This $9 Hair Treatment Detangles My Curly Hair in Seconds

It looks and feels just like water.

My typical hair-washing routine used to involve a normal amount of shampoo and a ton of conditioner. It seemed like slathering on double the amount of conditioner was the only way to get rid of knots—but it always weighed down my already thin hair. Then I discovered this super-affordable and lightweight treatment that detangles my hair almost instantly.

Since the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Wonder Water looks and feels just like water, of course I was skeptical about its ability to work in just eight seconds, as the brand claims (especially because I usually let conditioner sit in my hair for what feels like a decade to detangle it properly). But after one use, I was hooked: I could completely comb through my hair as soon as I rinsed it out, and I didn’t even need to use my regular conditioner afterward.

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It works by using Lamellar technology to coat your hair with amino acids and other moisturizing ingredients, giving damaged strands some extra love. After shampooing, you’re supposed to apply the Wonder Water (one to three doses, depending on your hair type—I use about one and a half) to the middle and ends of your hair, then massage it in for eight seconds. You’ll feel a bit of a warming sensation, and then you can rinse it out.

Even though the bottle says you can follow up with your usual conditioner if needed, I find that my curly hair still feels perfectly moisturized and detangled after using this product. And when I actually did condition post-treatment, my hair required much less product than usual.

Besides the fact that L’Oréal’s hair treatment smooths and detangles almost instantly, I’m also obsessed with it because it doesn’t leave any residue on my scalp or behind my ears. And since I don’t wash my hair every day, the lightweight formula helps prevent it from looking too greasy.

Whether you use it as a replacement for conditioner a few times a week or as an additional step in your routine, trust me when I say this hair treatment works wonders—and makes my showers much quicker.

<p><img alt="L’Oreal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water Lamellar" src="https://www.realsimple.com/sites/default/files/1584383517/loreal-paris-elvive-8-second-wonder-water-lamellar-rinse-out-moisturizing-hair.jpg" width="100%" /></p>

To buy: $9, amazon.com.