How To Prevent Curly Hair From Getting Tangled

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Please hug yourself and prepare for the knowledge I'm virtually to driblet on you: There's no such thing as "the best" curly hair production. I know—shock, horror, surprise, etc. But seriously; when you've got then many unlike scroll types, all with their own unique levels of health/damage, or thinness/thickness, it's impossible to pretend that a single roll cream or styler will work as well for your 4a hair every bit information technology will for my 2c/3a curls (that are also fine, sparse, and hands weighed downwards). I mean, permit'due south exist honest—even the products I use every mean solar day still give me different results each time (IYKYK).

Which is why I'm a house believer in having an arsenal of curly hair products on hand at all times, just to make the gyre overlords happy. But since in that location are approximately 6-trillion curl products on the market right now—and probably but a few dozen that work for your actual pilus type—I'yard hither to make the process easier for you with 23 of the all-time masks, serums, mousses, gels, creams, and conditioners for curly hair, guaranteed to give you really splendid curls.

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Simply first, a little 101 on what to expect for when choosing the right curly pilus product for your roll type, plus a quick look at our top picks of 2022, below:

Our top picks for the best curly pilus products of 2022

How to choose the all-time curly hair products

Consider your porosity

The biggest turning signal in my hair journeying wasn't a production, merely figuring out my curl porosity. Your curl porosity, FYI, is how porous your curls are (i.e., how much water they can blot and repel). Curls with depression porosity require lightweight products and heat treatments to expect their best, while curls with high porosity need butters, oils, and proteins to go along them salubrious. The quickest manner to notice out your type is with a porosity quiz, so come back here to find your best product lineup.

Figure out your stance on silicones

Silicones (similar dimethicone) are polymers that give your hair a glace-smooth feel—which, on some pilus types, is totally fine and nifty. But on curly hair? Potential trouble-makers. Because about silicones don't dissolve in water, they can quickly build up on your hair cuticle and repel water, leaving your curls dry out, tangled, and limp until you strip them away with a clarifying shampoo (which, you know, is also not slap-up). Many of of the products on this listing are silicone-free (and Curly Girl Method-canonical), but just to be safe, e'er make sure to run the ingredients list through a formula checker before using.

Now, onto the full breakdown of the very best curly hair products for all different curl types, beneath. Happy experimenting.

Best Overall Roll Styler

Lus All-in-Ane Fragrance-Free Styler: Curly

Okay, Lus has been one of my favorite curly-hair brands for years. Their products are simple, pared downwardly, gratis of all the blah stuff (like silicones, sulfates, mineral oils), and exactly what I would make if I could formulate my ain products. My newest fav? This all-in-one styler that's basically a happy medium between a leave-in conditioner and a curl foam, using moringa oil and shea butter to lightly moisturize and define curls. And it'south hella customizable: Endeavour the fragrance-complimentary version (here) or the original version. Need a lighter or heavier formula? Get for the wavy-pilus version or the "kinky-coily" version. Told y'all—so good.

Best Scroll-Defining Cream

Moroccanoil Whorl Defining Cream

There'south a reason this cream has more than 900 glowing reviews on Amazon alone: This stuff works. While most creams tend to weigh downwards effectively roll types, this lightweight formula has just a touch on of argan oil that works to shine frizz and define waves and curls without ever feeling greasy, heavy, or sticky.

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All-time Drugstore Serum for Curly Hair

Dove Avant-garde Pilus Series Supreme Crème Serum

This drugstore coil serum with buriti oil is basically a moisturizing dream for your curly hair. Information technology moisturizes curls without weighing them down—plus, it leaves your hair soft and shiny. Just warm ii to three pumps of the product in your hands and work it evenly through dry or damp pilus.

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Best Shine Serum for Curly Hair

Vernon François Pure Fro Agree and Shine Serum

Not but will this smoothing serum add shine to wearisome curls, it'll also help coils clump together as they dry. With a blend of botanical oils (like apricot kernel and baobab), this mid-weight formula hardcore moisturizes and shines, whether you rake information technology through wet or dry pilus. Or, you know, both.

Best Hair Mask for Frizzy Curls

Living Proof No Frizz Intense Moisture Mask

Wanna say this louder for the people in the dorsum: There is nada incorrect with frizz, and it doesn't need to be contained or controlled. HOWEVER, if you're non a fan of your own flyaways and desire some smoother curls, endeavor this wet mask. Information technology'south formulated with a proprietary molecule (OFPMA) that wraps around each strand of pilus to shut out moisture and reduce surface friction. Translation: It completely prevents frizz while defining your curls.

Best Co-Wash for Curly Pilus

Pantene Gold Series Deep Hydrating Co-Wash

The MVP in this formula? Argan oil, which adds smooth and hydration to fibroid, dry curls without weighing them downward. Utilize this co-wash (a cleansing conditioner) in place of a shampoo and a conditioner when yous're between washes.

Best Gel for Curly Hair

Ouidad Avant-garde Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel

I hate it when I put gel in my hair and it ends up leaving my curls feeling gluey and crunchy. Thankfully, I stopped having to deal with that when I switched to this curly hair gel. It's filled with wheat proteins and styling polymers that seal your curls in place (even against heat and humidity)—but without hair feeling strong or getting flaky.

Best Go out-In Foam for Curly Hair

Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Leave-In Defining Crème

If your nightmare is crunchy, strong curls, try this ultra-hydrating leave-in cream. It has avocado oil (to smooth and seal the hair cuticle to assistance continue out humidity) and rice amino acids (to add together shine and retain moisture). Smooth it over your clammy curls, from root to tip, for soft definition and concur.

