for the overall health of your transitioning hair.

Going natural means breaking away from cycles of chemical treatment or heat damage. The best way to do that is with natural oils and ingredients.

Read Next: The Worst Shampoo Ingredients to Avoid

Sleek Is Good, Greasy Is Bad

A good detangler with good oils will give your hair a rich, sleek, shiny quality. This is good; this means that everything is working as it should.

If you notice your hair getting greasy or feeling heavy, it’s time to switch to a different detangler. You don’t want something in your hair that doesn’t wash out easily.

Usually, natural detanglers won’t contain the harsh ingredients that cause this kind of build-up. Paying attention to what’s in your detangler will help prevent this issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you know more about detangling your transitioning hair let’s look at some of the most popular questions that others have on the topic.

Does transitioning hair break off?

Your transitioning hair is going to break off at some point. Getting regular trims might help prevent this, but otherwise, you will see breakage. This is the result of having two hair textures at the same time. 

How do you smooth transitioning hair?

Detanglers are one great way to help smooth your transitioning hair. If it doesn’t work, however, you may need to consider the “big chop.” But you can definitely save this as a last resort.

How long will my hair take to transition?

It all depends on what process you use, but it generally takes anywhere from three to four months at the very least. Some cases might even take a whole year to be completely chemical-free.

Will my hair grow faster when it transitions?

Even after your transition to natural hair, you will likely see the same rate of growth that you experienced before. 

Do I need to trim my transitioning hair?

Trimming your hair is a great way to promote healthy hair growth. Having it trimmed by a haircare professional every four weeks should help keep you healthy as it transitions. 

So, What’s the Best Detangler for Transitioning Hair?

Great detanglers are out there; it’s just a matter of knowing where to look. While the Shea Moisture Jojoba Oil & Ucuuba Butter Detangler is best overall, there are plenty of options for you to choose from as you begin your transition to natural, healthy hair.