3 homemade hair detangler recipes

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3 Homemade Hair Detangler Recipes Affiliate Disclosure | in DIY Beauty | by Heather | with 20 Comments Has your mother ever threatened offered to shave your head? Mine has. You guys, this is a woman who didn’t raise her voice when I wrecked her bought-that-very-day car when I was sixteen and made pancakes for my college friends at 2am while we studied. She’s practically a saint, but when I was little, brushing my hair would nearly bring her to her wits

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3 Homemade Hair Detangler Recipes

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Page 1: 3 Homemade Hair Detangler Recipes

3 Homemade Hair Detangler RecipesAffiliate Disclosure | in DIY Beauty | by Heather | with 20 Comments

Has your mother ever threatened offered to shave your head?Mine has. You guys, this is a woman who didn’t raise her voice when I wrecked her bought-that-very-day car when I was sixteen and made pancakes for my college friends at 2am while we studied. She’s practically a saint, but when I was little, brushing my hair would nearly bring her to her wits end. One night, she gently, uh, offered to just shave my head.

Now that I’m a mom, I get it. It’s no fun to watch your daughter shed tears over tangles. We’ve tried different brushes and combs which definitely helped, but it was still something Katie dreaded. Then I remembered the detangler my mom eventually found – YES!

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And nooooooooo. I mean, have you seen the ingredients in those?

Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Benzoate, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trisiloxane, Hydroxyethyl Behenamidopropyl Dimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Ceteth-10, Laureth-4, Parfum

Fortunately, there’s a natural solution that works, and you may already have the ingredients to make it! Or actually make them, because there are several ways to whip up a detangler.

How Detanglers WorkAccording to expert chemist Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., “Although there are many possible ingredients in hair detangler, they all work by altering the surface of your hair. Hair detangler is a type of hair conditioner that smooths your hair by coating it with an oil or polymer and/or by acidifying it so that the hair’s surface tightens up, smoothing the scales on the hair’s outer surface or cuticle and imparting a positive electrical charge to prevent the static that can worsen tangles.” (source)

The first recipes I’m going to share with you are alternatives to the synthetic polymers mentioned by Dr. Helmenstine. The last recipe works using a weak acid (apple cider vinegar) to smooth the cuticle. Though I wish they were, none of these formulas are miracles in a bottle. However, they do make the process easier without leaving hair greasy.

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Marshmallow Root Detangling SprayAs the quote from Dr. Helmenstine I mentioned earlier explains, some detanglers smooth hair by coating them in polymers. Even some DIY detanglers take this approach by using diluted conditioner, which also usually contain polymers.

I’m not a fan of this approach because – as I explained in my post on gelatin masks for strong, shiny hair “this only makes the hair **look** healthy – in reality it’s doing the exact opposite. Silicone blocks moisture from reaching the hair shaft, which can cause strands to become dry and brittle over time.” Other polymers such as dimethicone have similar effects.

Fortunately, there’s a better way to coat the hair – mucilage!

Okay yeah, it’s not a pretty word, but it works. “For hair, mucilage provides the much needed slip for manageable detangling. Water enables the transport of mucilage in between the hair fibers where the slimy consistency makes the strands slippery. By getting in between the strands, mucilage temporary weakens strand cohesion. Without strand cohesion the strands glide past each other easily; allowing for easier separation and removal of shed hair. Aside from mucilage, herbs also come with a plethora of water-soluble minerals and vitamins all of which nourish the hair and sooth the scalp while detangling.” (source)

This stuff works amazingly well, but it smells a little unpleasant. For that reason, I definitely recommend using essential oils with this formula. This recipe is modified from this one at Frugally Sustainable. I just made a few adjustments to lower the pH because it seems to work better for us.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups water 3 tablespoons marshmallow root (find it here, you’ll need less than half an ounce

for this recipe) 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (where to buy apple cider vinegar) 1 ½ teaspoons jojoba oil or olive oil (where to buy jojoba oil, where to buy olive

oil) Up to 30 drops essential oil (optional, see suggestions below)

Using Essential Oils In Your Detangler

Though completely optional, essentials are a wonderful addition to the marshmallow root recipe. Not only do they have properties that benefit hair, they smell amazing. (And since marshmallow root doesn’t smell great, that’s a huge plus.)

