No matter if you’re a wavy, curly or coily — finding the right products to care for your hair can be overwhelming, especially when you’re still learning how to properly care for your natural texture. We know the struggle all too well and want to help narrow down the list so we asked our NaturallyCurly community to vote on their holy grails that never fail.
From the best conditioners, curl creams, gels, and tools, these are worth giving a try according to thousands of women with curly, coily and wavy hair. Keep reading to find out this year’s Best of the Best products for all hair types.
Shampoo
SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo: A clarifying, sulfate-free shampoo that removes product build-up, while infusing hair with moisture. Formulated with Jamaican Black Castor Oil , Shea Butter and Apple Cider Vinegar to regulate and balance pH levels on the scalp and strengthen your hair.
“Love this product and have been using it for over 3 years. I have 2c type curls, frizz and colored hair. This shampoo helps keep moisture and cleans the hair very well.” -Lisa
Co Wash
As I Am Coconut Co Wash: This cleansing conditioner is a holy grail for all hair types and for good reason! It gently removes product buildup, adds moisture to your hair to maintain your curls until your next wash day.
“I love this cowash because it gets my hair super clean and I can even detangle my hair while I have the cowash in still. It also has a nice clean scent to it. By far the best cowash I have come across!” -Savannah
Conditioner
SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Conditioner:This lightweight, daily conditioner restores moisture and smoothes dry hair cuticles. No more knots, snarls and tangles. Formulated with Coconut Oil that hydrates and protects hair while reducing breakage and silk protein that smoothes hair for a soft, silky feel and neem oil to add a brilliant shine.
“I picked this up and FELL IN LOVE. I got the cleanser to match – I love how it feels as I work it through my hair, it leaves my hair feeling clean and SOOO SOFT, and my husband loves the scent just as much as I do!” – Sarah
Deep Conditioner
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Masque: This intense conditioning deep treatment infuses hair with a powerful dose of moisture and nutrients. Certified organic Shea Butter, Honey, Mafura and Baobab Oils are blended with antioxidant-rich African Rock Fig to restore and lock in moisture.
“My 2c thick, medium to coarse hair with some 2A/B and 3A curls LOVES this deep conditioner. Keeps my hair moisturized for days. After years of trying all kinds of deep conditioners and adding oils to them, this one is the very best!” -Marta
Leave-in Conditioner
Kinky-Curly Knot Today: A leave-in conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from wavy, curly and coils hair, not to mention the slip is out of this world!
“If I could only recommend one hair product to everyone – this would be it. I’ve been using it on my daughters hair for 8 years! We never, and I mean never, let our supply run out!” – Rebecca
Mousse
Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Curl Enhancing Mousse : This unique formula infused with Almond and Avocado oil has a soft-pliable hold, dries quickly, and reduces frizz while giving off a gorgeous, natural sheen.
“I use this as a second day curl booster on wet hair and I love it. It does not make my hair crunchy at all like some mousses. It’s bouncy and light on my 3a/b curls. No frizz at all. This will be a staple in my curl care! Love it!” -Lisa
Curl Cream
Bounce Curl Avocado & Rose Oil Clump and Define Cream: The Define Cream is a multi-purpose luxurious leave-in cream that will leave your curls soft, bouncy and defined. It includes 10 exotic oils such as Organic Black Seed Oil, Avocado, Egyptian Abyssinian oil, Moroccan Rose, Argan oil & more!
” I have tried dozens and dozens of curl enhancers. Nothing compares to how soft this leaves my hair with curl definition and frizz control. UNBELIEVABLE!!” -Ericka
Hair Gel
Ecoco Eco Styler Professional Styling Gel with Argan Oil: This gel is formulated with Argan oil to define and revitalize your hair while adding brilliant shine. It has superior hold for a great wash and go, plus cam be used for keeping your edges laid for your sleek ponytail and bun.
“I love this gel so much it’s a must have. I love how the smell isn’t that overpowering and it doesn’t dry my hair out. I use this gel for my braid outs and my curls become so defined I’m in love!” -YinYang
Hair Butter & Best Product for Braids + Twists
Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter: This botanical blend of oils and butters will aid in managing thick hair, leaving a soft and smoother feel. Softens and moisturizes hair while nourishing the scalp and stimulating growth.
“This is my all time favorite and I NEVER have less than 2 jars in my possession at a time. This product is the standard by which I rate all other products! It feels good to my fingers and to my hair. My hair never cops an attitude with me and never misbehaves with this. My hair does exactly what I want it to do when this product is used. Whether a wavy ponytail, curly ponytail, or loose curl my hair shines. It is moisturized, soft and light feeing. No flakes and no build up.”
Edge Control
Ecoco Ecostyler Professional Styling Gel with Olive Oil: Made with 100% pure olive oil which helps attract moisture to your scalp and holds it in. This weightless gel will leave your hair with a healthy shine and a superior hold.
“This has been a “go to” product for me since I went natural in 2012. This gel is good for wash n gos, ponytails and speaking the edges of my 4a natural hair type!” -Tabitha
Refresher
Alikay Naturals Wake Me Up Daily Curl Refresher: Why not make your second day hair style better than the first? This lovely mango scented combination will define and refresh your curls in one simple step. A special blend of natural ingredients reduces frizz, enhances natural shine and locks in moisture all day.
