Whether curly, wavy, or coily, natural hair is both beautiful and versatile. However, you’ve probably found that your natural hair doesn’t always behave as you want.
One day, your mane could be full of bounce and vitality; the next day, it looks limp and lifeless. And that’s before we start talking about the joys of humidity and tangles.
But luckily, there’s a simple solution to reviving your tresses without having to wet and re-style your curls. With a curl refresher spray close at hand, you can achieve defined, moisturized, and frizz-free locks between wash days with just a quick spritz or two.
These magical sprays are an essential part of your natural hair care kit. But with so many choices, how do you pick the best curl activator spray?
Our guide will help you make your choice and give you some helpful tips on how to use your spray. But first, let’s look at what a curl refresher spray does.
What Are Curl Refresher Sprays?
Whether you have wavy, coily, or curly hair, all natural hair types need hydration to look their best. When your strands are dry, they tend to suck up moisture from the environment, which gives your tresses that fuzzy, frizzy look.
You could refresh your curls by spritzing your hair strands with a water spray, which will reactivate any products you applied before styling. This is the easiest way to activate your curls, but the downside is that the water could leave mineral deposits on your strands.
The other option is using a curl refresh spray, which will be much more effective at helping your curls bounce back.
That’s because they contain conditioning ingredients like shea butter, rose water, and wheat protein to moisturize and soften your tresses. They’ll make it easier to detangle your hair strands, keep flyaways under control, and give your style a lightweight hold.
Some curl activator sprays also contain ingredients like green tea, essential oils, or nettle root extract to encourage a healthy scalp and strong hair growth.
10 of the Best Curl Refresher Sprays
Now that you know what a curl refresher does, here are ten of the best curl refreshers to keep your hair looking fabulous between wash days.
Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energizing & Refreshing Spray
It’s easy to turn limp, listless locks into beautiful, voluminous hair with Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energizing Spray.
This spray is packed with natural botanicals like aloe vera and rosehip oil to deliver weightless hydration, along with pro-vitamin B5 and ginseng extract to help protect your hair from damage. This lightweight spray refreshes curls with a no-residue formula that won’t weigh them down, so you can apply it anytime you need to refresh your curls.
Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energizing & Refreshing Spray is vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated to be curl-friendly with no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or silicones.
Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Curl Refresher
Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Curl Refresher is a moisturizing spray that’s perfectly designed to refresh thick and dry waves, curls, and coils. This mist is certainly one of the best curl refreshers for Type 4 hair.
This curl refresh spray contains agave, sweet almond oil, and wheat protein to moisturize your tresses without crunch or sticky residue. It also reduces frizz and boosts curl definition while adding a little extra weight to curls.
Not Your Mother’s Curl Defining Detangler
Whether you have loose waves or tight coils, Not Your Mother’s Curl Defining Detangler will breathe life back into your natural hair.
Not Your Mother’s Curl Defining Detangler is a lightweight refresher made with 98% naturally derived ingredients, including mango butter and Tahitian gardenia flower. A light mist will boost your hair moisture levels and seal all that hydration in, leaving your mane smooth and easier to detangle with a gorgeous tropical scent.
And because this spray is made with no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or dyes, you know it won’t compromise the health of your curls.
tgin Rose Water Curl Refresher for Curls
tgin Rose Water Curl Refresher is perfect for giving an instant boost to dry curls between wash days. The special formulation contains rose water and coconut oil to hydrate and smooth all curl types.
Just a few sprays on damp or dry hair will refresh your curls, soothe a dry scalp, and immediately make your hair feel softer. Keep a bottle handy to refresh your curls on the move.
Men will also find that this curl refresh spray offers fantastic grease-free hydration for mustaches and beards.
Maui Moisture Lightweight Curls + Flaxseed Curl Refresher Mist
If you have medium textured hair that needs extra softness, this aloe based leave-in spray is a great way to quench thirsty hair. It’s packed with ingredients like flaxseed and coconut water that will reduce frizz, boost shine, and nourish your hair.
Although this one says lightweight on the label, I would consider it more medium. Don’t spray it directly near the root area if you struggled with greasy roots.
Maui Moisture Lightweight Curls + Flaxseed Curl Refresher Mist is free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates and is suitable for all hair types.
The Mane Choice Tropical Moringa Daily Restorative Spray
The Mane Choice Daily Restorative Spray contains premium ingredients to revive your tresses, boost elasticity, and give added curl definition.
This daily moisture spray contains moringa oleifera seed oil and biotin to soften, protect, and condition your strands. It infuses your strands with added moisture and softness, leaving them stronger, shinier, and less prone to breakage. It’s suitable for all hair types, including natural or relaxed hair, and is safe for permed or color-treated hair.
Pineapple Curls Refresher Mist by Pacifica for Women
If your curls look tired and dehydrated by day two, Pacifica for Women’s Pineapple Curls Refresher Mist is perfect for restoring lifeless curls, kinks, and coils.
This vegan and cruelty-free leave-in spray is packed full of curl-enhancing goodies like coconut oil, avocado oil, vitamin B5, and linseed oil. They will infuse your curls with juicy hydration and restore your natural hair to its fully defined beauty.
It also contains a blend of essential oils that will leave your locks smelling as good as they look!
Sheamoisture Hold and Shine Moisture Mist
Shea Moisture Hold and Shine Moisture Mist is hard to beat if you want to add moisture, hold, and shine to thick curly hair.
It’s formulated with Fair Trade shea butter, neem oil, and silk protein, which helps it fight frizz, boost hydration, and deliver beautifully defined waves, curls, and coils. The lightweight mist is gentle enough to use on fragile or damaged hair but will tame flyaways and add shine for a beautifully finished look.
