"I don't use a comb"

[Ghost]

I have been back and forth on this for a while.

I don't use a comb, but I do use a denman, and I am looking for an Aveda brush now.

I use my denman once a week to detangle while washing it, and then when I am putting my twists in. I find that everything about my hair changes the longer it gets. When my hair was shorter, this was an option, but not anymore.

You should definetly get that Aveda Paddle brush- it's insane. I only use combs to part my hair and I use brushes to style and detangle. Kudos to those who can go without either but it's just not for me because like others have said fingercombing never gets ALL  of the shed hair.

[luvnaps]

 I made the mistake of not useing a comb for the first 6 months I was natural. It was Terrible. at first my TWA was so short that it was just not needed. I mean seriously it was less than an inch long EVEN stretched.

  as it grew I still thought no comb was needed. all I did was finger comb. and one day. I tried to run my fingers through my hair all the way down to the scalp and all the MATTS I could NOT TOUCH MY SCALP!!!!!!! So I finally decided to use a comb.

  That was one LONG shower Detangleing session. and PAINFUL and from that day forth I always detangled in the shower with a wide tooth comb. eventually I purchased a shower comb.

   Now I use it every day when I Co- wash.

 

[shortycocoa]

Great thread, Jazzi!  For me, I think after I did the BC i ended up mostly giving away all of my combs and brushes to my mom.  About a year or so prior to chopping, I read Cathy Howse's book about not using brushes on your hair, whether you're natural or relaxed.  So I had already given up brushing. 

But, newly natural I fell into the allure of all these different combs and brushes (e.g. the shower comb, picks, wooden combs, and the almighty denman. )  My experimentation phase with each of those was short-lived.  The picks I think I used one or two months after my BC and after that I had too much hair to be trying to pick out and I could never seem to get it even anyways. 

A few months later during my first summer natural I tried the denman but that left my scalp sore and red in some areas.  Plus, it seemed to pull my hair out at the roots and that was NOT the business.  So I gave both of those away immediately.  But seeing Teri's method with the conditioner only and smoothing it in with the denman brush, I was like, 'dang...maybe I should have kept one to see if it would work better on my hair now that it's longer.' 

I just don't want to buy another one and it still have the same results, so I think I'm good with finger combing.  To answer your original question, I just use conditioners that have lots of moisture and slip.  I love Aussie Moist for that purpose, as well as Trader Joe's Nourish Spa conditioner.  The recently discovered Loreal Vive Pro conditioners are also good.  Cholesterols (lustrasilk shea butter and the aloe formulas) usually get the job done beautifully as well.

Another conditioner that I had started using right after I chopped was Tresemme Deep Quench Conditioning Treatment from their Moisture line. That stuff is the truth too!!!!   I couldn't find that conditioner anywhere (and I was looking high and low) after I chopped and used it once on my twa.  (well it actually was several times but ya'll know what I mean.)

And a few weeks ago I found this stuff in a Family Dollar of all places!!!     I bought all 5 tubes.  I found it online last summer but didn't get around to ordering it, plus I didn't want to pay shipping.  So from now on I know where to go, but if FD stops carrying it I might have to bite the bullet and order online.

[Amber]

I tried the no comb, no brush thing for a while but it didn't last long.  Took too long and really pulled on my hair.  I have a paddle brush I use and a wide tooth comb for sectioning and I guess pre detangling. 

[Winters]

I have been natural over a year now and I cant tell you the last time I used a comb. I have been doing the conditioner only method for a while now. I fingercomb my hair in the shower and it works for me just fine. The only time I have used a comb is when I style my hair in twist or something and need to part my hair.

[sosoulbuttafly]

I rarely comb or brush my hair, I am still wearing somewhat of a TWA so now I am wondering if the longer my hair gets, the more I will be in need of a comb or brush. 

[NATuralinCO]

I tried finger detangling and my hair laughed at me

I have to detangle...with a wide tooth comb follwed by my paddle brush to remove all the tangles, otherwise I've got knots and mats everywhere.  I started to notice that when i detangle my hair at least 1x a week...i get less knots.  I think that a lot of people that complain about the knots might not be detangling thier hair enough/properly. 

Ditto.  I tried the "no combing" method and my stylist almost made me start over at the TWA length again as it had knots/mats/almost dreads in the crown.  Not cool.  So I detangle once/wk and it definitely makes the knotting less of an issue.  And to use my fingers?? These thick coils would SURELY laugh...OUT LOUD!

[Imla]

I'd have hairballs for days if I didn't use a comb or just fingers.  I also have to use a regular or fine-toothed comb to detangle because a wide-toothed comb leaves behind too much shedded hair.

[jada1111]

The thought of fingercombing has never been an option.  I don't have all day in the shower trying to detangle my hair even if I'm using a conditioner with excellent slip.

I have noticed like everyone else that a wide-tooth comb alone doesn't get all the shed hair as it grows longer.  For the past couple of months I've been detangling with a wide-tooth comb in the shower, then going over it with a closer-teeth comb.

I don't like how my hair looks after using it with a brush.  It looks fuzzy and for all I know it might be breaking it off.

[pixie]

My hair seems to change every couple of months.  Every time it gains a little length it likes something different.  Then as soon as I settle into a routine it's ready for something new.  So, I'm just riding the fingercombing train as long as I can. 
I just bought a new comb today (like Jada I'm worried about the brush pulling out my hair) to see if I have shed hair that I've missed the past couple of months.  But I've never had a mat, and when I fingercomb I feel like I'm less likely to skip any sections of my hair.

[Peachtree]

I'll use a wide tooth comb only when absolutely necessary.  For the most part, finger combing works just fine and is quicker!  I haven't had a problem with knots in years.  If I get a small snag it's easier to feel and remove during finger combing. 

[curlygem]

It depends on your hair texture and length, I figure.
I didn't use a comb when I had my TWA over 18 months ago. Didn't need to. Now that my hair's longer, I have found that I have to use something to detangle my hair b/c of the length. Sometimes a shower comb, sometimes the Denman D3/D4, depending on what I'll do to my hair.