Homemade Hair Detangler

Hair detangler can be a lifesaver if your hair is prone to snarls! While hair detangler can be expensive to buy, it's easy to make it yourself. Here are several recipes for homemade hair detangler that work just as well as a commercial product, yet cost less and may be customized to smell great.

Photo: Tangle-free hair is incredibly beautiful! (Girls hair, Creative Commons)

There are many ingredients that can detangle hair, but all of them work by changing the surface of the hair's cuticle, or outer layer. Oils may be used to lock in moisture and smooth hair. Acidifying agents tighten each strand of hair so it has fewer rough edges to catch on other strands, plus they confer a positive electrical charge to combat static that can make hair unruly.

Made from Hair Conditioner

Hair detangler is just a special type of hair conditioner, just much more dilute than regular conditioner you could rinse out of your hair after you shampoo it. One of the easiest homemade hair detanglers you can make is to take 2 tablespoons of you regular hair conditioner, put it in a 16-ounce spray bottle, fill the bottle with water, and shake the mixture. Simply spritz the detangler on damp hair and comb it through.

This hair detangler contains sweet-smelling natural ingredients that will help your hair retain moisture and shine.

8 oz. distilled water

1 tsp. aloe vera gel

1-2 drops glycerin

1-2 drops essential oil (e.g., lavender, jojoba)

10-15 drops grapefruit seed extract

Mix the ingredients together and either spritz them onto your hair using a spray bottle or else pour a small amount of the detangler into the palm of your hand, rub your hands together, and work the detangler in with your fingers.

One easy and sweet-smelling solution to tangled hair is to rub a few drops of baby oil between your hands and work it through damp hair. Other oils work too, such as olive oil or even your favorite-smelling massage oil. Baby oil (which is mineral oil) or any other oil helps to detangle hair by filling in 'holes' in the keratin, smoothing hair so it won't stick to itself.

Do you have a favorite type of homemade hair detangler? What works best for you?

Do you have any questions about making homemade hair detangler or any recipes you've tried that work for you? If so, please post a comment.