Maple Holistics Volumizing Sea Salt Spray for Hair
Maple Holistics Volumizing Sea Salt Spray is a refreshing hair mist that boosts volume for beachy waves and bouncy curls.
This non-sticky, lightweight spray is packed with hydrating argan oil and nourishing sea kelp extract. It will tame flyaways, lift roots, and add texture, even on fine hair. The cruelty-free and vegan curl enhancer mist comes in a travel-friendly spray, which is ideal when you want to refresh your hair on the move.
*FYI, texturizing and salt sprays can be drying since this is how they add volume and texture.
Beauty By Earth Sea Salt Texturizing Spray
Beauty By Earth’s Sea Salt Texturizing Spray is perfect for creating windswept styles and adding body to fine or thick hair.
I actually used to make my own DIY version of a spray like this and loved it!
Made with natural and organic ingredients, it contains aloe vera, shea butter, and Japanese green tea to nourish and hydrate your curls while promoting healthy hair growth.
This paraben- and phthalate-free curl texturizing spray will add texture and gentle hold to your style. It also has a tropical coconut scent that almost makes you think you’re at the beach!
*FYI, texturizing and salt sprays can be drying since this is how they add volume and texture.
BONUS: DIY Curl Refresher Spray
I used to make a DIY curl refresher spray that was a mix of leave in conditioner, styling products, water, and optional essential oils that worked really well for me.
If you want to save some money and use products you already have on hand, just grab a continuous mist spray bottle and make your own curl refresher.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Total Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 ounce spray bottle
- purified water
- 2-3 tbsp conditioner
- 2 tbsp hair gel or other styling product
- 6 drops lavender essential oil
- 6 drops rosemary essential oil
- 6 drops peppermint essential oil
- OPTIONAL: 1 tbsp aloe vera gel or argan oil
Instructions
- Add the conditioner to the bottle. Use more if your hair tends to be dry and likes moisture.
- Add your styling gel or other styling product with hold.
- Add the lavender, peppermint, and rosemary essential oils.
- Optional: You can add 1 tbsp of pure aloe vera gel or argan oil for added moisture. *Aloe is better for hair that gets weighed down easily but some hair reacts badly to aloe.
- Fill the rest of the bottle up with purified water.
- Shake before each use.
Notes
The essential oils help freshen and soothe the scalp. You can omit them if preferred.
Recommended Products
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How To Use A Curl Refresher
A curl-enhancing spray is the ideal way to refresh second or third-day hair, so there’s no need to wash your hair before every use.
Start by spritzing the crown of your head with water to reactivate any styling products in your hair, then gently mist your hair section by section with the spray. For maximum benefit, ensure you spray your hair’s roots, mid-lengths, and ends.
Your curls don’t need to be soaking wet but should be damp enough to allow you to twist, scrunch, and mold them. You can then follow up with a curl cream to add more definition if you feel you need it.
Once you’re happy with your look, mist the ends again with your refresh spray and either diffuse or air-dry your hair until it’s about 80% dry. Shake out your twists and allow your hair to finish drying naturally.
You can also use your refresh spray to instantly give your hair a boost by simply spraying it onto dry hair, working section-by-section, and then scrunching or styling it as you wish.
One final tip – sleeping on silk or satin will make a big difference to how your hair looks in the morning, as it helps to reduce friction on your hair overnight. You can either sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase or wear a satin turban overnight.
FAQs
Still looking for more info about curl refreshers? These frequently asked questions have all the details you need.
How Often Should You Use Curl Refreshers?
You can use curl refreshers daily between wash days to help keep your strands hydrated and bring life back to limp locks.
Can You Use a Curl Refresher on Dry Hair?
Yes, you can use your leave-in curl refresh spray on dry or damp hair; it doesn’t need to be totally wet.
A quick spritz on dry hair throughout the day will refresh it with additional moisture to revive your curls, waves, or coils.
Do These Sprays Offer Heat Protection for Styling Tools?
Some curl refreshers do have heat protectant in them so you have to check the specific product. Most do not. Always apply a heat protectant first if you plan to use a blow dryer or hot styling tools on your hair.
Do Curl Refreshers Help With Frizz Control?
A curl refresher spray will help prevent flyaways and frizz, leaving your hair smooth, shiny, and more manageable. So, if frizz is a problem when the weather turns humid, keeping a bottle handy is a good idea, but make sure it’s not full of humectants which can cause frizz in humidity.
Will a Curl Refresh Spray Make My Hair Sticky or Greasy?
Most of these products are lightweight and make your hair feel greasy or sticky. If you have fine hair or are worried about your hair being weighed down, look for a product with a non-greasy formula like Ouidad’s or a sea salt spray.
Do These Products Work Well With Curly Hairstyles for Men?
These products will work equally well for men with wavy, curly, or coily hair.
Can Curl Refresher Sprays Be Used on Synthetic Hair or Wigs?
Synthetic hair needs products with gentler formulations specially designed for them, as they aren’t as resilient as human hair. So, using curl refresher products on synthetic wigs and hairpieces is not advisable.
The Bottom Line
If your curly, wavy, or coily hair tends to look flat and lifeless between wash days, a curl refresher spray could be the answer to your problems.
These fantastic sprays will instantly revive your locks, hydrate your strands, and define your curl with just a spritz or two.
There’s a wide range of products to choose from, and you might need some trial and error to find the best curl refresher spray for your hair. But once you’ve found it, your spray will become an essential part of making your curls look their best, day after day.
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