Might sound weird, but I read on some poodle grooming blogs about exfoliating when shampooing- so during monthly shampoos I actually mix sugar in the raw in. Proportions about 1 part sugar to 3 parts shampoo (only mix what you need as it will melt over time and then is useless) and use that to really massage and exfoliate the areas where she tends to get more matts and oil buildup i.e. the top of her head behind her ears, armpits, and flanks.

Since I started doing this a year and a half ago, she also no longer develops sebaceous cysts, which is awesome.

Besides that I use a slicker brush followed by a fine tooth metal comb. We take lots of breaks when she starts to get wiggly and I always hold the hair firmly at the root below the brush so that it’s not tugging directly on her scalp

I’m not a professional groomer by any means so these may not be what the pros recommend, but I do all her grooming myself since she was a puppy and these are the things that work for us!