“I’ve tried many curl refreshers on the market and this is the BEST!!!! First of all, it has great ingredients with aloe Vera listed second on the list. I find this product to be moisturizing and definitely not drying at all! Best of all, this curl refresh isn’t watery like the “others” and hence it doesn’t frizz my hair. For best results on second day wash and go’s, twist outs, etc, I lightly spray product into my hands and then distribute into my hair, fluff and go!!! for reference, I’ve been transitioning for 11 months and have a combo of hair texture, but mainly coily, and kinky at crown.. I love this stuff!” -Pastel
Voluminizer
Innersense I Create Lift Volumizing Foam: Create beautiful hair from roots to ends with this lightweight styler. Use to add texture, boost volume, define curls, shape and sculpt wet or dry hair or enjoy as a root refresher between washes.
“I would recommend this product to everyone! The way it makes my curls look and feel is amazing. I’ve always used mousse and hairspray until I was introduced to the Innersense product. I will never go back! My curls have never looked so good. I am truly in love with my hair again.” -Linda
New Collection
Melanin Haircare: Officially founded in 2015 by two sisters, Whitney and Taffeta White, Melanin Haircare is rooted in passion for natural hair care, healthy scalp care, natural and safe ingredients as well as high quality products and unique merchandise that benefits the community it serves.
“I wanted to share my love for natural, homemade and safe hair products on a larger scale so that everyone, regardless of time or budget, could benefit from real nutrient-rich products for healthy hair, thriving hair and scalp.” – Whitney White, Co-founder
Hair Oil + Hair Growth Product + Scalp Treatment
Righteous Roots Rx: Righteous Roots Rx is a hair rejuvenating growth serum packed with 11 essential oils featuring both anti-frizz and detangling properties like olive oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil and peppermint oil. It can be used for hot oil treatments, deep conditioning, pre-poo pre wash detangling, scalp massages, anti itch scalp oil, and to scrunch out the crunch.
“This product is my holy Grail! It has helped me grow my hair back not once but TWICE. The first time was due to weight loss surgery and I had very thin edges and the second time which you see in the photos are from my recent post partum hair loss. My hair is growing back SO incredibly fast and it is definitely thickening up again! The key is to use only 2-3 drops Of oil, a little goes a LONG way trust me. You can scalp massage nightly or pick your days but definitely do so at least 2-3 times a week! Also, give the product at least 3-4 months of consistent use and you will see results….it’s an amazing product.” -Amanda
Hair Treatment
Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector : Whether you have color treated curls or in need of a professional at home treatment to repair your hair, this treatment will revive your hair. No.3 is a bond builder that strengthens, repairs and restores damaged hair back to healthy bouncy curls in no time.
“I bleach my hair periodically, and had noticeable damage that was present about 6 months ago. After using this 2x a week for the first probably 2 months, then moving to 1x a week, I can say with all honesty that my hair is in the BEST spot it has ever been as far as hair health is concerned. Don’t even contemplate, just hit Add to Cart. You’ll thank yourself later.”- Heather
Hairspray
Bounce Curl Alcohol-Free HairSpray: This is a medium-to-strong hold hairspray. It is infused with Organic Black Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sage Extract & Boswellia Carterii Oil. The ultra-fine mister distributes hair spray evenly to provide you with maximum hod and combats frizz in the humid seasons.
“I love this hairspray! I use this as the last step in my styling routine. Once my hair is about 50% dry, instead of using gel, I spray this in sections (2-3 sprays on the back and 2-3 on the top”>. I can see my curls tighten up as soon as I spray this on my hair! It pairs so well with the light creme gel and clump and defining cream. I also use it when I want to slick my hair back in a pony/updo. Amazing stuff!”-Jess
Heat Protectant
Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Protectant: Professional, affordable salon-quality heat protectant hair spray without the salon price tag. Thermal Creations heat protection spray for hair is heat-activated to help guard against harsh styling damage and hold your hair shape.
“I love this product. It smells fantastic! And the scent is long lasting. It is lightweight and it is certainly not sticky. My hair is soft and fine and this product did not weigh my hair down in any way whatsoever. I love the lock/unlock feature on the handle of the nozzle. That is a great selling point for moms that have little ones with them while getting ready.” -Sage
Kids Line
Cantu Care for Kids: Cantu Care for Kids is the perfect blend of 100% pure shea butter, coconut oil and honey. Nurture and nourish fragile coils, curls and waves with Cantu’s gentle care for textured hair.
Hair Tool
Denman Classic Styling Brush – D3 : The Denman D3 Classic Styling Brush is a great brush for detangling knots and snarls. The D3 is a medium styling brush with 7 rows of nylon pins to clump your curls, coils and waves to achieve maximum definition.
Value brand
SheaMoisture: For all the shea butter lovers–you’ll find your new treasured hair or skin product with SheaMoisture. Inspired by natural recipes from his Sierra Leonean grandmother, SheaMoisture, founder Richelieu Dennis and his family are sustaining her legacy through their immensely popular hair and skin care brand that was created four generations ago to empower generations to come.
Holy Grail
Curl Keeper Original: Curl Keeper contains the highest quality ingredients, provides frizz control and curl definition.The water-based formula is key which means you can use it every day without product buildup. Not to mention your curly hairstyle will last for days as its unique formula re-activates with water making Curl Keeper Original 100% effective in all weather conditions, especially humidity to combat frizz.
“This stuff is amazing! I use it in conjunction with kinky curly curling custard. I love how it makes my hair shiny and smooths frizz. For some reason it also helps my hair dry faster. So I need to work quickly when styling my hair once I put this in, but I suggest to use caution because a little goes a long way!”
Have you tried any of these products? Let us know which one is your favorite in the comment.
