Luxury DIY Detangler Recipe: The BEST Way to Get Rid of Knots

Meet the DIY Detangler Recipe that will have you saying goodbye forever to store-bought ones 

Confession time: you have, at some point, encountered a particularly pesky knot that looked like gum was holding it together, and it made you feel so hopeless you actually considered cutting that chunk of hair off. And you also probably have no memory of how you got out of that mess.

Tangles are common and are also a symptom of hair damage especially in the hair’s outer layer: the cuticles. With lack of moisture, heat damage, excessive color treatment among other things, the cuticles open up and snag, these rough surfaces of the hair get caught in each other and thus become pesky little knots and tangles.

Preventing tangles requires long-term care and an endless loop of injecting moisture in the hair so the cuticles close up and become smooth again. But occasionally, even when we are so careful and so consistent with our routines, we do occasionally end up with some tangling here and there. That is why detangling is also an essential part of hair care routines.

The Importance of Proper, Gentle Detangling

Detangling is a make or break for the hair, almost quite literally. Improper detangling puts your hair at risk of breakage. Forcing your fingers or combing through tangles without detanglers causes friction – and this friction can literally break your cuticles and cause your hair to break, and your hair ends to become brittle. Resistance can also cause your hair to fall if you apply too much force on your pull!

We don’t want that to happen.

To prevent further hair damage, you have to deal with your knots by adding something that will act as a lubricant that decreases friction and resistance and simply let the comb slip through the tangles without excessive force or rubbing.

Now, you have two options when it comes to detanglers: you can buy them in stores as they are now more easily available than ever – but do note that some of these products are friendlier than others and if you’re not so careful, you might end up with more harm than good. Your other option comes in everyone’s favourite fun: DIY!

DIY Hair Detangling Recipe

This DIY recipe is as easy to make as it is to use – not to mention very effective. The ingredients on this recipe are ideal and safe for most hair types, and can keep in the fridge for up to a week. You can also keep it in the freezer for a longer period and thaw out only when you need it.

There are only three ingredients to this recipe:

•         Slippery Elm Powder (1 tbsp)
•         Marshmallow Root Powder (2 tbsp)
•         250 mL distilled water

Procedures:

1. Fill a large pot with the water and turn on to medium heat.
2. Add the powders and mix thoroughly until the powders are completely dissolved.
3. Leave the mixture on the fire and let it boil for 15 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
5. You might get watery jelly consistency or clumps so it is best to strain it before storing in spray bottles.
6. If you’re adding essential oils to your DIY detanglers, avoid getting any of it onto the scalp.
7. Can be used for pre- or post-wash detangling – you don’t need to rinse this one off.

Can it get any easier than that? We are guessing: NOT! Sound off in the comments when you’ve tried this recipe and how it fares against your usual store-bought products! 

Tangles and knots are a common cause for split-end. If you've been struggling with those pesky problems, read this post on how to prevent or remove them effectively.