Here are some options that are safe for kids over two:

Lemon essential oils smells amazing, and is helpful for balancing oily hair. Depending on how much you use and how often it may lighten your hair – some

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people use it to create natural-looking highlights. (where to buy lemon essential oil)

Patchouli and tea tree  also have astringent properties which are beneficial for oily hair (where to buy patchouli, where to buy tea tree essential oil)

Chamomile and lavender are helpful for dry hair (where to buy chamomile, where to buy lavender)

To Make

Add marshmallow root and water to a small pot and bring to boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for another 15-20 minutes, then strain using cheesecloth. Add essential oils and oil to the vinegar and allow to sit for a few minutes, then stir vigorously. Add the marshmallow root to the vinegar mixture and pour into a spray bottle.

To Use

Shake well before using. Spritz onto dry or wet hair, then comb through. I think the thicker gel works better, so I just spray in the stream setting and then smooth over the hair. Allow the detangler to soak into the hair for 1-2 minutes, then comb through.

Shelf Life

Store in the refrigerator. Because it doesn’t not contain any preservatives, I make small batches and use within four to six weeks.

Homemade Flax Seed Hair DetanglerThis recipe is great because it uses ingredients that are easily accessible. I don’t think it works quite as well as the marshmallow root recipe above, but if you need something asap it’s a great option.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon flax seed 1 ½ cups water 1 ½ teaspoons jojoba or olive oil (where to buy jojoba oil, where to buy olive

oil) 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (where to buy apple cider vinegar) Up to 30 drops essential oil (optional – see suggestions listed above under the

marshmallow root recipe)

To Make

Add seeds and water to a small pot and bring to boil, then reduce to medium heat and allow the seeds to continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat and strain seeds through a fine mesh sieve or a pair of pantyhose, then stir in oil. If you are adding essential oils, add them to the apple cider vinegar and allow them to sit for a few minutes, then stir vigorously. Pour apple cider vinegar into the flax gel/oil

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mixture.Allow the mixture to set in the fridge so you can tell what the final consistency is. If it’s too gel-like to be used in a spray bottle, dilute as needed. Place liquid in a spray bottle.

To Use

Spritz onto dry or wet hair, then comb through. If the mixture is too thick it will spray as a stream rather than a mist. I think the thicker gel works better, so I just spray in the stream setting and then smooth over the hair. Allow the detangler to soak into the hair for 1-2 minutes, then comb through.

Shelf Life

Store in the refrigerator. Because it doesn’t not contain any preservatives, I make small batches and use within two to three weeks.

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Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Detangler

Ingredients

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (where to buy apple cider vinegar) 1/3  cup distilled water (or water that has been boiled and cooled) 1 teaspoon jojoba or olive oil (where to buy jojoba oil, where to buy olive oil) Up to 30 drops essential oil (optional – see suggestions listed above under the

marshmallow root recipe)

Using Essential Oils In Your Detangler

Though completely optional, essentials are a wonderful addition to the apple cider vinegar recipe. Not only do they have properties that benefit hair, they smell amazing. (And for those who don’t love the smell of vinegar, that can be a huge plus.)

Here are some options that are safe for kids over two:

Lemon essential oils smells amazing, and is helpful for balancing oily hair. Depending on how much you use and how often it may lighten your hair – some people use it to create natural-looking highlights. (where to buy lemon essential oil)

Patchouli and tea tree  also have astringent properties which are beneficial for oily hair (where to buy patchouli, where to buy tea tree essential oil)

Chamomile and lavender are helpful for dry hair (where to buy chamomile, where to buy lavender)

To Make

If you’re using essential oils, add them to the apple cider vinegar allow it to sit for a few minutes. Add the oil and stir vigorously, then add the water. I use 1/3 cup because we have hard water. Hard water is alkaline and therefore counteracts the acidity of the apple cider vinegar (ACV) – for that reason I keep the concentration of ACV pretty high in my solution. You may find that a more diluted version works well for you – add water as needed.

