Looking for the best detangler for kids? Find a tangle tamer that’s safe for kids – without the harmful chemicals. These 8 detanglers are great non toxic choices, perfect for kids hair.
Best Choice | Best overall | The Best on a Budget |
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Clean Kids Naturally Mango Mist | Boyzz Only No Nonsense Detangling Spray | The Honest Co. Conditioning Sweet Orange Vanilla |
Just here for the best tangle tamer? Looking for the safest detangler spray for kids and don’t have a lot of time to waste? We got you! Here are our picks for the 4 best detangling spray brands that are safe for kids.
When I was a kid, I had long, fine hair – and that came with a lot of tangles. I remember a lot of tears after bath time, as well as many occasions when my mom used detangler spray on my wet hair before combing out the knots.
When my own daughter hit 18 months or so, her hair started getting some nasty tangles, too. She has curly hair and, like a lot of babies and toddlers, quite fine hair. Together this adds up to a lot of tangles.
I found myself shopping for detangler spray that’s suitable for kids hair, but also for their developing bodies and organs. In other words, I wanted to find a detangling spray that not only worked well on wet or dry hair, but that was also safe for my daughter in terms of the ingredients used.
We’ve been using The Honest Co. Sweet Orange Vanilla detangling spray for about a month now, and are pretty happy with it.
Overall, I’m happy with the product we’ve found, but thought I’d share my latest research with other parents and caregivers who are looking for safe detanglers for kids.
How Did I Measure “Safety”?
This post is all about finding safe and non toxic hair detangler for kids….but how did I measure safety?
For this post (and the other posts I’ve written about baby care and bath time accessories, like non-toxic bath toys) I consulted the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database. Most of the products listed below have been ranked by EWG, with the organization giving both an overall ranking of the product, as well as ranking the individual/component ingredients.
One thing I’ve discovered in my research? It’s easier to find a super safe baby shampoo or non toxic baby lotion than a super safe baby conditioner or kids hair detangler.
The products I’ve listed below are, in my opinion, the safest out there. However, only two of them are EWG VERIFIED™ (Clean Kids Naturally Mango Mist and Boyzz Only No Nonsense Detangling Spray). Many of the products below include at least one or two ingredients that the EWG identifies as “moderate” on their Skin Deep hazard rating system.
Clean Kids Naturally Mango Mist is the only one that contains all “low hazard” ingredients, which is why we think it’s the safest choice. However, it’s sometimes out of stock on Amazon.
We’ve decided it’s worth using a detangling spray or conditioner once or twice a week, to avoid the tears of combing through tangled wet hair. It works great on our kiddo’s wet or dry hair, after the bath or to start the day. And it makes life easier for us, as parents.
However, every parent will have to decide for themselves what the best solution is.
Best Detangling Spray for Toddlers and Kids
In building this article, we considered 8 different detangler sprays from different companies. We picked our top 4 based on ingredient safety, as well as reviews from real customers.
- Clean Kids Naturally Mango Mist
- Boyzz Only Spray (also good for girls!)
- The Honest Co. Conditioning Sweet Orange Vanilla
- Tot Logic Leave in Conditioner Spray
- SheaMoisture Kids Extra-Moisturizer Detangler, Coconut & Hibiscus
- Baby Bum Conditioning Detangler
- Cantu Care for Kids Conditioning Detangler Spray
- Fresh Monster Detangling Spray
As noted above, I checked all of the contenders in the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep® database. EWG rates different cosmetic products on a scale of 1 to 10, whereby 1 is the best/safest, and 10 is the worst. Scores 1 and 2 are green/low hazard. A number 3 to 6 means orange/moderate hazard. And 7 to 10 is red/high hazard.
EWG also has a “better than 1” score called EWG VERIFIED™. Products with this designation have met strict ingredient standards, as well as manufacturing and transparency standards.
