Compare and Contrast: Paul Mitchell The Detangler vs. Aunt Jackie’s Curls and Coils Knot On My Watch

Overview of Both Products:

Paul Mitchell The Detangler:

• Designed for coarse and color-treated hair, offering a super-rich formula aimed at providing intense moisture and detangling. It’s packed with natural extracts like carrot, grape seed, and jojoba, providing nourishment alongside its detangling properties.

Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch:

• Tailored specifically for natural curls, coils, and waves, this product emphasizes quick detangling and hydration. It’s enriched with shea butter, olive oil, and cocoa butter, offering a rich moisture base for curly and coily hair textures.

Key Ingredients Comparison:

Moisturizing Agents:
• Paul Mitchell: Utilizes jojoba leaf extract, grape seed oil, and aloe vera extract to deliver moisture, along with other synthetic ingredients like dimethicone to lock in hydration.

• Aunt Jackie’s: Contains shea butter, olive oil, and cocoa butter—three deeply moisturizing, natural ingredients that are particularly beneficial for coarse, thick, or curly hair. These natural oils are more suited for hydration in textured hair types.

Silicone Content:

• Paul Mitchell: Contains several types of silicones such as dimethicone and PEG-12 dimethicone, which form a protective barrier around the hair, providing slip for easier detangling but potentially causing buildup over time.
• Aunt Jackie’s: Uses cyclopentasiloxane and phenyl trimethicone—silicones that also offer slip and smoothness for detangling but are often considered lighter than traditional silicones like dimethicone.

Natural Extracts:

• Paul Mitchell: Infused with various botanical extracts like carrot, aloe vera, chamomile, and rosemary, which provide soothing and conditioning benefits. These are more focused on nourishing coarse and color-treated hair.

• Aunt Jackie’s: Relies heavily on shea butter and cocoa butter for moisturizing and strengthening curls. These butters work especially well for thick, curly hair prone to dryness.



Texture and Suitability for Hair Types:

Paul Mitchell The Detangler:
• Texture: Lightweight and rich, with a creamier consistency designed for detangling coarse or color-treated hair.

• Best For: Coarse hair that needs a moisture boost, particularly those with color-treated hair. While it works well for some curl types, the silicones might weigh down finer curls (e.g., 3A–3B).

Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch:
• Texture: Thicker, more buttery formula, making it ideal for natural curls, coils, and waves. It’s specifically formulated for detangling tight coils (3C–4C) and thick, textured hair.

• Best For: People with natural, textured hair that tangles easily. It’s ideal for 3A to 4C hair types, offering heavy moisture and nourishment, which is often necessary for these curl types.


Performance as a Detangler:

Paul Mitchell The Detangler:
• Performance: Provides excellent slip, helping detangle coarse hair with ease. The dimethicone creates a smooth, silky layer, reducing breakage and making the comb glide through easily. However, for tighter curls (like 4C), this may not provide enough moisture or detangling power.

• Strengths: Great for smoothing and detangling coarse or chemically treated hair, but may leave heavier buildup over time due to silicones.

Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch:
• Performance: Specifically designed for tight curls and coils, this product excels at detangling knotty, textured hair. The rich butters provide ample slip and moisture, making it easier to detangle.

For 4C hair, Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch Instant Hair Detangling Therapy is the better option. Here’s why:

Why Aunt Jackie’s is Best for 4C Hair:

1. Rich, Moisturizing Ingredients: 4C hair tends to be the most fragile and dry, requiring intense moisture. Aunt Jackie’s contains shea butter, olive oil, and cocoa butter, which are all deeply hydrating and nourishing for tight coils.

2. Designed for Natural Curls and Coils: This product is specifically formulated for natural hair textures like 4C, providing the slip and hydration needed to detangle without causing breakage. It’s designed to handle the tangles and knots that are common in thicker, kinkier hair.

3. Less Likely to Cause Build-Up: While it does contain some silicones, Aunt Jackie’s formula is lighter and less prone to causing the buildup that can happen with heavier silicone-based products like Paul Mitchell’s The Detangler. This is particularly important for 4C hair, which can struggle with product buildup over time.

4. More Slip for Easier Detangling: The rich, buttery texture of Aunt Jackie’s provides excellent slip, which makes it easier to comb through tightly coiled hair without excessive pulling or damage.


Paul Mitchell The Detangler:

• While Paul Mitchell’s product offers excellent detangling for coarse hair, its heavy use of silicones (like dimethicone) can weigh down 4C hair over time, potentially leading to buildup and dryness, which is less suitable for the unique needs of 4C hair.

If you’re looking for a product that’s rich, moisturizing, and designed to handle the needs of tight 4C curls, Aunt Jackie’s Knot On My Watch will give you the nourishment and ease of detangling you’re after without the risk of excessive buildup.