Hair Detangler Styling Products

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This hair detangler guide contains styling product options in what I consider the “best-better-bad-worst” categories as well as the explanation as to why they belong there.ย  Some of the safest, in my opinion, hair detangler options are:

For more information and product options, read below.

More info

The selection of the BEST detanglers (aka the SAFEST, in my opinion) is based on a survey of 34 hair detangler styling products requested by my large social media audience. Specifically, I organized all the products and their ingredients in a spreadsheet, analyzed them, and grouped them into categories.

Below are the tables with ten BEST products, six BETTER ones, fifteen BAD detanglers, and three WORST ones.  In addition, I have included a table with the explanation of concerning ingredients at the bottom of this post.

BEST Hair Detangler Styling Products

California Baby Calming Hair Detangler
Evolvh SmartCurl Leave-In Conditioner Use the IREAD15 code for 15% off (read my review on Evolvh products here)
Evolvh SmartStart Leave-In Conditioner Use the IREAD15 code for 15% off
Evolvh SmartVolume Leave-In Conditioner Use the IREAD15 code for 15% off
Honest Co. Conditioning Detangler, Everyday Gentle – Sweet Orange Vanilla
Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner Read my review on Innersense hair care products here
John Master’s Organics Leave-in Conditioning Mist with Green Tea & Calendula
Pure Haven Supergreens Detangler Use the PURE15 code. Read my review on Pure Haven products here
T is for Tame Hair Taming & Detangling Spray

 

BETTER Detanglers

Product Concern
Alba Botanica More Moisture Leave-In Conditioning Mist ⚠️Limonene

⚠️Myroxylon Pereirae (Balsam Peru) Oil

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

⚠️Retinyl Palmitate

Attitude Little Leaves™ Kids Hair Detangler ⚠️Dimethyl Heptena
Briogeo Aloe + Oat Milk Fragrance-Free Hypoallergenic Detangling Spray ⚠️Too many different preservatives
Honest Co. Conditioning Detangler, Gently Nourishing – Sweet Almond ⚠️Phenoxyethanol

⚠️Limonene

Olyin Handmade Oh My Glide! Prestyling Detangler ⚠️Phenoxyethanol
Poofy Organics Citrus Coconut Leave-In Conditioner ⚠️Natural flavors (ingredients are not disclosed)

 

BAD Hair Detangler Styling Products

Product Concern
Amika The Wizard Detangling Hair Primer ❌Cyclopentasiloxane

❌Fragrance

Aveda Nutriplenish™ Leave-in Conditioner ❌Ethoxylated (Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil)

❌Fragrance

Babo Botanicals Smoothing Berry Primrose Leave-In Conditioning Spray ❌Fragrance
Child’s Farm Hair Detangler Grapefruit & Tea Tree

 

⚠️Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool

❌Fragrance

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

Davines OI All in One Leave-In Hydrating Hair Milk Spray to Reduce Frizz

 

❌Cyclopentasiloxane

❌Ethoxylated (e.g., Trideceth-5, Trideceth-12)

❌Fragrance

Fairy Tales Tangle Tamer® Static Free Kids Detangling Spray ❌Fragrance
Kevin Murphy UNTANGLED

 

⚠️Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool

⚠️Chlorphenesin

❌Cyclopentasiloxane

❌Ethoxylated (e.g., Sodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer)

❌Fragrance

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

Monat UNKNOT DETANGLER Infused with REJUVENIQE S™

 

❌Fragrance

⚠️Limonene, Linalool

Not Your Mother’s Tahitian Gardenia Flower & Mango Butter Detangler Curl Definition

 

❌Ethoxylated (PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Ethylhexanoate)

❌Fragrance

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

Original Sprouts Miracle Detangler ❌Fragrance
Pacifica Coconut Milk Detangle Elixir ❌Parfum
Raw Sugar Kids Kids Detangler Banana + Coconut Milk

 

❌Fragrance

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Kids Extra-Moisturizing Detangler ❌Fragrance
Tubby Todd Hair Detangler

 

❌Ethoxylated Ingredient (Polysorbate 80)

❌Fragrance

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

Unite 7 Seconds Detangler

 

⚠️Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool

❌Butylphenyl Methylpropional

❌Ethoxylated Ingredient (Trideceth-12)

❌Fragrance

⚠️Phenoxyethanol

 

WORST Detanglers

Product Concern
It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In ❌Cyclopentasiloxane

❌Fragrance

❌Parabens

Paul Mitchell The Detangler ❌Ethoxylated (Bisamino PEG/ PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone)

❌Fragrance

❌Methylisothiazolinone

❌Synthetic Dyes (Orange 4, Yellow 5)

Revlon UniquOne Uniqone™ Hair Treatment ❌Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

❌Cyclopentasiloxane

❌Parfum

❌Parabens

⚠️Propylene Glycol

 

CONCERNING INGREDIENTS

Ingredient

❌- high to medium concern

⚠️- low concern

Cause for Concern
⚠️Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Dimethyl Heptena, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool Fragrance components, potential allergens (more here)
❌Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane Under assessment as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (ECHA)
❌Butylphenyl Methylpropional Potential allergen and toxic to reproduction (ECHA)
⚠️Chlorphenesin Suspected of being persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (ECHA) (more here)
❌Cyclopentasiloxane Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to the environment; may be contaminated with cyclotetrasiloxane (more here)
❌Ethoxylated Ingredients (-eth, Polysorbates, PEGs) Potential contamination with carcinogenic substances (more here)
❌Fragrance (Parfum) and Natural Fragrance Undisclosed ingredients; may interfere with the endocrine system, cause allergies, and increase the risk of cancer (more here)
❌Methylisothiazolinone Potential allergen/sensitizer (more here)
⚠️Myroxylon Pereirae (Balsam Peru) Oil Potential allergen (source)
❌Parabens (e.g., Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben) Linked to endocrine disruption (source)
⚠️Phenoxyethanol Potential allergen (more here)
⚠️Propylene Glycol May cause allergic and irritant contact dermatitis (source)
⚠️Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) May have photo-carcinogenic effects (more here)
❌Synthetic Dyes (Orange 4, Yellow 5) Unnecessary, potentially allergenic, potentially made with petroleum and potential heavy metal contaminants (more here)