Given hair has so many variables, there’s no once-sized-fits-all advice. Case in point? When to brush your hair. For the longest time, I thought I needed to brush my hair dry. This is because wet hair is swollen and more fragile, prone to stretching and breaking. (“Hair is very elastic when it’s wet,” Clay Nielsen, a hair care expert and celebrity stylist, previously told us about wet hair.) And here’s the thing: For those with straight or loose waves, this advice is true—you’re better off taking the detangler to your hair when dry than wet.
But for those with curls? We’re better off doing our detangling in the shower with loads of conditioner. “Never dry brush your ringlets. Cleanse scalp and hair in warm water to remove dirt, sweat, and product buildup, then rinse, then apply conditioner,” says Branch. “Use a nourishing conditioner to gently detangle hair. Practice patience, be kind to your hair, and use your fingers and/or a wide-toothed comb.”