The Best Detangling Brushes for Every Hair Type and Texture (2024)

Keeping your hair tangle-free can be a painstaking task, especially if you're using a subpar hairbrush. Whether you have fine, thick, curly, or wavy hair, all that tugging during detangling can cause breakage and damage if not done properly. It's essential not only to focus on the right techniques but also to invest in the best detangling hairbrush suited for your hair type.

According to Mia Santiago, a celebrity hairstylist, "the best detangling brush helps smooth, separate, and define hair, especially curls and waves." Santiago notes that a hairbrush can help promote healthy hair while preventing damage and breakage.

What to consider

Santiago recommends using a detangling hairbrush with flexible bristles, which protect and avoid hair tugging.
When shopping for a detangling brush, consider the following factors.

Bristles: Brushes with widely spaced bristles help cover a large area of the hair with each sweep of the brush, easing out knots. Avoid brushes with bristles that are packed closely together, as this increases the chances of snagging.
Flexibility: Look for brushes with flexible bristles that won't pull on the hair, minimizing tugging and breakage. Bristles with ball tips will massage the scalp. Avoid untipped ones, which can scrape and damage the skin.
Purpose: Identify how you intend to use the brush. What is your goal? Do you want to detangle wet hair? If so, you might want to start off with a wide-toothed comb and then progress to a brush made specifically for wet hair. For added shine, consider a natural bristle brush, which will help distribute the natural sebum on the scalp through the hair.

How we chose

We looked a several factors to help identify the best detangling brushes for you. We consulted an expert hairstylist for their top product picks, looked at the brush's overall design, tried and tested various brands, and read through real customer reviews to narrow down the best-performing brushes available.

From Pattern Beauty and Denman to Wet Brush and Tangle Teezer, there is a variety of brushes that cater to different hair textures and issues, ensuring you find the perfect tool to keep you damage-free. (Don't forget to add a detangling spray to help release tangles and knots even further.) Explore the options below and discover the top detangling brushes that glide through knots effortlessly, making haircare a seamless part of your beauty routine.

This anti-frizz, anti-static brush from Olivia Garden has a curved shape that hugs the scalp for easy detangling, and it has a vented design to help wet hair dry faster. The ergonomic handle makes it comfortable to hold and the brush is lightweight.

This brush from scalp care brand Act + Acre accentuates waves without creating frizz and adds volume to dry hair. You'll appreciate the double-length bristles that work through tangles without pulling or tugging. We also love that it's made from recycled materials and has a cool, vented appearance. Thanks to its double-length nylon bristles, the hairbrush works as a multitasker by serving as a scalp massager, increasing blood circulation, and promoting hair health.

We love Denman brushes for curly hair, but they're great for all hair types. This top-rated option has more than 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. It features a slimmer profile for easy stashing in travel and work bags. The pins are staggered for working through thick, full hair, and it's great for styling, too.

Here's another vented brush to allow your curls to air-dry quickly. The rows are flexible to move with your hair, not against it, thus reducing breakage and frizz. With its eight rows of bristles, the hairbrush will not pull your hair, working its way from the roots to your ends, helping to separate curls with ease.

If you're looking for a detangling paddle brush, Ouidad's will get the job done efficiently. It's great for thick hair, thanks to its long, crimped bristles and staggered bristle pattern. The surface area of the paddle brush is also larger than standard brushes, so you'll be able to brush out your hair more quickly. This hairbrush's unique, funky design lets you create and maintain your natural curl pattern.

Our beauty team recommends this brush from Tracee Ellis Ross's Pattern Beauty. It was created for anyone with curls, coils, and tight textures to add definition and glide through tangles without breaking the hair. Keep it in your shower and use it to distribute a deep conditioner through each section as you detangle post-shampoo.

Santiago recommends this cult-favorite brush from Tangle Teezer. It provides plenty of control and a scalp massage while you're at it. She has thick curls and finds that it's gentle and easy to grip. If you need more convincing, see the 73,000 five-star reviews. While many other brushes on this list have a handle to grip, this one sits nicely in the palm of your hand, giving you more control. Featuring Memory Flex technology, its bristles can glide through wet and dry hair.

Santiago recommends using a detangling brush when your hair is still wet. This brand is ultra-popular and designed for use on wet hair (though you can use it on dry hair, too). It's a gentle and cost-effective option for all hair types. "This has been my go-to for many years," says Oprah Daily beauty director Kate Sandoval Box. "It never rips at or gets stuck in my hair—or my children's hair."

Crown Affair's brushes are as beautiful as they are functional. This is the third brush in the collection, and it's ideal for anyone with thin or fine hair. The boar bristles separate hairs and add volume while distributing healthy oils from root to tip. Reviewers note that it works through fragile, breakage-prone hair without further damage.

If you've got 4C coils, you know you need a brush that's designed specifically for you. And for just $7.99, you can get two, letting you keep one at home and one in your purse. This brush is flexible and features strong, durable, nonslip rubber material with a grippy base for extra control. Reviewers note that it seamlessly untangles without pulling out hair or adding frizz.

If you're scrolling through countless BeautyTok videos, you may have seen this detangling hairbrush from your favorite content creators. It checks all the boxes, especially tackling even the smallest knots and tangles with ease. It's no wonder it's one of the bestselling hair brushes on Amazon.

A large paddle brush is always a great option for detangling. The hairbrush's extended bristles allow it to work deeply without pulling hair. There's just one caveat: The brand recommends keeping the brush vertical when brushing your hair for the best results. It works for all hair types, and its flexible bristles glide through wet or dry hair.

This brush is a great choice for those who embrace and celebrate their natural hairstyle. It has eight rows of flexible teeth and is gentle enough for kinky, curly textures. The brand recommends brushing hair vertically to release tangles and finish off horizontally to define and smooth the hair. With over 34,300 five-star reviews on Amazon, this is quite the crowdpleaser. Reviewers have shared that they've noticed a significant difference in how easy and painless it is to use this hairbrush compared to others.

If you have 4C hair, you know it sometimes needs a little more TLC. It will thank you when you use this detangling hairbrush from Felicia Leatherwood. Featuring flexi-bristles, this will work on 4C, curly, and straight hair. The instructions tell shoppers to start at the end of the hair, grip the section with one hand, and brush it with the other. For any beginners washing and brushing their hair, this brush provides a comfortable grip and tames your tangles and coils in seconds.

This detangling brush checks off every box on our list to detangle, prevent hair breakage, massage the scalp, and style our hair. Featuring short, nylon bristles, this hairbrush is suitable for all hair types, and works well with dry and wet hair.

Don't let its petite size fool you—this small but mighty brush makes light work of tangles. The compact and featherweight design is perfect for your makeup bag or purse and can be used for travel as well as daily use. We love that it feels comfortable and slip-free in our hands.

Reach for this brush in between wash days when your hair is dry and tangly, beauty director, KateSandoval Box says. Its natural boar bristles help distribute the scalp's natural oils down the strands, making them smoother, softer, and shinier. It's also one of the prettiest brushes we've ever seen, and we love that the vintage-y handle design helps with grip. It comes in a few other chic colors as well.

Handmade in Italy, this detangler combines form and function. The faux tortoiseshell tool is not only worthy of display on your bathroom counter but stands up to the challenge of unknotting even the thickest hair thanks to its cone-shaped pins and soft pad. It's the type of brush you can invest in knowing that you'll be able to keep it for years.