Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic Curl Stimulator is a holy grail for many naturalistas in the know. It’s touted as an all-in-one leave-in and styler that defines curls, and makes them soft and shiny. Most of the product reviews I’ve watched or read come from reviewers with tight curls and coils. Enticed by the promise of one product that does it all, I was curious to see if it would work on my looser curl pattern. Specifically, I hoped it would provide me good hold, without drying my hair out.
Before I try any product, I flip over the bottle to see what it’s made of. Curly Magic is full of ingredients that my high-porosity hair loves, like aloe, marshmallow, chamomile, and nettle. I knew from other reviews that the product has a gel consistency. Even though I’d read that a leave-in was not needed with Curly Magic, I worried that skipping this step would leave my curls parched and frizzy. For my trial, I washed my hair with a gentle shampoo, conditioned and detangled with my favorite masque, applied a leave-in, distributed it with a Denman brush, and then applied Curly Magic. I scrunched with a t-shirt, and my curls were instantly defined, and locked into place. When my hair fully dried, it was in crunchy ringlets. I tried to scrunch out the crunch, but my curls still looked like they were in a gel cast. I instantly regretted using the product with a leave-in.
The next day, I decided to try again. In the shower, I saturated my hair and was happy to see that the product rinsed clean without shampoo. I co-washed, just to add a little moisture to my hair, and then applied more Curly Magic in sections, again using the Denman brush. I scrunched my hair with a t-shirt as I had done the previous day. My curls, while still locking in place, were not crunchy this time. After my hair dried, I flipped my head over and picked out the roots. I had lots of volume and definition. While I was expecting some curl elongation, I did not experience it. I had a bit of shrinkage, but that was largely due to applying the product with the Denman brush. My curls held up all day without falling flat.
Since initially trialing the product, I have used it in various ways, including:
- As a spot-styler for rebellious curls that refuse to clump.
- For providing a boost to the bottom layer of my hair, which is slightly longer than the rest.
- As a gel for the skip curl method.
I recommend it for looser curl patterns, like mine. For all-over styling, it works best as a stand-alone product. If you usually need to use a leave-in conditioner because you have dry or high-porosity hair, it is best to co-wash your hair before styling with Curly Magic.
What is your favorite Uncle Funky’s Daughter product? Let us know in the comments. To read an interview with Renee of Uncle Funky’s Daughter click here.
