Review: KareCo Tangle Buster Brush

Press Sample | Affiliate Links

Before I start this review, I want to mention a few things up front. If, by the time you're finished with this review, you would like to purchase this product, you have a few options:

• This product is now available at select Walmart stores (3,400 stores nationwide).

• This product is also available on the Walmart website HERE for $10.96 (free shipping on orders $50+ or free in-store pick-up). If you use that link to purchase, I will earn a small commission (my usual "affiliate link" disclosure is above, as always), which of course helps support this blog. 

• You can also purchase this product directly from the manufacturer's website HERE for $12.50 and I have a special code that you can use for free shipping on your order (shipping is regularly $8). To get free shipping on your order, enter code NOUVEAUCHEAP at checkout (this code expires on 6/30/16). To be clear, I do NOT receive a commission if you use this code. At the time that I first agreed to accept this product for review, this brush was not available for purchase on the Walmart website. So I wanted to be sure that if I featured this brush on my blog, and any of you wanted to buy it, that you would not have to pay $20.50 for it ($12.50 + $8 shipping). So KareCo kindly set up this code to waive the $8 shipping fee for Nouveau Cheap readers. 

Now, on to the review!

KareCo Tangle Buster Brush
(retail: $10.96 - $12.50)

If you're a longtime reader of this blog, then you know two things about me:

1) I LOVE gimmicks. Good or bad, I love gimmicky products and I have to try them all.

2) My hair is long, fine, and naturally wavy and it tangles like crazy. You can gently blow on my hair, and it will tangle.

So knowing those two things, tell me how I could NOT accept this brush for review? I mean, I had to. Especially since, over the years, I have reviewed The Wet Brush (my current detangling brush) and the Tangle Teezer (the brush I was using before I switched to The Wet Brush), which are probably the two most popular detangling brushes on the planet. So rest assured, I WILL be comparing the KareCo Tangle Buster to The Wet Brush and the Tangle Teezer in this review.

For use on wet or dry hair

This is a nice, full-size brush with an extra-long handle that is very comfortable and easy to grip (which I love when using in the shower). 

For perspective, I put the Tangle Buster next to my full-size Wet Brush (which I've been using since my review in 2013; it has clearly seen better days!). You can see that in addition to the longer handle, the overall surface of the head (bristle area) is larger as well.

What makes this brush unique, and much different than any other brush I've ever owed, is that the bristles are divided into separate panels that bend independently. 

On top of that, the brush is curved to fit the curves and contours of your head.

The individual panels are not super loose or flimsy--it takes a little bit of pressure to push them apart like I'm doing in the photo above. 

I've used this brush on my dry hair, wet hair, in the shower to distribute conditioner, on my boyfriend (his hair is about the length of the character Chibs on Sons of Anarchy, for reference) , on my 70+ year old mom (shoulder-length hair), on my 70+ year old dad (short hair) and on my brother (short hair). Whenever I test a product out on my entire family, there's at least one person who dislikes it or finds fault with it. But not this time. Every single person I used this brush on LOVED it, and so did I. 

As I mentioned earlier, I have long, fine hair that's naturally wavy and VERY prone to tangling. A few hours after my hair dries, I always get a small rat's nest at the nape of my neck that continues to grow as the day progresses. When I use this brush to work out my tangles, I find that it detangles MUCH more quickly than my Wet Brush, and the tangles seem to come out much easier and with less resistance than the Wet Brush. I have also noticed that since I've been using this brush, I have less hair in my brush after use than when I use my Wet Brush, and no snaps! I find that this brush works equally well on dry hair and wet hair, as well as in the shower for distributing conditioner.

One thing I want to be clear about is that I cannot use the Tangle Buster without gripping my hair at the root first. One thing that both the Wet Brush and Tangle Teezer share in common is that you can pretty much use one hand and start from your roots and brush down to your ends with no pain. For me, that's not something I can do with the Tangle Buster. It does hurt and tug a bit if I try to do that, so I have to take a section of my hair, grip it firmly at the root, and then start brushing. If you have long hair, I KNOW you know exactly what I mean and you're probably used to doing this already, but I just wanted to clarify. 

But that is a small trade-off for me personally, given the benefits of this brush. Like I said, my tangles come out in about half the time as my Wet Brush, and I consistently see less hair in my brush after use (when compared to the Wet Brush and also the Tangle Teezer). Another thing I love about the Tangle Buster is that the surface of the brush head is bigger than the Wet Brush, which means that I can get the job done quicker and not have to work in tiny sections. I also love that the bristles are longer (especially when compared to the Tangler Teezer which has very short bristles) which means that I can easily get to the underside of my hair. And the way the Tangle Buster is shaped makes it easy to maneuver, so you can get into tight spots (like the nape of your neck) so much easier than the Wet Brush or the Tangle Teezer. Also, this brush is much, much easier to hold (especially when wet).

An added bonus: this brush feels AMAZING on the scalp. Every time I use it, it feels like a mini scalp massage. I'm guessing that this is due to both the individual panels (which move and adjust to the contours of your head), as well as the curve of this brush. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but once my tangles are brushed out, I always find myself brushing...and brushing...and brushing like I'm in a some sort of trance. It just feels so good on my scalp, and my entire family agrees about that. We all sort of just go, "Aaaaah...." and close our eyes when we're using this brush!

PS: In an effort to REALLY put this brush to the test, I went two days without brushing my hair (it was the weekend and I wasn't going anywhere so it was easy to do) so that my hair was EXTRA tangled. Even on ridiculously tangled hair, this brush passed the test with flying colors. Again, I had to grip my hair at the root before brushing, but I'm telling you, this brush knocks out tangles in half the time of my Wet Brush and Tangle Teezer, and my hair feels incredibly smooth after use, without any frizz or weirdness. 

FINAL VERDICT: So how does this brush work and why is it so good? I think the key is the separate panels that don't offer up as much resistance as a traditional brush with fixed bristles. This brush moves and bends (but not TOO much) and it also has a curved head. Combined, that's a magical winning combo for me and my fine, long, naturally wavy hair. I obviously cannot guarantee that this brush will work in the same way for you, but if your hair is anything like mine, I honestly think it's worth a shot if you suffer from tangles and you're not pleased with your current detangling brush. I have never looked forward to brushing out my hair, but I actually get a little excited now because I know I get to use this brush. The Tangle Buster has been rocking my world, and it's quickly rising to holy grail status. 

If you'd like to purchase the KareCo Tangle Buster, please see the top of this blog post for options, including a code for free shipping. 

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.