Of course, I don’t want to use anything with my own child that’s considered “high hazard” and I’d guess you don’t either! For that reason, the winners on this list (our top 4 products) are either EWG VERIFIED™ or rank between 1 and 3 on EWG’s scale.
Conveniently, all of these products are also available on Amazon. As a parent and small business owner, I don’t really have a lot of time to go to specialty shops, and find most grocery store or drugstore brands have ingredients I don’t want to use with my daughter. Because of this, I do order a lot of stuff off of Amazon Prime, and figured it is the most convenient spot for many parents to find what they’re looking for.
Finally, keep in mind that companies change their formulations sometimes. This article can be used as a guide, but you might want to check the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep Database yourself if there’s a product you’re wondering about.
The Winners: Best Detangler for Toddlers & Big Kids
Made with natural, botanical ingredients, this spray features extracts of mango to help hydrate and provide extra strength and protection for your kiddo’s hair from environmental damage.
Containing no harmful ingredients, this detangler is free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates and synthetic colors. It is formulated to moisturize, making frizzy or curly hair naturally smooth and easy to work through.
For an extra bonus, it contains both sage and rosemary extract to act as soothers to your little one’s scalp while you work through the tangles.
Boyzz Only comes in an aerosol-free bottle for extra safety and does not contain harsh sulfates or parabens. It has a pleasant scent and is easy to use with the pump-spray top.
It is EWG-certified, vegan and gluten-free. And it has been CertClean Certified and approved by Leaping Bunny.
This is the detangler we are currently using, and it works great. While it’s not the best rated in terms of EWG, it is the best rated by past customers at the time of writing. It’s up to you how to weigh that trade-off.
This spray contains argan oil, shea butter, jojoba protein and quinoa extract to help the separate and strengthen your kiddo’s hair strands and make it easy to brush through.
It is free of harsh parabens, synthetic fragrance, dyes, silicone, sulfates and formaldehyde for peace of mind. It’s also tear-free and doesn’t contain any animal by-products.
Additionally, it’s lightweight and has a light and pleasant all-natural orange-vanilla scent.
TotLogic is full of antioxidants and botanicals that help to nourish and detangle your kiddo’s hair. Super gentle, you can use it on a daily basis. Add to that, it doesn’t contain any sulfates, formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens or petroleum-derived ingredients.
Soothing essential oils like bergamot, chamomile and lavender give it a nice scent, without artificial stuff. When using it, you can apply it to either wet or dry hair.
Containing hibiscus, coconut, slippery elm and marshmallow extract, this detangler is both functional and refreshing.
It can be applied to both wet and dry hair and is free of sulfates and dyes. It also contains fair-trade shea butter for extra moisture and to bring back the shine to dull or frizzy hair.
If you have kids whose natural hair is a bit unruly or harder to manage, this could be a good solution!
Pediatricians and dermatologists tested this formula for safety, ensuring it’s safe on even the littlest heads of hair. It is completely vegan and cruelty-, gluten- and dye-free.
Additionally, it contains no harsh chemicals like parabens, sulfates, silicone and phthalates. Monoi coconut oil, banana, aloe and white ginger make it gentle but effective for detangling and leaving happy natural hair!
It comes in a small, four-ounce spray bottle that would be perfect for travel and trips to the beach.
Cantu makes this detangler with natural products, including shea butter, coconut oil and honey for simple and effective results.
It naturally softens the strands of hair, making curls easier to comb through and giving them a soft and shiny finish when your kiddo’s hair is dry.
It’s also free of sulfates, parabens, glutens and mineral oil which makes it safe for every-day use.
It is completely free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, synthetic fragrances, BPA, gluten and soy. And it’s also certified Cruelty-Free by Peta and produced in the US.
This detangler has clearly-labeled fruit extracts. It has a pleasant fruity scent and is dermatologist-tested to be easy on sensitive skin.
Final Thoughts
Do you use detangler with your kids or have a favorite non toxic brand that we missed?
If you know a parent that’s trying to keep toxins away from their little one, I hope you’ll share this post with them!
