The natural 4C hair looks gorgeous. This is true. But another statement that is true is it gets tangled very fast. Since the 4C hair is dry, coiled, and sometimes matted, it gets tangled very easily, and detangling it is a task.
If you are someone who is struggling and looking to detangle 4C hair, you have come to the right place. We not only understand your problem, but we are here to help you with it.
In this article, you learn everything about detangling 4C hair, from the process to tips to product recommendations, and we have it all.
Read further to put all your tangled hair worries to rest.
How to Detangle 4C Hair?
While it is not the easiest to detangle the 4C hair, you can do it easily just if you follow a few simple steps. This step-by-step guide will help you figure out how to work through your tangled hair without getting frustrated.
Read all the details here.
Moisturized Hair is Happy Hair
First things first, it is important to remember that moisturized hair is the best type of hair to work with. Moisture in hair makes it easy to manipulate the hair. If your hair is dry, it will break easily, making detangling a hassle. However, remember that your hair should be moisturized and not wet.
We say make sure your hair is moisturized and not wet because hair makes up a long chain of amino acids that are bound by chemical bonds. When interacting with water, these hydrogen bonds can alter, making your hair weaker. Fragile hair is always more susceptible to breakage. However, moisturized hair is stronger and very easy to deal with.
How to Moisturize Your Hair?
Wetting your hair with water will only hydrate it. However, to moisturize your hair, spritz your hair with a little water and follow with a hair cream or water-based conditioner.
Work with Small Sections
Divide and rule is always a great way to work when detangling 4C hair. Understand this: it can get very difficult to work with a full head of coiled hair when detangling. If you attempt to do that, there is a 90% chance that you will end up ripping at least a few of your strands forcefully. But if you make sections of your hair before you detangle them, it will not only get easier but be very kind to your hair. This way, you will be able to work through the tangles and knots rather easily.
When detangling your 4C hair, be very patient and work with one section at a time. If you are very tired, you can always stop detangling. Tie the detangled hair together and get back to the other sections when you have more energy. This will prevent you from being frustrated and ruining your hair.
How to Make Sections?
If you are looking to make sections of your hair, it is a very easy process. First, part your hair. You need a rat-tail comb and a few hair clips. If you do not have a comb, your fingers can also come in handy.
Using your comb or fingers, divide your hair from the middle parting in the left and right sections. After that, divide it into smaller sections. Twist them and secure them with hair clips. The number of sections of your hair will depend on the density of your hair and how tangled it is. Remember, being patient is very important.
Use Aids in The Process
Yes, you can detangle your hair on your own without using too many fancy products. However, remember that with advanced research and technology, there are a number of products available in the market that help you detangle your type 4C hair. These products are formulated in a way that they keep your hair strong but also make it flexible, giving it a little slip that reduces breakage and damage.
There are a number of products available in the market to aid the detangling process. Some of these include-
1. Hair Detanglers
Hair detangler sprays are hair sprays that alter the surface of the hair, making it easier to detangle them. It coats the hair with either oil or polymer while achieving it. This tightens up the hair, smoothens the scales on the hair cuticle, and gives easy access to hair. Mostly, the hair detangles have three components- pacifier, hydrolyzed protein, and cationic surfactants.
What these three components do basically is- lower the pH level of the tangles while strengthening the hydrogen bonds. This smoothens the hair and tightens the strands. The Hydrolyzed protein repairs damage and smoothens broken edges, making sure the hair doesn’t tangle again. The Cationic Surfactant binds the negatively charged keratin, making the whole detangling process very easy.
If you are looking for some detanglers, Shea Moisture Detanglers, Aunt Jackie Knot on my watch, and Alikay Naturals Knots Be Gone are some great detanglers.
2. Hair Conditioner
Hair conditioner is yet another product that makes the process of detangling hair a little less of a hassle. Hair conditioners improve the manageability of the hair by reducing friction between the hair strands. This makes the hair very smooth and stronger. It also allows you to use a brush easily.
3. Oils
Oils do not moisturize the hair, but they give the little slip that is needed to make sure that your detangling process is easy. For this, you can use two oils, a carrier oil and mineral oils. Olive Oils, Coconut oils, Caster oils, and Sweet almond oils are great carrier oils. They help seal with moisture and help in detangling. Mineral oils melt down the tangles. However, make sure you are careful with the amount of oil you are using when detangling your oil. Too much residue with these oils can affect the ability to work with the tangles.
4. Home Remedies
You can very easily use home remedies to help with the detangling. These are easy DIYs and very cheap to make at home.