To Use

This recipe works best as a leave-in conditioner applied after shampoo. Shake well before using then spritz thoroughly onto hair. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes, then comb through using a wide-tooth comb.

Shelf Life

I have never had a batch go bad, but because it doesn’t contain any preservatives I store mine in the fridge and use within four to six weeks.

Do you have a detangling tip? Please share it below!

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about the author: Heather

Hi, I'm Mommypotamus. My mission is to help you put delicious, healthy meals on the table, find effective natural remedies for common complaints, make your own fuss-free personal care and home products, and save time and money in the process.

» DIY Beauty » 3 Homemade Hair Detangler Recipes

20 Responses to 3 Homemade Hair Detangler Recipes

1. Amanda

April 7, 2015 at 1:31 pm

Just when I was thinking about buying some J&J detangled for my toddlers fine, curly locks, this popped up on my newsfeed on Facebook. Yay! Can’t wait to make it! The flaxseed recipe reminded me of my aunts talking years ago. Apparently, they used to cook the flaxseeds and strain the gel out and used it to set their hair in curlers back in the day.

Reply

2. Bailee

April 7, 2015 at 2:20 pm

Hi Heather! I love your blog and articles! I have one question for you and it is

completely off-topic, but please bear with me Your daughter looks super cute on the pictures and I noticed her teeth. This reminded me of a question I wanted to ask for very long, do you think that your daughter is on the track to get straight teeth without braces?If not, are you considering any jaw widening?Thank you!Bailee

Reply

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o Heather

April 7, 2015 at 9:59 pm

I am hoping to write about that in the next few months!

Reply

o Karen

August 12, 2015 at 11:15 pm

Bailee,I thought this was a hair blog,not a teeth/jaw blog? Maybe you know something I don’t about teeth but ,I think her daughter has a beautiful smile and I didn’t even notice the spaces which is what makes her unique and who she is! Now, back to the reason I am here. I love the essential oil recipe. I only need to use a little bit ,it works wonders for my tangled hair!

Reply

3. Becky

April 8, 2015 at 11:45 am

These are great! I’ve always wondered what would be a viable option! My daughter gets the worst tangles!

Reply

4. Debra Devaney

April 8, 2015 at 1:26 pm

Can i use this on dyed hair?. I used to use ACV all the time. As I aged I started coloring my hair to cover the gray. I was told that if I use ACV on colored/dyed hair it would strip the color. Is that true?

Reply

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5. Tammy

April 8, 2015 at 6:02 pm

Would love to try this on my daughters hair. I order through our Frontier co-op and they carry both the marshmallow root powder and the cut & sifted root. Your link to mountain rose looks like the cut & sifted roots but I wanted to be sure before I ordered.Thanks!Tammy

Reply

6. Diana

April 9, 2015 at 2:59 pm

I really need this for my almost 8 year old!!Just curious Heather, is plant therapy the brand that you now recommend for essential oils?Thanks!

Reply

7. Zonya

April 9, 2015 at 4:57 pm

I’m in the process of making your flax seed recipe. It calls for 2 tsp. of ACV, followed by 3 Tablespoons ACV. Can you clarify?

Reply

o Heather

April 9, 2015 at 8:15 pm

So sorry, “2 teaspoons” is a typo – not sure how it got there! It should just be three tablespoons.

