After years of searching, I finally met my hair twin. I’ve always shared identical curl patterns with 4a women across the globe, but this kindred curl is different. It was not until a year of working at NaturallyCurly that Susonnah and I realized we had more in common than our Pinterest boards. She was my estranged hair twin with fraternal curls. You may be thinking I’m denial, wallowing in curl envy, but Susonnah and I connect on a level that surpasses the superficiality of curl pattern.
Since November, the NaturallyCurly office has been in the process of testing products for Editors’ Choice. For voting purposes, we are divided into our respective curl pattern category: Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4. Although knowing your porosity and width may be more important than curl pattern, when it comes to testing products Type 4s tend to enjoy products with more oils and butters while looser curls prefer lightweight products, regardless of our hair’s porosity and width but I digress.
It has been a month into our trial process and Susonnah and I have shared more hair product pleasantries than Evelyn (a fellow Type 4 editor”> and I could ever hope for. She gets me. We get each other. Even though we have not voted on Editors’ Choice products yet, here are the products that have a special place in our Holy Grails.
Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo
Susonnah: This shampoo hits that sweet spot between being too sudsy and too creamy. It lathers just enough to make it easy to distribute and it leaves my hair feeling super soft. My scalp feels clean the next day without being too greasy, which is always a worry with wavy hair.
Amanda: The Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo is great when you want to thoroughly cleanse your strands without excessive dryness and tangles. The consistency is runny but the lather is nice. This cleanser leaves my coils moisturized and defined, making it a great primer for my deep conditioner and the scent is pleasant without being too overpowering.
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Masque
Susonnah: This masque is super decadent and smells amazing, like berries and flowers. It has the best slip without using any cones and a little goes a long way. I only need a little bit for my wavy hair. I let it sit for about 5-10 min. and rinse it out thoroughly. My hair is amazingly slippery afterward. I love it!
Amanda: Usually, I am not fond of masques that don’t have slip but this is the exception. This masque will replenish your curls with ample moisture. After I shampoo on thoroughly detangled hair, I apply generous amounts of this masque. The panthenol and honey help my coils to absorb moisture while the hydrolyzed wheat protein adds strengthen.
Oyin Handmade Hair Dew
Susonnah: Not a typical wavy product, I know, but it works! I like to use it as a curl refresher. Sometimes my waves are feeling pretty worn out on day 2 or 3, so I like to apply this on my dry hair. If I’m feeling super dried out, I’ll even spritz some water first and then apply a little hair dew for max hydration.
Amanda: The Oyin Handmade Hair Dew is great for weeklong moisture, no refresher needed. The castor oil, aloe vera juice, and honey help to trap water after I have rinse the deep conditioner from my hair, and surprisingly, the castor oil does not weigh down my fine strands. It smells like pancake syrup and it lingers throughout the day.
Camille Rose Coconut Water Leave-in Treatment
Susonnah: This is a new product that I love. It smells lovely with hints of coconut (not too overpowering”> and it leaves my hair feeling soft. I can use it alone if I want a fluffier look or I couple it with gel to get a more defined look. Very happy with this new fave!
Amanda: The Camille Rose Coconut Water Leave-in Treatment is by far my favorite leave-in conditioner. It is full of slip and leaves my curls luscious. This is the base for most of my styling products, especially if I am about to twist my hair. I have been wearing two-strand twists for the past two weeks and this product ensures that I do not have to reapply throughout the week.
SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk
Susonnah: I treat this milk like I would a curl cream. I use it to style my waves and add moisture. It’s perfect for those wash-n-go days where I don’t want to use a leave-in treatment. The consistency is just right that it provides little hold but great results.
Amanda: There will always be a place in my heart for this milk. The SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curly & Style Milk was my go-to styling product when I big chopped. As my coils blossomed, this product imparted moisture and strength into my virgin coils. It also did not create too much product buildup, even when I applied it multiple days throughout the week when I restyled.
Do you share product faves with women who do not share your curl pattern?
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