Rice water is miracle water that is a potion for your hair and skin. It has conditioning properties. When applied to the hair, it reduces the surface friction and smoothens the cuticles. This makes it a great DIY.
Aloe Vera Juice also has conditioning properties. So, when applied to hair as a gel or mixed with a DIY recipe, they make up to be great detanglers for your hair.
Use Your Natural Detanglers
Okay, this might be an unpopular opinion, but there are no better detanglers than your fingers. Finger detangling takes an extra minute, yes, but it is worth it. The basic concept is no matter how expensive a brush or comb you use, they will never be able to feel the knots and tangles. On the other hand, your fingers will feel the tension and, instead of pulling, will work to untangle it. This will prevent you from tugging on your knots and minimize the breakage. It is important to treat your hair with hair.
Detangle the Remaining Knots
Once you have detangled all the major knots in your 4C style hair, use combs and brushes to fully detangle the hair. This includes any knot that your fingers might have missed. When using a comb, be sure to be very gentle. You can use a wide-tooth comb because it will make it easier for you to work through that hair. The spaces between the teeth of this comb will cause less damage and not force the knots, preventing a lot of damage.
Keep in Mind the Direction
Starting at the roots and working to the tips seems like the first instinct to many 4C-type hair wearers. However, when wondering how to detangle 4C hair, this is a bad idea. When you start at the root and move to the tip, the knots and tangles on the root of the hair get deposited at the tip, making the detangling process even more difficult.
Instead, start at the tip and then go to the root. Make sure you do this sectionally because it will make it easier for you to work with. Detangling the other way around can also give you pain in the head. But doing it from tip to root will solve most of your detangling problems.
Twist and Relax
After you have detangled your hair, braid the hair in sections and relax. Remember, if you do not keep them properly, your hair will become a mesh once again, and all your efforts will be of no use.
How to Stop Your Hair from Getting Tangled?
Knots generally happen when individual strands coil together. Type 4 hair is more susceptible to getting tangled because it already has tight coils and curls. When they fall, instead of falling out, these strangles get wrapped around other strands, causing more knots and tangles.
There are various reasons why this happens. It includes rough handling, rubbing against the surface, and not getting cared for, among other things. However, the good news is you can prevent your 4C hair from getting tangled just if you are a little more careful. Here is what you can do to keep your hair from getting tangled.
- Avoid hair products that damage your 4C hair. These are generally hair products with a lot of chemicals. While they will make your hair look smoother on the surface, they will do more damage to your hair, leaving it dry and unruly. Instead, use products that do not have a lot of toxins or harsh sulfates.
- Do not rub your hair with a towel when drying. It can cause tangling. Use a soft cloth like a T-shirt instead.
- Cover the hair when you step outside.
- Avoid using styling products.
- Wear protective styles like braids and twists.
- Consider getting a trim every few weeks.
- Avoid sleeping with open hair. Cover your hair with a satin bonnet to make sure it doesn’t get tangled.
When and How Many Times Should One Detangle Their 4C Hair?
Now that you know how to care for your hair, it is also important to keep in mind how many times you should detangle your hair. The simple answer to this is as often as you can. There is nothing called detangling your hair too much. However, there are certain times around the wash-styling process when you should make sure you detangle your hair.
- Before the shampoo: It is important to detangle your hair before you shampoo it. Put some oil on your hair to make sure it isn’t stripped off all the oil while shampooing. Make your hair damp, and then apply oils. After that, using your fingers, detangle your 4C hair.
- During Shampoo: Another time to detangle your hair is when you are shampooing. It helps distribute the shampoo evenly and helps you wash your hair quickly.
- When Conditioning: Conditioner provides a lot of slip to your hair. Detangling is very simple at this point in time. So, make sure you detangle it.
- Before Styling: If you have detangled your hair before, when you reach the styling process, it won’t be a very mundane process. Instead, you will just have to lightly detangle your hair, and you will be good to go.
While you can detangle your hair as much as you want, make sure you are patient and gentle with your hair. Do not overdo it.
Final Words
With this, we hope we have answered all your questions of “How to detangle 4C hair?” Detangling 4C is a tedious task, yes, but it is not something that you cannot do. If you like flaunting those curls, make sure you take care of them too.
There are different products available in the market that make the process of detangling much easier. However, make sure that you remember to be very gentle on your hair. Other than detangling your hair, it is also important to have a post-care.
This will make all the other detangling routines very simple. So, be patient, be consistent, and be gentle.
