It Takes Two To Tangle: My Review Of Popular Detanglers

The key to growing long, thick manes and tails is to keep them clean, moisturized and detangled. A good diet, hair growth supplements and good hair genes also play a part. But for this post I am going to focus on how to avoid tangles, that can tear out precious strands of hair. I try to wash all of my horses manes and tails at least once a week using extra moisturizing shampoo/conditioner and hair masks. However, that can be tricky in the winter. I recently began using a detangler to help keep strands soft and tangle free between washings.

Detanglers work by smoothing the hair shaft, so hair is less likely to build up friction and stick to other strands of hair and therefore get less tangly. Hair detanglers smooth the hair by coating it with an oil or polymer and/or by acidifying it so that the hair's surface tightens up, smoothing the scales on the hair's outer surface and imparting a positive electrical charge to prevent the static that can worsen tangles. Most detanglers share many of the same ingredients but can also give different results.

The past few weeks I have been conducting an experiment between 2 popular and 1 new-to-the-market detanglers to see which works the best. I washed each horse’s mane and tail with the same shampoo and conditioner and then applied a different detangler to each horse, comparing and contrasting how each detangler worked. I was surprised at how well all three detanglers worked and some were better than others based on each horse’s hair.

Cowboy Magic Detangler and Shine:

This one has been on the market forever and is a groom tote staple for many horse owners. I used it many years ago and found it greasy, oily and not great but I am happy to report that this newer version is wonderful. I used this on Scout and Tiger and that evening their tails were so soft and shiny, allowing my fingers to glide thru the hair with no snags. Scout has a thin tail that tangles easily and Tiger has a very thick, coarse tail. Even days after, their tails stayed soft, tangle-free and super easy to brush. The detangler did not turn greasy or attract dust or dirt. The following week I switched and used this on Dreamer and Shooter and had very similar results, soft, shiny, easy-to-brush hair. It seemed very helpful using on the ends of Dreamer’s mane throughout the week to keep knots away.

Cowboy Magic achieves all this by using dimethicone (a type of silicon that smooths and binds the cuticles to the hair strand) panthenol (strengthens hair, retains moisture and improves damaged hair) and hydrolyzed silk (supplies the hair with strengthening new keratin protein). Not only does this detangler keep hair tangle free, it also works to fortify, improve and strengthen. Definitely a winner in my book.

EQyss Survivor Super Detangler:

I used this on Dreamer’s mane and tail and was blown away how unbelievably soft and shiny his hair was after it dried. His blonde mane glistened in the sun and my fingers just slid right thru silken strands of hair. He has a long mane but it is pretty thin and can tangle easily and this detangler kept his mane virtually tangle free all week. His tail is super thick and wavy and my brush just slid thru easily every time I brushed it. EQyss also uses dimethicone but it adds Vitamin E to help seal hair cuticles, lock in moisture, encourage growth and prevent split ends and frizz. I switched and used this on Scout and Shooter and was equally thrilled with the results on their hair too. Overall this detangler made everyone’s hair super soft and shiny and was my favorite with Cowboy Magic being a close second. Garrett felt like this detangler created the softest, shiniest results.

BioMane Detangler:

This one is relatively new to the market and comes from the company that makes the BioMane Mane and Tail Supplement (that I am a big fan of, see post here). This one is drastically different than they other two and even though it is a detangler it seems to serve a slightly different purpose. This detangler uses oils (coconut, hemp, argan) and other natural ingredients such as aloe, chamomile and rosemary extracts as well as panthenol to soften by enveloping hair strands. Since this one does not include any silicon ingredients it does not provide the same silky, soft feel that the other detanglers provide. It works to condition and soften the hair over time thus leading to less tangles. I used this on Shooter first and it did make his tail soft and less tangly for a day or two after use, but over time his tail felt dirty and sticky compared to the other horses. I liken this to a leave-in conditioner as opposed to a detangler. It does make the tail softer and less prone to tangles versus using nothing after washing. Over time it serves it’s purpose of helping the hair but not necessarily keeping it tangle free or easier to brush compared to the other two detanglers. I have taken to using it as a deep conditioner that I rinse out and when the bottle is empty I probably won’t re-order.

One quick note about dimethicone (the main ingredient in Cowboy Magic and EQyss detanglers), using silicones, like dimethicone, can build up easily in the hair and block water and nourishment from getting past the protective outer cuticle. This eventually can make the hair dry and brittle, and it may even weigh the hair down and make it appear flat. So the key to avoiding this is to use as little product as necessary to achieve desired results and make sure you are washing the mane and tail thoroughly on a regular basis to remove any build up. What I have found that works the best to avoid this, is to use a small (dime size) amount in the mane and tail after washing once a week. If touch ups are needed (usually on the ends of Dreamer’s mane) then I apply a very small amount before brushing. A once-a-week application seems to be enough to keep hair soft and tangle free.