The 17 Best Detangling Brushes and Combs That Won't Damage Your Hair

Yes, we love Briogeo's Wide Tooth Detangling Comb because of its ability to detangle, but it also helps distribute products like conditioner and hair masks evenly, if you choose to use it in the shower. Plus, the hook on the handle makes it handy to hang up for easy access. 

The ball-tipped nylon pins on The Hair Edit Smooth & Polish Detangling Brush untangle hair and exfoliate the scalp at the same time. Whether you chose to smooth out your hair while it's wet or dry, we promise the process will be effortless and comfortable. 

The Curl Collective Detangling Brush is a great drugstore pick for folks with curly hair. This Conair pick features a soft grip and flexible bristles that detangle even the thickest hair, knottiest hair. 

Kristin Ess's Wide Tooth Detangling Comb features 20 teeth that gently glide through all of the toughest knots. Not to mention, its rose-gold finish makes it look super eye-catching on any vanity.

By now, we can count on Tangle Teezer to provide us with the tools to get our curls in order, but The Ultimate Detangler, which won a 2018 Best of Beauty Award, is something extra special. You can use it to detangle, and it can be used in the shower to help evenly distribute shampoos, conditioners, and treatments through your strands. Hairstylist Tippi Shorter prefers to detangle with a brush because the bristles have give and movement that unravel knots and tangles. 

We should also mention that here's a reason why we've given the Tangle Teezer The Original four Allure awards. 

How sweet is this? Not only is the macaron-shaped design of this Milk + Sass detangler brush and mirror compact combo Instagram-worthy, but its radial-patterned bristles actually reduce tangles quickly while you're on the go. The Macaron for Hair Detangling Brush even works on kinky hair — Allure editor Jihan Forbes uses this to help detangle her 3C to 4A texture. “It's always loaded with conditioner when I'm done, but it's pretty easy to clean,” she says. "It cuts through those snags ever so gently, plus it looks really cute on my bedside table."

The 2017 Best of Beauty-winning Wet Brush Shower Flex works its way through the toughest of tangles. Allure contributor Sable Yong is a fan of the brush and found that it's the best option to use on her thick, bleached hair. "This brush just glides through my wet mop of hair like a hot knife through butter," she says. "Barely any resistance at all! Almost no hair is left clinging to the bristles — which is the true evidence of breakage." It also comes in eight different colors and makes a cute shower accessory.

In February of 2020, Rihanna's hairstylist Yusef launched a collection of hairbrushes. The Cushion Paddle Brush can detangle any knots your hair may have, and it comes with a little knob at the end to help section or part the hair. Stylist Anthony Dickey loves using the brush because it can work on both damp and dry hair, regardless of texture.

Your favorite place to get a blowout also has pretty much everything you need to keep it looking on point, including a detangling brush. With its flexible bristles, the Drybar Lemon Drop Daily Detangler Brush can be used on wet or dry hair, as well as your extensions. If you're the jet-setting type, you can also get the travel-size version of the brush, which will leave just a little bit more extra room in your carry-on.

The Denman D3 7 Row Classic Styling Brush has long been a go-to detangling tool for many curlistas. But, those with coilier textures often modify the brush by removing every other row of teeth to suit their more tightly-packed curl pattern. Save yourself the work and grab the Denman 5 Row Classic Styling Brush instead.

The Christophe Robin Boar Bristle Detangling Hairbrush might cost a pretty penny, but trust it's worth every cent. The bristles aren't made of plastic or nylon — instead, they're 100 percent natural boar. Its natural hairs are extremely gentle and help control frizz while adding a touch of shine. Plus, it doesn't yank or rip, but rather gently slides through nasty snarls. No wonder it was named an Allure 2017 Best of Beauty winner.

The metal bristles on the Sheila Stotts Removal Brush were designed to make detangling and removing extensions easier, but they also work well at loosening up knots without causing additional breakage on all types of hair. The brush is a "game-changer for natural hair," according to hairstylist Jen Atkin. "The bristles are spaced out so there is less pulling and damage to the strands," she says.

Created by the hair pro responsible for keeping Issa Rae and Skai Jackson so fly, the Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush's wide-spaced flexi-bristles slide through naturally coarse hair without breaking or pulling its delicate strands. But get it while you can — this popular hair savior is often sold out.

The extra-wide spacing between the teeth of the Hercules Sagemann Magic Star Hair Comb is a boon to textured hair. Not to mention, its seamless edge design and rounded teeth won't fray, snag, or tear your hair, allowing it to grow long and healthy with fewer split ends.