I tried a new detangling method today and it got me thinking is detangling method linked to porosity? I saw a method on African Export’s channel on youtube where she put conditioner straight into dry hair and detangled it before washing. I did this and I have to say it worked amazing for me, the conditioner really had a chance to soak into my hair and since i was in front of a mirror I was able to detangle more systematically. I have also tried detangling after shampooing and i found the conditioner to sit on my hair or froth up, slip was good but not excellent. I also think cause your hair is completely wet it is more vulnerable to damage as the bonds are stretched to the max, but with just the conditioner I got a nice damp feeling so it was the best of both worlds (plus its quite pretty seeing your curls pop)
I have also tried detangling after deep conditioning and i liked this better than straight after shampooing but not as much as before shampooing. I read somewhere its because your hair is softer and more malleable at that stage.
I was thinking maybe because my hair is quite porous by the time I get to slathering conditioner on in the shower my hair is so full of water the conditioner can’t really soak in.
What detangling methods work best for you and how porous is your hair?

Before I shampoo my hair, I finger detangle my hair with detangler only. I use the detangler in my signature. I then plait my hair and shampoo in plaits. After I wash the hair, I unplait each plait and comb my hair with a wide toothcomb using leave in and a little more detangler. The dryer my hair gets, the more product I use. That works for me and it makes my hair easy to comb. I always like to finger detangle befpre I use a comb. This is the Chicoro method. I have retained lots more hair this way. I think I have normal porosity.

Thanks a lot that was quite helpful, my hair is still quite short so i can’t really do plaits or twists when i wash and detangle. I do need to finger detangle more, I’m usually out with the comb soon as!
Do you feel the need to rinse your hair once you’ve done the final detangle?

mims - 27 November 2010 01:59 PM

Thanks a lot that was quite helpful, my hair is still quite short so i can’t really do plaits or twists when i wash and detangle. I do need to finger detangle more, I’m usually out with the comb soon as!
Do you feel the need to rinse your hair once you’ve done the final detangle?

I don’t. My hair absorbs most products like a sponge. Even though some parts of my hair will be white from the leave in, (if I use a lot), by the next day, its almost entirely gone.  So I don’y worry about residue. My mum thinks I use to much, but as long as the comb slides through with ease I’m not bothered!  Using this method is the main reason why my hair is the longest it has ever been. It used to just about grow to the bottom of my neck and now the back is almost APL. I’m waiting for the rest to catch up! lol I’ve been using this method since I first transistioned and read Chicoro’s book. I started as soon as a I had a little hair to plait. I would recommend it.

Hey ladies,

    Mims - I saw that video too and was thinking about trying it soon.
I usually section my hair, put some conditoner on each section and finger detangle. I then go through the sections again with a wide tooth comb - I add more conditoner for this bit, just because I find it makes it easier for the comb to go through the tangles I missed previously. Once I have done this I twist the section up - when all my hair is done I rinse it out and add my deep conditoner.

I used to detangle after deep conditoning, but stopped this because I had to use so much of the deep conditoner to comb through. Werent feeling that because I paid a bit for it and more hair seemed to come out :S

I have really porous hair but this seems to work fine for me.
I think I will try out AfricanExports detangling method the next time I co-wash (ive just re watched that video and I cant believe I have only noticed where that quote is from!)

Cool thanks ladies for all your responses. I think I will definitely start finger detangling first but i think i’ll try out africanexports method again, i really liked it and i felt my hair was completely detangled for the first time in a while. Miss natural I definitely think you should try it out it certainly doesn’t hurt, i like to think of it as a hybrid of a pre-poo treatment and detangling. Plus my hair feels really soft after all my wash day process :-D

Thats a good way of thinking of it - and I had been thinking of adding a pre poo to my wash routine! Will give it a try me thinks

hi lovelies!
I prepoo the night before shampooing (with coconut oil cos i hate the smell of olive oil in my hair), i finger detangle as i do that.
Then i just detangle in the shower, it’s a lot easier for me cos my hair gets really loose in the shower.
Yesterday though i did detangle on dry hair, using a homemade detangler, and it went quite ok, but i think i prefer the shower detangling. I think we must try different stuff and then stick with what works for us.
Glad you found something that works well for you Mims!

thanks Jackylou. How did your homemade conditioner go? We’re you able to recreate something epic?

Hi lol ! the conditioner is actually quite good (just talked about it in my Curl diary), i will just adjust the consistency next time, i made it a bit too watery, so i think a bit of guar gum, extra cetyl alcohol and a bit more oils (but light ones like grapeseed oil or japanese camelia oils). hahaha! i am always trying to recreate something, you should see me in action in my kitchen! a mess!

Despite having hair that is super tangled when dry, I’ve found quite a good way to detangle it. 

I think that the key for me, is using a leave in conditioner as part of my styling aid.

I use quite a lot of it before using a bit of gel.

Then, when it comes to washing my hair, I think the water, re-activates the leave-in conditioner.  So I wash it and then use a big dollop of any conditioner I have to hand, and using my fingers, it only takes a few minutes to detangle.

I must say, I tend to use any old shampoo and conditioner going, but I can’t use Treseme, it leaves my hair feeling like straw!

Love
Gizzie

Gizzie - 21 December 2010 09:13 AM

Despite having hair that is super tangled when dry, I’ve found quite a good way to detangle it. 

I think that the key for me, is using a leave in conditioner as part of my styling aid.

I use quite a lot of it before using a bit of gel.

Then, when it comes to washing my hair, I think the water, re-activates the leave-in conditioner.  So I wash it and then use a big dollop of any conditioner I have to hand, and using my fingers, it only takes a few minutes to detangle.

I must say, I tend to use any old shampoo and conditioner going, but I can’t use Treseme, it leaves my hair feeling like straw!

Love
Gizzie

Using a leave-in conditioner is a definite MUST for me too!! and you are right about the water then sort of reactivating it, so detangling is easy (my hair isn’t thick, so my detangling sessions are very quick!).
Love your avatar, your hair is beautiful!!

My hair’s a lot shorter now.  That was taken in the summer.  I’ve had a couple of trims since then, so the curl has sprung up to my shoulders again.  But it’s all good.  It’ll be long again in a couple of months, as the weight makes the curls drop.

But thanks

Gizzie - 22 December 2010 12:37 AM

My hair’s a lot shorter now.  That was taken in the summer.  I’ve had a couple of trims since then, so the curl has sprung up to my shoulders again.  But it’s all good.  It’ll be long again in a couple of months, as the weight makes the curls drop.

But thanks

can’t wait to get to that place again, where i think my hair is too long and needs a cut!

It’s not so much that I ever think my hair is too long, rather, it starts to get really matted, and not at the ends, but where the top layers have grown, and also, flat on top.  I HATE flat on top.  And of course, the tiniest trim makes it spring up.  Literally an inch off makes about 3 or 4 inches to the look of the length of my hair.  It’s a bit infuriating!

Gizzie - 22 December 2010 12:36 PM

It’s not so much that I ever think my hair is too long, rather, it starts to get really matted, and not at the ends, but where the top layers have grown, and also, flat on top.  I HATE flat on top.  And of course, the tiniest trim makes it spring up.  Literally an inch off makes about 3 or 4 inches to the look of the length of my hair.  It’s a bit infuriating!

aawww i can understand that!! doesn’t a good leave-in help with the matting? our hair is quite a bit of work (and love!!) isn’t it?!