Have you just discovered that you have naturally wavy or curly hair? Maybe you’ve been straightening and blow-drying your curls until now and want to learn how to turn your frizzy hair into bouncy curls.
Many curly girls feel overwhelmed at first, so I’ve put together this simple guide to the curly hair essentials you’ll need for your curl routine.
I’ve picked out the key information you need to know, the essential products for your curly hair care routine, and the handy accessories that will make caring for your hair easier.
If you’ve been feeling unsure how to care for your natural curls, this is the right place to start!
Start here: Identifying your hair’s needs
Before you start buying curly hair products, take a little time to figure out your hair’s unique needs. This will help you choose the right products, accessories, and techniques to include in your curly hair care routine.
One of the most common curly hair mistakes is focusing too much on your curl type. Luckily, many people are starting to realize that knowing your hair type means more than just identifying your natural curl pattern.
Of course, it’s useful to know whether you have type 1 hair (straight hair), type 2 hair (wavy hair), type 3 hair (curly hair) or type 4 hair (kinky or coily hair). If you’re unsure which you have, our Curly Hair Type quiz will help you work it out.
Knowing your curl type is a good starting point, but you also need to consider some other factors that affect your hair:
- Hair porosity describes how easily your hair strands absorb and retain moisture. This is described as low porosity, medium porosity, or high porosity.
- Natural hair texture describes how thick each individual hair strand is. This is described as fine, medium, or coarse hair.
- Hair density describes how close together those strands are packed. This is described as low density, medium density, or high density hair.
You might also need to consider whether your scalp is dry or oily, as this can also affect your hair.
If you’re at the start of your curly hair journey, don’t worry too much about working all of this out right now. Start by identifying your natural hair texture, which will help you choose the right products and how much to use.
For example, if you have fine hair, you’ll find heavy products containing a lot of rich butters will weigh down your strands and leave them looking flat and limp. On the other hand, coarse hair will love those rich, heavy butters!
Essential Curly Hair Care Products
Curly hair types tend to be naturally dry because the scalp’s natural oils struggle to travel down to the ends of curly strands. So, choosing curl-friendly hair care products will help support good hair health by giving your dry curls the additional hydration and moisture they need.
Although there are masses of curly hair products on the market, you don’t need to buy everything all at once. Start by switching to a sulfate-free shampoo for curl-friendly cleansing, and follow up every shampoo with a good rinse-out conditioner.
Then, you can gradually add more steps to your curl routine, watching to see how your hair reacts to new products and how they blend with your current products.
Sulfate-free Shampoo
For healthy hair, avoid shampoos containing harsh sulfates, phthalates, and parabens. These ingredients will strip even more moisture from your strands.
Instead, choose a curl-friendly shampoo free from these ingredients like Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo.
You might also be surprised to learn that you don’t need to shampoo your hair every day. In fact, if your hair feels dry and brittle, your first step should be to reduce how often you shampoo your curls.
Rinse-out Conditioner
Whether you shampoo your hair daily or once a week, it’s essential to follow up with a good rinse-out conditioner. This will replace any lost moisture from your strands, leaving them soft and manageable, and also helps give your curls the shine of healthy hair.
It’s crucial to pick a conditioner that suits your hair’s specific needs. Fine or low density hair will need a lightweight conditioner that won’t leave them limp and flat, but coarse hair needs a richer, more intensive conditioning treatment.
Choose natural products containing key ingredients like aloe vera, butters like shea butter or mango butter, and natural hair oils like coconut oil and argan oil. These will provide the hydration and nutrients your curls need and help improve moisture retention.
Leave-in Conditioner
Leave-in conditioners are an essential part of your curly hair care kit. They provide the hydration and moisture your curls need to stay soft, frizz-free, and manageable throughout the day. A leave-in conditioner can also double up as a detangling spray, helping to provide the extra hair slip you need to untangle your strands without breakage.
I recommend a lightweight leave-in conditioner like Kinky Curly Knot Today. On wash day, I use a tiny dollop to deal with tangles, and between washes, I use it to revive my curls.
Deep Conditioner or Hair Mask
A good-quality deep conditioner or hair mask is an essential part of your hair care routine. Depending on your hair’s needs, you might need to use a deep conditioner weekly or just once a month for healthier hair.
Choosing the right deep conditioner for your hair will depend on factors like your hair’s porosity and texture, and you might need some trial and error before you find your favorite conditioner.
You can get maximum hydration from your deep conditioning treatment by wearing a shower cap or heat cap while the treatment works on your strands.
Styling Products
Curly girls are spoiled for choice when it comes to styling products with gels, mousses, curl-enhancing creams, and styling sprays available in a variety of light, medium, or firm-hold options.
Your choice of styling product comes down to your personal preferences and what effect you want to achieve. When I’m using my fast curly hair routine, I like a one-and-done product like Curlsmith Hydro Style Flexi-Jelly, but when I’m trying to add more texture to my curls, I like to layer a strong-hold hair gel like Curlsmith In Shower Style Fixer with a pump-action spray like Suave Max Hold Spray.
