No matter the texture of your hair, wash days can become overwhelming. From pre-poo to deep conditioning, it can seem like your entire day is over by the time you’re done. Though the process may be daunting, it’s absolutely necessary and detangling – whether you take five or 15 minutes to do so – is, too. Since we know that detangling can actually be the most dreaded part of wash day (or any day for that matter), here are some things to keep in mind to make it much easier.

Don’t detangle dry.

Though knotted hair can appear both before and after you’ve wet your hair, the temptation to attempt to detangle when your hair is dry should be avoided. Detangling your hair dry can cause breakage and can also be painful. Instead, try applying a detangling product like Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch Instant Detangling Therapy before your next session.

Detangle in sections.

If you’ve ever been in a rush to get your hair finished, it might seem easier to try to detangle your hair by running your comb or brush through the entire head at one time. When you’ve done that, however, you might notice that it’s not as easy or as quick as you thought it would be. Although it may take a little time to complete, you should detangle your hair in sections to ensure that you’ve gotten every knot possible. This is also a good way to avoid creating more tangles – which can lead to hair breakage.

Get regular trims.

Getting your hair trimmed is helpful for more than just length retention; it’s also a great tool for keeping those dreadful knots out of your hair. Trimming your hair routinely will keep the dead hair from getting tangled up and also keep your beautiful locks at their healthiest.

Use the right tools.

It may seem like using just any comb or brush will be good for detangling, but to keep your hair at its healthiest, you’ll want to make sure you’re using the right tools. If you choose to detangle with combs, a wide tooth option is best as this help detangle and limit your amount of breakage. If brushes are your choice, you’ll want to invest in a detangling brush. There are plenty on the market and some are even cost-effective.

Don’t forget to detangle both before and after you shampoo.

Detangling may seem like something that you do only when you’re done giving your hair a good wash, but did you know that you should be detangling prior to your shampoo, too? Detangling your hair before washing it decreases the amount of knots you’ll have once you began to wash it. Since shampoo has a tendency to cause hairs to stick together, the last thing you’ll want is to add knots on top of knots once you’ve began washing. Once you’ve washed, try using a good leave-in conditioner such as the Quench! Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner by Aunt Jackie’s to help make the process much easier.

Be gentle with your hair.

If you’re a person that rushes through your detangling process, it most likely means that you are being a bit rough with your hair. Though we sometimes become frustrated with our hair, we have to remember that it needs to be treated with care for it to be at its healthiest. Detangling roughly will cause damage, pain to your scalp, and breakage to your hair. Be sure to detangle from the ends of your hair up to the scalp to assist with decreasing as much pulling and tugging on your mane as possible.