1. Choose a brush or comb. For very tangled hair, use a wide-toothed comb. For regular upkeep of wavy hair or soft curls, use a paddle brush. Paddle brushes are flat, usually square, and usually have more bristles. This provides a larger surface area to run your hair through as you try to untangle it. The bristle material also makes a difference:
Boar bristles are a strong, natural material good for taming thick hair.
Nylon bristles are softer and slide more easily, good for fine or fragile hair.