Your child gets out of the shower or wakes up from sleeping and once again, they have a matted mess of tangled hair. You are not alone! Most parents struggle with getting their girls to wake up and just have perfectly smooth hair with no knots in sight.

Finding the perfect kids detangler can solve the problem, but they’re so many options out there on the market that claim to give you straight hair with no tangles, no knots… and no crying! So how do you know which is the best?

That’s why I decided to test out five different detanglers and give you my insights on which ones truly work the best for pain-free detangling.

How to Keep Hair from Tangling

Before we get to my kids’ detangler reviews, let’s talk about a few other ways you can prevent major knots and tangles in your child’s hair. These tips will get to the source of the problem and keep hair from tangling in the first place.

1. Don’t Skip the Conditioner

Conditioner smooths the hair cuticle and restores moisture to hair strands after washing.

Gently massage conditioner into the ends of your hair (avoid the scalp, especially if oily hair is a problem). Then carefully comb the conditioner through the ends of the hair with your fingers to gently remove larger tangles. Let the conditioner for 1-3 minutes if desired and then rinse.

2. Try a Silk Pillowcase

Tossing and turning all night can wreak havoc on our hair! If your child wakes up with a hair full of knots, a silk pillowcase may be the best option to keep hair from tangling while they sleep.

Silk is smooth and less likely to catch onto hair strands, so a silk pillowcase is far more gentle on the hair than a regular one. Just be sure to invest in a genuine silk pillowcase, as there are a lot of cheap knockoffs on the market. 

3. Use a Wet Brush

Hair is at its weakest when it’s wet, so it’s essential to use the right brush when detangling wet hair. A wet brush is a hairbrush that’s specifically designed to detangle wet hair without causing unnecessary breakage. If you don’t have a wet brush, a wide-tooth comb is your next best option for damp hair.

4. Brush the Ends First

When brushing your child’s hair, start by brushing the bottom 3-4 inches of hair first. Once that’s been detangled, brush the bottom 7-8 inches of hair and so on until you can smoothly brush the hair from top to bottom.

By brushing the ends of the hair first, you can keep hair from tangling as you brush. This prevents large, tangled knots from forming and is a much less painful way to brush, too.

My Kids Detangler Reviews

We tested 5 budget-friendly detanglers for kids under $15! They were tested two days apart after shower time and were followed by shampoo and conditioner. We took into consideration if they got the job done and also how they smell.

Detanglers for Kids

We tested 5 budget-friendly detanglers for kids under $15! They were tested two days apart after shower time and were followed by shampoo and conditioner. We took into consideration if they got the job done and also how they smell.

Smell Test: 1 (not so good) and 5 (it smells great)

Aussie Kids Detangler 

This detangler was by far our favorite. After my daughter took her shower we sprayed her hair all over to coat. We were able to get out all tangles with a normal brush.

Smell Test: 5 for both of us

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SoCozy Detangler

This detangler was light and the smell was on point. Unfortunately, it did not do it's job. My daughter still had tangles and knots left in her hair after use.

Smell Test: 5 for both of us

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Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Conditioning Spray

Fairy Tales has a detangler but I did not purchase it. We tried the conditining spray and unfortunately it was probably the worst product out of all five of them. However, it's worth keeping around if it helps deter lice away from hair.

Smell Test: Olivia 2 and Mom 3

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Not Your Mother's Detangler

This detangler came in second place on getting the job done. Not only can it be used on kids, but adults will like it as well. You can also purchase this detangler in different scents.

Smell Test: Olivia 5 and Mom 4

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Suave Kids

Suave kids is another low budget option to getting tangles out for your kids. I'd say this product came in second place along with Not Your Mother's. It got the job done and only took minimal tugging with a brush.

Smell Test: Olivia 3 and Mom 4

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Do you have a favorite kids detangler?

Have you tried any of the kid’s detangler options in this post? Do you have any tips to keep hair from tangling in the first place? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!