Reply

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8. Dr. Deborah @ PeriodCrampsRelief.com

April 9, 2015 at 6:37 pm

From the pictures, it looks like you & your daughter have straight/smooth hair. Wonder if you know anyone who’s tried one of these not as a detangler, but for de-frizz on a curly-haired head? It’s somewhat similar to the homemade mixture I’ve been using on my (adult) hair – water, glycerin, jojoba oil, a few drops of lavender e.o., which I spray on my hair before gently drying. Which is a very *simple* process, and works reasonably well to control some amount of my natural frizz. Have heard the flax-seed recipe works great for curls, so I might try one of yours out for my own hair. If you happen to have heard of someone who’s tried it for that purpose, I’d love to hear!

Blessings,Dr. Deborah

Reply

9. AroundTheHair

April 13, 2015 at 7:11 pm

These recipes look great! I will definitely have to try them out for myself. My hair is rather fine but it still tangles quite a bit after I wash it, and even when I swim or am outside for a bit. Thanks for sharing!

Reply

10. Kim

April 16, 2015 at 8:39 pm

Hi Heather, I was just wondering what your thoughts were on using glycerin in hair products? I haven’t used it in years, then just recently a natural shampoo I bought had it in and I didn’t realise, then wondered why my hair was so incredibly silky smooth!!?! I checked the ingredients and realized it must be the glycerin. I’ve done a bit of research on it but most people seem to feel it’s fairly harmless. I am concerned, however, not in the safety of using it, but what it’s doing to my hair. It feels like its coating it and I don’t know if that’s a long term bad thing to be doing to me hair? Do you have any further insight into this? Cheers,Kim

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Reply

11. Melissa

April 20, 2015 at 7:59 pm

Made the Marshmallow one for my 1 year old daughter’s unruly curly hair and IT WORKED! thank you! I used lavender 10 drops and since we co-sleep I find

we all drift off to sleep nicely thanks!

Reply

12. Jalynn

April 26, 2015 at 3:27 am

I want to put a preservative in mine, as I don’t use up hair products that often (my current bottle of hair detangler is probably 2 years old!) that being said, is there a certain preservative that would work best for the marshmallow root detangler recipe? Thanks!

Reply

13. Michele

May 7, 2015 at 8:32 pm

Hi Heather! Just a quick question about the marshmallow root – are you using chopped root or powdered? I have powdered marshmallow root in my stash and I was wondering if it would be possible to use that?

– Michele

Reply

o Heather

May 7, 2015 at 8:36 pm

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I use chopped. Powdered work as well, but I’m not exactly sure what to recommend in terms of recipe/method changes.

Reply

14. Kathy

May 26, 2015 at 7:38 pm

The only problem was it made my hair smell really strong because I used peppermint smell.

Reply

15. Nancy

June 24, 2015 at 2:03 pm

I tried the marshmallow and the flax on my hair (which is very fine and tends toward the oily side), and they both made my hair incredibly soft and silky. So, I tried them on my daughter’s hair and both of them made her hair (which is quite fine and on the dry side) dry and almost crunchy — strange, almost like dry, crunchy, but oily hay. And it became incredibly knotty and generally, a big tangly mess for next 4 or 5 washes (which I did with our regular shampoo, which is Aveda). Any ideas on what happened? It worked so great for me. I’ve been looking for a more natural shampoo and conditioner, but have had no luck with her hair.

Reply

16. Joslin

July 30, 2015 at 4:27 pm

Great ideas and information here! I plan to make up a batch soon for myself. My hair is mostly super-fine but there’s a lot of it so it tangles like crazy.

Suggestion: Yarrow is highly beneficial to hair and gentle enough for babies. It strengthens the hair shaft and roots and encourages strong growth. Consider steeping yarrow in place of the marshmallow root in that recipe? I will try it for mine.

Also, I know Rosemary is great for strengthening hair and revitalizing the scalp, plus the extract is a natural preservative. I was thinking of possibly using a little

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Extract of Rosemary or pure vitamin E for a natural preservative to considerably lengthen the shelf-life. Have you tried either of these to know if there’s a consistency issue to be aware of or compensate for?

Reply