How to brush and detangle your hair

See how it works

Do this

1. 1Put conditioner or leave-in on first. Slip (glide) is what protects hair.
2. 2Start at the ends and work up in short strokes.
3. 3Use a wide-tooth comb, or a flexible-bristle brush.
4. 4Hit a knot? Stop and loosen it with your fingers.
5. 5Curly or coily: detangle damp or wet, in sections. Never dry.
6. 6Brush only to style. Do not brush for the sake of it.

The numbers behind it

• 100% to under 10%

  Chance of a hard snag when combing wet bleached hair fell from 100% to under 10% with conditioner (lab hair bundles).

  New 2018 ↗

• 16 strokes

  The average woman surveyed (231 women) combs about 16 strokes a day, not 100.

  New 2018 ↗

• 480 strokes

  On afro hair, 480 combing strokes damaged the outer layer (cuticle) more than frequent braiding. Damage rose steadily with strokes.

  Molamodi 2021 ↗

• More long breaks

  Brushing gave a higher share of long breaks than combing in lab hair bundles, the largest effect of all factors tested.

  Robbins 2007 ↗

For your hair

• Straight and fine hair

  Be gentle with soaking wet hair. Comb after conditioner, or once it is damp rather than dripping.

• Wavy hair

  Detangle in the shower with conditioner in. Brushing dry waves breaks up the pattern.

• Curly and coily hair

  Damp or wet, plenty of conditioner, in sections, ends first. Dry combing is a classic cause of breakage.

• Bleached or relaxed hair

  Most fragile when wet. Always condition before combing.

Myths to ignore

• Myth Brushing 100 strokes a day makes hair healthy.

  Truth More strokes means more cuticle damage. On afro hair the damage rose in a straight line with strokes. Typical use is about 16 strokes a day.

  Molamodi 2021 ↗

• Myth Never comb wet hair.

  Truth Wet combing breaks hair in different places, higher up the strand, rather than always more. With conditioner it is the standard advice for curly hair.

  Robbins 2007 ↗

• Myth A boar bristle brush spreads scalp oil and makes hair healthy.

  Truth Nobody has measured this. A 2025 dermatology guide repeats it without data, and also notes misused brushes can cause breakage.

  Williams 2025 ↗

Made for this

• Light Conditioner Slip and shine for fine, straight and wavy hair
• Rich Conditioner Deep slip and softness for curly, coily and dry hair
• Curl Cream Styling cream for wavy, curly and coily hair

Go deeper

• Brushing and detanglingMost combing damage comes from tangles, so conditioner and the right technique cut breakage more than the choice of brush.
• Hair myths, checkedTwenty-five popular hair beliefs checked against the evidence, from shaving to biotin to baldness genes.
• Traction and hairstylesTight, long-worn styles can cause traction alopecia, which reverses if caught early and scars if it is not.
• How conditioner worksRinse-off conditioner coats hair with a positively charged layer that cuts friction and tangling; it does not repair structural damage.