This Natural Detangler is simple and easy to use! You’ll love the fact that it only has three ingredients!
Do you have hair that tangles? Or do you have a child that has hair that tangles and gets knots? I have an easy, all-natural detangler recipe for you! This DIY hair detangler also doubles as a leave-in conditioner!
My toddler has really fine, curly hair that if not combed thoroughly and often, it gets tons of knots in it. It takes about 20 minutes to comb her hair with all of her curls and tiny knots. Being a toddler and all, having her hair combed is not her favorite thing to do. I personally would be thrilled if someone offered to comb my hair every day! My daughter just doesn’t know what she’s missing out on yet. 😉
Anyway, she has long hair and I had been snipping off pieces, whenever I couldn’t get the knots out. It was starting to look quite on even. I decided that it was time to use some detangler.
I took a look at some commercial detanglers for kids when I was at the store and I found ingredients like these:
WATER, GLYCERIN, AMODIMETHICONE, PPG-2 METHYL ETHER, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, POLYQUATERNIUM-11, FRAGRANCE/PARFUM, POLYSORBATE 80, DISODIUM EDTA, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, CITRIC ACID, CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, TRIDECETH-12, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE.
 I am not willing to spray my sweet babe’s head with all of this god-knows what. I am imagine you aren’t either! So, I decided to get experimenting and create something simple that will work. I came up with this 3 ingredient concoction and it’s been working like a charm.
As I comb her hair, if I get stuck on a knot, I spray this right on to the knot and I am able to detangle it immediately. She does have fine, curly hair, so I am not sure how well this will work for thicker, curly hair. You might need to add more apple cider vinegar to the recipe and more lavender. If you try it for thicker hair, please come back and let us know!
Apple Cider Vinegar:
Apple cider vinegar flattens the hair surface, allowing a comb or brush to glide easily through the hair. It also reduces frizz and it is a natural conditioner!
Lavender Essential Oil:
This ingredient does more than just make your spray smell nice. It is also softening and helps condition the hair. Learn more about which essential oils I use and recommend HERE.
Distilled water:
I also recommend working with distilled water when making skincare products because it cuts down the chance that you’ll introduce a contaminant to your recipe. Your recipe will last much longer with distilled water.
Homemade Detangler
Equipment:
2 ounce glass spray bottle (like this one)
Small funnel (I use this one)
Ingredients
1.5 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar (I use this organic, raw kind)
5 drops Lavender essential oil (find 100% pure essential oils here)
Distilled water (you can find this at any grocery store)
- Using your funnel, add your apple cider vinegar and lavender essential oil to your glass spray bottle. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes.
- Fill the rest of your bottle with distilled water. Shake to mix up the ingredients.
- After you wash your hair, spray the detangler all over your hair as a leave-in conditioner. Or use it to get knots out, while you comb your hair.
*Note: This recipe was developed using Young Living Essential Oils. I have found that store bought oils are not as potent, so you may need to increase the drops of essential oils.
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Natural Home Detangler
Ingredients
- 1.5 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 5 drops Lavender essential oil
- Distilled water
Instructions
- Using your funnel, add your apple cider vinegar and lavender essential oil to your glass spray bottle. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes.
- Fill the rest of your bottle with distilled water. Shake to mix up the ingredients.
- After you wash your hair, spray the detangler all over your hair as a leave-in conditioner. Or use it to get knots out, while you comb your hair.
Do you make any natural skincare or hair products that you love? If so, tell us about them in the comments!
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Hi Arsy! So excited that you posted this. I just got my YL essential oils the other day and am loving it so far. This detangler would be perfect for my kids hair. Quick question, does it have to be a glass bottle? Thanks!
Hi Lizette! That’s so exciting! With citrus oils, I always recommend using glass, since they can deteriorate the plastic. But, lavender should be fine in a plastic bottle. I hope that helps!
Do you know if this is safe to use on color-treated hair?? My hair is SO knotty, and I’d love a “cleaner” alternative! Thanks!
I am pretty sure it is, Megan! But, you might want to try a small patch first. My hair is dyed with Henna which is a little different.
apple cider vinegar for the win again! my hair is a MESS when I get out of the shower. i feel like i’m always breaking my hair strands when i comb through it! i’ll have to try this!
Can’t wait to try this! !!!
This detangler looks great! Just thought I’d let you know about an amazing comb/brush called “The Tangle Teaser”. I bought mine at a Sally’s Beauty Supply outlet, but I saw Target also carried them and they are actually cheaper there. I have fine hair almost to my waist and this brush has saved me the knots I used to get. I have Hashimoto’s so my hair breaks easily and also is prone to falling out. This beauty is a real gem! My hairdresser recommended it and so did Isabella Wentz. I would be lost without it now – I think you and your daughter will really love it.
Awesome! Thank you! 🙂
I use a similar recipe for my two girls, they were resistant at first because it “smells like stinky throw up” (?) but after realizing how well it works they ask for me to use it. Win! I do use an ACV rinse for them after shampooing so a lot of times we don’t even need to detangle afterwards, just comb it out in the shower and rinse off the stinky! 😉
We have a filter that also alkalises the water, could I use this water
You can! Filtered water works fine. Distilled water just helps the product last longer, although I’ve never had anything go bad, when I use filtered water. I just like to error on the side of caution when I share a recipe.