DIY Hair Detangler
Last Updated on January 17, 2023
Don't waste your money on store-bought hair detanglers! In just a few minutes you can make your own DIY detangler spray that smells better, costs less, and helps tame your kids' crazy bedhead. Three simple ingredients are all it takes to make your own homemade hair detangler that will make brushing your kids' hair easier!
This easy tutorial is for all of you who have kids, particularly girls. My sweet girls both have long-ish hair that gets tangled when we wash it during bath time and cringe when we brush their hair after bath. And don't even get me started on the crazy bedhead they wake up with–talk about knots!
We started using detangler and I quickly became sick and tired of buying expensive detangler spray that did not work well and smelled bad. I finally decided to make some of my own and it is absolutely AMAZING. Best of all, it is so, so easy to make. I am sharing my easy hair detangler recipe with you so you can make your own batch!
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How to Make Detangler Spray That Works!
Supplies needed
- Squirt bottle (any will do–but I like having 2 bottles on hand so this 3 pack is perfect)
- Conditioner (any kind you like is fine)
- Warm water
- Essential oil of your choice (I typically use lavender)
Steps
Step 1: Put 2–3 tablespoons of your favorite conditioner in your spray bottle.
Step 2: Fill up the spray bottle the rest of the way with warm water.
Step 3: Add 2–3 drops of your essential for the scent you like. I used lavender essential oil in the one we use after their bath so that it also helps calm my girls into a peaceful sleep at night! They LOVE how it smells.
Step 4: Shake.
Step 5: Spritz on wet or dry hair. It works equally well on both! We use it after bath time for tangles in wet clean hair AND in the morning, to tame that crazy bedhead.
That's it! As promised, it's so easy! It works fabulously and never leaves my girls' hair feeling heavy or greasy. And it certainly makes brushing their hair a more pleasant experience for all of us. No more, “ouch Mom, you're hurting my hair!” Now it's just, “that smells good! Spray me again!” Happy kids, happy mom.
I make two bottles and leave one upstairs for after bath time and one downstairs for mornings. That way we don't have to run up and downstairs and we can make easily make it part of our kids' morning routine. I love family efficency life hacks that make our life with kids easier, and this hair detangler is definitely one!
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I’m definitely going to give this a try, Thanks for sharing 😊
My pleasure!
Just another idea here! You could also use tea tree oil and that would be some added protection against lice as they don’t like tea tree oil. Maybe a mixture of that and lavender or another scent that will pair well with tea tree oil.
Thanks for the idea! Hoping (knock on wood) we don’t have to deal with lice ever!
This is a great idea! But, have you tried “Suave Kids” green apple detangler spray? I, as an adult, use it often, even on dry hair that has that fried look. ☺
Yes I have used it Michele it world absolutely amazing ?
I found it very easy and effective way. Me and my daughter are very happy that this problem have been solved. Thanks for sharing!!
Yay, Charoula! So glad to hear that!
My hair gets really bad knots in it so I can’t wait to try this out – thanks for sharing!
I just bought two bottles of detangler at the store tonight (my daughter has beautiful curly hair and loves to tangle). Perhaps I’ll return them and try this instead! Thank you so much!
My pleasure, Erin!
your daughters are soo cute n also I cant wait to try this detangler myself. But the conditioner do you need leave-in conditioner or the regular one
Hi Diya! Thank you. Just regular conditioner is what we use! Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for the recipe, my daughter loves having long hair “like Rapunzel” but every “brush time” is a battle! I’m going to try this! How long can you keep it?
Hi Amel! It shouldn’t expire. One bottle lasted us about 3 months. I hope that helps!
thank you so much! I’m trying this tonight!
do you have to use the essential oils, or are they just for scent?
Hi Pinkie! The essential oils are just for aromatherapy benefits and to help my girls sleep peacefully at night. The detangler will still work perfectly well without them. I hope that helps!
This is excellent ,I buy a detangling spray with peppermint and tea tree oil in it to deter headlice. (DD has lovely long hair and is still at that age where headlice are common in school). I love the idea of this.
GREAT idea! When my girls’ start school, I will definitely keep that in mind!
I AM GOING TO TRY IT TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOUNDS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT serioulsy works thanks SOOOO much and can u cooconut oil as a esential oil???
You are so welcome, Rachel! Not all plants make essential oils. Coconut oil is not an essential oil, but I often use it as a carrier oil WITH essential oils to make them easier to spread or to dilute the essential oils with. I hope that helps!
In this small of a quantity it probably wouldn’t matter, but a good citrus essential oil will eat plastic so if you have issues you might want to switch to something that isn’t citrus based.
Great idea Tasha! I’ll be sure to share that with my friends and the rest of our family!!
My hairdresser told me when my twins were just toddlers to stop buying expensive detangling spray and make my own. We’ve been doing it for about four years now, and it works great with their long hair. I don’t put essential oil in mine though, just water and conditioner, so I’m definitely going to do that next time! Our spray bottle even looks exactly like yours but pink!! Great mom hack, thanks for sharing!
This is awesome! I’m currently taking care of my two granddaughters and the oldest, 7, has lovely, thick, curly, long hair that really gets tangled! I do comb the conditioner through her hair in the shower and that really makes it much easier to brush after the shower and the next morning as well (don’t you just LOVE bedhead??). Since I know my SIL will not do this, I will make sure she has some in her bathroom before I leave for home.
I needed this! I love the smell of lavender and this would be perfect for right before bed. Thanks so much for a great idea!