4 Steps to Detangle a Dreadlocked Mane or Tail

1. If the mat is caked with mud or infused with dirt, you will want to wash the hair first. Use Cowboy Magic® Rosewater Shampoo to gently dissolve away the dirt. The shampoo is concentrated, so it only takes a small amount to thoroughly clean the hair. The silk conditioners in the formula act as a pre-treatment to help soften the hair and loosen the knot. But don’t worry about trying to detangle the hair just yet. You need to thoroughly clean and condition the hair first.

2. The next step is to condition the knot with Cowboy Magic® Rosewater Conditioner, which acts to demineralize the hair. Massage the conditioner into the knot to dissolve mineral buildup and moisturize the hair. For best results, allow the conditioner to sit for a minute or two, and then rinse.

3. The knot is still there, of course, but now it is clean and conditioned, so you can begin to detangle it. Apply a small amount of Cowboy Magic® Detangler & Shine™ to the knot. Massage it into the hair with your fingers. The Detangler & Shine™ will feel silky on your hands. That’s because the alcohol-free formula contains silk proteins and panthenol. Using just your fingers, begin loosening the tangled hair from the very bottom of the knot. Continue to add small amounts of the detangler as you separate the hair. Do not use a comb to try to untangle the hair, and don’t start at the top of the knot, as this will only tighten it and break the hairs. 

4. Continue to work from the bottom up until you have separated the hairs. Once you can run your fingers through the hair, you can use a large-toothed comb to smooth it. Again, start from the bottom and comb out small sections at a time. Work your way up until you can run the comb through the hair from the roots to the ends without catching a snag.