Frequently asked questions

Why does my hair get tangled?

Tangles usually occur due to raised hair cuticles (which should lay flat). This can happen due to your natural hair texture, dryness, or environmental stressors like wind, friction from your pillowcase, or pollution—your cuticles can catch on each other like Velcro, Small says, causing tangles. Other factors, like how long your hair is and how much chemical processing your hair has been through, can also play a role in how often your strands knot, he adds.

What does a detangler spray do?

“These treatments work by smoothing the cuticle and adding ‘slip,’ which drastically reduces friction between strands,” Small says. This process makes your hair more manageable while also preventing the breakage that can come with brushing your strands, he explains. Prowant adds that a detangler spray can also stop split ends from developing, hydrate your hair, and make it more elastic. Some can even calm your scalp and provide a protective barrier from heat and UV light, she says.

How do I use a detangler spray?

Small suggests using your detangler spray before you get in the shower, since “hair is at its most durable when it’s dry.” (The motions you go through while washing your hair can actually make any existing knots worse, he adds.) Spritz the product onto dry hair, focusing on the mid-lengths to ends, and brush it through using a wide-tooth comb or a flexible brush, he says, starting at the ends and working your way up. Then, hop in the shower and use your shampoo and conditioner as you normally would. If your detangler spray has heat protection, you can give it another spritz after you step out of the shower, before you style it. For the record, anyone can use a detangler spray, but they’re even more important for people with long or fragile hair, Small says.

Meet the experts

• Jay Small, a hairstylist and cofounder of Arey, based in Los Angeles
• Michele Aquino, a hairstylist based in Riverdale, New York
• Sean Michael, a hairstylist based in Boston
• Vince Spinnato, a cosmetic chemist based in Capistrano Beach, California
• Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Carrie Prowant, a hair-extension specialist and Keranique brand ambassador based in Bettendorf, Iowa
• Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon based in New Jersey

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best detangler sprays, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.