Top Pick
You might prefer to try using a curl cream or mousse to style your curls – trying out new products is part of the fun!
Bear in mind that if you’re using a styling product containing silicones, these can cause product buildup on your strands. This makes it hard for the hair shaft to absorb essential nutrients and hydration, so you’ll need to remove it regularly with a clarifying shampoo.
Clarifying Shampoo
Using a clarifying shampoo containing olefin sulfonate, like Malibu C Un-Do-Goo, will remove the product build-up and leave you with squeaky clean hair
Top Pick
Malibu C Un-Do-Goo Clarifying Shampoo
This is my top pick for clarifying all hair types. It removes buildup the best and is still gentle on curly hair.
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04/02/2025 08:56 am GMT
I like to clarify weekly to give my fine, low density hair extra volume, but you might only need to use your clarifying shampoo once or twice a month. Remember that the clarifying shampoo will also strip away the natural oils from your strands, so always follow up with a rich conditioning treatment or hair mask.
Top Pick
As well as the products above, you might also want to buy a dry shampoo like Amika Perk Up to freshen up your curls between washes. It’s also a great way to add texture to curly hair.
A detangling product like Kinky Curly Knot Today makes detangling easier, and a heat protectant like Curlsmith Miracle Shield is essential if you want to use a blow dryer or hot styling tools on your curls.
Essential Tools and Accessories for Curly Hair
There’s a massive range of optional curly hair accessories and tools that can make styling easier or protect your hair from damage.
You don’t need to buy everything right away, but they can help make your curly hair journey a little easier. Try adding one or two to your curly hair routine and see if it makes a difference to your curls.
Hairdryer with a diffuser attachment
I always prefer to blow dry my hair on a low heat with a diffuser attachment for better curl definition and volume.
If you prefer air drying your curls but want to reduce your drying time, try just diffusing your hair part-way. Then, you can leave them to air dry until completely dry.
Silk pillowcase
Curly hair can get frizzy and tangled overnight, as cotton pillowcases will dehydrate your strands, and friction between the strands will tangle them into knots.
Sleeping on a satin or silk pillowcase will cause less friction and also prevent your hair strands from losing moisture. All of this helps reduce the risk of breakage and tangling.
You can get similar results by putting your hair up in a silk wrap, using a satin scrunchie to tie your hair up in a high pineapple, or wearing a silk sleep bonnet overnight.
Top Pick
Detangling brush
A detangling brush is an essential tool for removing tangles and knots from curly hair. You could also try using a wide-tooth comb or a Denman brush.
Always apply a detangling spray or leave-in conditioner before you start, as this will give you plenty of hair slip and make detangling easier.
T-Shirt Hair towel
If you want to cut down your hair’s drying time, using a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt to blot your hair will be gentler on your strands than rubbing them with a regular terry towel. You can also use your microfiber towel for plopping hair, a great technique for reducing frizz and improving curl definition.
Top Pick
Tee-Owels T-Shirt Towel
Reduce frizz and speed up drying time. Every curly girl should have one. Use code HOLISTICENCHILADA to save 15%.
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Spray bottle
Styling wet hair usually gives better results than trying to style dry hair. Keeping a continuous misting spray water bottle handy to spritz your drying tresses will help with styling and refreshing your curls.
Plastic Clips
Plastic duck-billed hair clips are useful for dividing hair into sections before you apply styling products and dry your locks.
FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about looking after curly hair, these frequently asked questions could help.
You could also complete the curly hair type quiz to get product suggestions for your hair type.
Why is curly hair so high maintenance?
Curly hair tends to be naturally dry because the scalp’s natural oils struggle to travel down the bends, curves, and coils of the hair shaft.
Maintaining healthy natural hair requires some extra effort to avoid problems like frizzy hair or split ends. Once you’ve perfected your curly hair routine, it doesn’t take too much extra work.
Should you shampoo curly hair every day?
Shampooing your hair can make it feel dry as it removes the natural oils from your hair. If your hair feels dry, try using shampoo less often. You can still rinse your hair in between wash days if you want to refresh your style.
Is it OK to condition curly hair every day?
You should use a moisturizing rinse-out conditioner every time you shampoo your locks to help control frizz and maintain curl definition. If you have dry hair, you can also refresh your locks with a leave-in conditioner between wash days.
How often should curly hair be trimmed?
Regular trims will help keep your curly hair free from split ends and maintain the shape of your haircut. You should generally schedule salon visits every 4-8 weeks, depending on your hair’s needs, and you’ll get best results from a stylist experienced in cutting natural hair.
The Bottom Line
Caring for curly hair takes a little extra work, but it doesn’t need to be complicated or take a lot of time.
In this guide, I’ve pulled together the essential products and accessories to help you create the perfect curly hair routine to suit your tresses. I’ve also shared the key factors you need to know about your hair and answered some of your frequently asked curly hair questions.
Now you have all the curly hair essentials you’ll need to bring out the natural beauty of your gorgeous coils, curls, or waves!
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