4c hair is glorious, beautiful, and versatile, but we can all agree that the processes involved in keeping it that way can be hectic. Unlike other hair textures, 4c hair requires much more care, the proper tools, and attention.
Almost everyone with kinky hair dreads wash days and styling for one reason alone; detangling! If you don’t grow arm muscles from exercising every day, you might develop some from detangling your type 4 hair.
Hair care days are self-care days, and as a naturalista, I always look forward to my wash days until I remember how time-consuming and stressful they can be. Thankfully, with the right tools and hair products, easy detangling is a hundred percent possible.
How can I detangle my 4c hair fast?
Having natural 4C hair means we cannot breeze through the detangling process unless we want knots at the end of the hair. The best way to detangle your 4c hair fast is with water, a conditioner, and a good detangling brush.
While a good leave-in conditioner can help, you still need to pass your fingers through the hair and use a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush to stretch your hair strands properly.
When detangling your hair, you want to start combing with a wide-tooth comb from the tip and work your way to the roots. The detangling process is easier and faster with wet hair, so be generous with water or your conditioner.
Should you comb your 4C Hair Wet or Dry?
The easiest way to manipulate, detangle and style 4c hair is when it is damp. But there are times when you may want to achieve a particular hairstyle, and you need dry hair for it to come out perfectly.
In times like that, you must use moisturizing products that promote slip to prevent hair damage and split ends.
The friction between your natural hair and combs, regardless of the type, can also cause excessive shedding. So, combing your coily hair damp or putting in enough products to promote slip is always advised.
Do detangling brushes work on 4C hair?
Detangling brushes are a hair care essential, and they will help you fast-track your washdays. A great detangling brush should be able to reach your thick hair roots and remove all the knots. The brushes on this list are perfect for all hair textures, from thick curly hair to strong 4c hair types.
Not just any brush will do when it comes to detangling your 4c hair, and that’s why we have put together this essential list of the best detangling brushes.
So, based on their strengths, these are the best detangling hair brushes out there.
Best Overall: Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush
Every natural hair enthusiast swears by this detangling brush. Natural hair stylists approve of this brush because it makes it easy to detangle and style their client’s hair. The brush not only detangles your tips but also reaches down to your roots and evens out your strands. I can boldly say that this detangling brush is the holy grail of wash days and a must-have hair care tool.
Why we love it:
The Felicia Leatherwood detangling brush bristles are spaced just enough apart, and the handle makes it easy to hold as you work through your hair sections. It has firm bristles that effortlessly glide through your damp hair regardless of its texture.
We love that it works for all hair types, but we also love its ability to untangle the most stubborn knots in 4C hair. When you use it, you don’t have to worry about your hair shedding excessively. You can use it on both wet and dry hair.
Our Final Rating:
This detangling brush deserves a massive 10/10! The fact that it was specifically made for a black woman’s hair by a black woman? She got everything right, so the brush is perfect!
Budget Buy: Beature Detangling Brush
This detangling brush design has been everywhere for a long time now. Thanks to its flexible bristles, it can glide through your natural hair and untie every knot without stress. This particular one is made with solid materials and promises to make wash days easier. The detachable bracket at the back allows you to adjust the spacing between the brittles as you see fit for your hair.
Why we love it:
Its flexibility makes it perfect for people with sensitive scalps and softer 4c hair. With the detachable bracket, it can excellently detangle even coarse hair. It doesn’t shed or rip your hair as the bristles are flexible and very smooth.
Our Final Rating:
The brush may be popular, but I’ll give it an 8/10 because the flexibility of this detangling brush is both a blessing and a curse. It doesn’t have a firm grip, and without the detachable bracket, detangling becomes harder for thick hair; that means you’ll have to use more strokes.
Best Functional: The Original Tangle Teezer
This great detangling tool is one of the most popular brushes in the natural hair community. It may sound like it is ripping your hair when you use it, but it isn’t, so if you can bear the sound, go for it! The original Tangle Teezer uses a patented two-tiered teeth technology that allows easy detangling. It has firmer teeth that pass through your hair strands with ease.
What we love:
The brush has thin bristles that easily enter your hair and untie every knot, leaving you with a smooth curl definition. As you brush through your hair, you can also use it as a massage brush to promote blood flow in your scalp.
Our Final Rating:
This brush would have easily bagged an excellent score, but because of the lack of a sturdy handle, we’ll give it a 9/10. The absence of a handle makes it messy and harder to use, but if you don’t mind the extra stress, this wet brush is perfect because it does its job 100 percent!
Best Curl Definer: Denman Brush
This detangler demands that you use a gentle approach to get the best result. The thin bristles make your curl pattern pop and evenly distribute products across your hair without much effort.
What we love:
The Denman brush will do it justice if you want an excellent wash-and-go style. The brush has maximum grip and thin bristles with round-ended pins, so you don’t have to worry about pulling or ripping your hair. It stretches out your hair smoothly, leaving you with well-defined curls. You have to make sure your hair is not too tangled.
Our Final Rating:
While the Denman brush works as a good brush for curl definition, it’s not exactly the right brush for detangling, so we’ll give it an 8/10.
Best Design: Tangle Teezer Wet Detangler
This paddle brush is one of Tangle Teezer’s latest designs. It has soft bristles that work great with wet 4c hair and helps to spread your hair products evenly as you brush.
If you have long hair, you’ll enjoy the smooth flow of the brush. Unlike the original Tangle Teezer, you’ll have better control when you use this brush, thanks to the wide handle.
What we love:
Overall, it’s a good brush if you’re looking for a simple but functional detangling brush.
Our Final Rating:
We’ll give this Tangle Teezer wet brush a 7/10. The bristles are too soft for more coarse 4c hair. They might brush the tip ideally, but they don’t do much of a good job detangling the roots.
Best Boar Bristles: Wet Brush Shine Enhancer
Even if you have tight curls, the wet brush shine enhancer with boar bristles is capable of passing through with ease! Infused with argan oil, the brush promotes hair growth and adds a shiny finish, using their custom Intelliflex bristles to spread the oil across your hair.
Why we love it:
The wet brush shine enhancer is one detangler even celebrity hairstylists swear by. It’s perfect for those days when you don’t want to use too many products on your hair as you detangle.
Essential oils like coconut oil and argan oil promote blood circulation on your scalp leading to better hair growth. It works perfectly for both wet and dry hair, and it is very affordable.
Our Final Rating:
Again, this is another hairbrush I would happily give a complete 10/10. The sturdy handle gives you better control as you detangle, and the boar bristle efficiently works into your strands. Honestly, what’s not to love?
The Right Detangling Brush
The right detangling brush should be able to enhance your curls, detangle your hair from the tip to the root and leave your hair better than it was at the start of wash day. Detangling brushes are a must-have hair care tool if you have 4c hair.
Which one of these will you be trying out?