Best Whorl Foam

Ouai Fragrance Gratis Ringlet Creme

I. LOVE. THIS. Ringlet. CREAM. Omg. Not simply is it free of fragrance, silicones, and waxes, only it's also weirdly customizable depending on your ringlet type. Although information technology's filled with kokosnoot oil, which would usually get out my fine pilus greasy, a dime-size dollop squished through my sopping-wet hair leaves my 3a curls defined, smoothen, and bouncy. Have tighter/coarser curls? Just layer it on with a heavy mitt (remember: Rake it through your coils before a gel or pudding) for a moisturized, defined base.

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Best Refreshing Spray for Curly Hair

Curlsmith Moisture Retention Reactivator

If your 2nd- or third-day curls are ordinarily relegated to a bun, twist, or braid because they're and so dry and undefined, may I innovate yous to your new BFF? This refreshing spray is filled with water and oils (olive! coconut! avocado!) to rehydrate and re-clump curls on contact, while adding a chip of definition and shine as soon as you spritz it on.

Best Balm for Curly Pilus

Qhemet Biologics Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm

This totally clear balm uses a mix of olive oil, grapeseed oil, and wildflower love to securely moisturize pilus and seal in hydration. Just comb a scoop through your damp hair, or mix it with your favorite leave-in before your wash-and-go or twist-out, and your coils and kinks will stay defined, shrink-free, and shiny, all twenty-four hour period long.

Best Scalp Scrub for Curly Hair

Kristin Ess Instant Exfoliating Scalp Scrub

Hither's the matter nigh curls: They need a ton of moisture. Simply by the fourth dimension you slap on the deep conditioners, the go out-ins, the creams, and the oils, your coils might look great, merely your scalp? Gunked-up and stressed out. Which is where a scalp scrub comes in. This gritty formula uses natural sugars to gently slough away flakes and buildup, along with sweet almond, sunflower, and avocado oils to moisturize your skin and mitigate irritation. Massage it over your scalp in tiny circles, so rinse and shampoo/condition as usual.

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All-time Oestrus-Protectant Spray for Curly Pilus

Cantu Shea Butter Thermal Shield Heat Protectant

If you're using heat on your hair, you lot need to be using a heat protectant, flow. This spray will protect your curls from temperatures up to 425 degrees and prevent long-term damage. It too has shea butter to help condition your hair and reduce frizz and flyaways while you way. Simply mist it throughout damp hair before you pull out your hot tools.

Best Lightweight Curl Gel

Kinky-Curly Original Curling Custard

I mean, you can't talk about the all-time-ever curl products without including the cult-favorite Kinky-Curly Curling Custard. This stuff is similar the Traveling Pants of curl gels, since it helps define and smooth both wavy-curly types and tightly coiled types, all without flakes, grease, or stickiness. Shingle it through your moisture coils or scrunch information technology through your damp waves for light hold and shine.

Best Creamy Gel for Curly Hair

Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Gyre Defining Gel

Fact: Not all gels are created equal. Some can exist super lightweight and a lil bit drying, while others (like this one!) can be surprisingly moisturizing—which is exactly what you desire for type-iv pilus. This flossy formula is filled with shea butter and sweet almond oil to give your twist-outs or launder and gos the concur of a gel and the wet of a go out-in.

Best AIR-Dry out CREAM FOR CURLY Hair

Complete Hydrating Air Dry Cream

Technically, whatsoever curl foam tin work as an air-dry pilus foam. But, if you accept ultra-fine curls similar mine, you already know how hard it is to find a curl-specific formula that isn't super heavy. My new fav? This silicone-costless cream from JVN (Jonathan Van Ness, ahem), which uses lightweight moringa seed oil and a touch of shea butter to go along curls smooth and defined as they dry. Bonus: This one is also Curly Daughter Method-approved (!).

Best Mousse for Curly Hair

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curlicue Boosting Mousse

If y'all have fine, easily pulled-out curls (hello, me), you need this mousse. Just rake a golfball-size puff through your damp hair, lightly scrunching as you work. So Keep. Your. Hands. Off. until your hair completely dries. The mousse will keep your curls bouncy and voluminous all solar day long, while likewise protecting against frizz (without any stiffness).

18 Bread Beauty Pilus Oil Everyday Gloss

If your curls are in a perpetual state of dryness, please effort this (silicone-free!) hair oil. It's filled with a mix of oils (like safflower, sweet almond, argan, and brush) to smooth and define your hair without feeling equally heavy equally archetype coconut oil-based formulas. Massage it into your scalp as a pre-poo handling, or smooth it over your wet and dry ends to lock in moisture and add together polish.

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Best Detangling Moisturizing Spray

Sunday II Lord's day Revive Me Daily Moisturizing Spray

Detangling your curls tin can be the biggest pain in the barrel (and as well hella damaging), only this conditioning go out-in spray will make your life 10 times easier. Mist it all over your clammy or dry curls, then finger-comb them to gently detangle your hair while adding a affect of moisture with the formula's argan oil. Or, just use it every bit a curl-refreshing spray afterwards you wake upward or piece of work out.

Best Deep Conditioner for 4c Curls

Mielle Organics Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner

Dissimilar some deep conditioners that are overly packed with protein (which, FYI, can exist too much of a expert matter), this formula uses lightweight amino acids to help repair your dry out, damaged curls without making them strong or breakable, forth with a dose of plant oils—hi, babassu, spearmint, peppermint, and sunflower—to lock in hydration long after you rinse information technology out.

All-time Dry Shampoo for Curly Hair

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Biotin Dry Shampoo

Archetype droplets dry shampoos can be drying, thanks to the hefty dose of alcohol in their formula. This dry shampoo powder, though, is not but CGM (curly girl method) approved—pregnant no sulfates, silicones, waxes, or alcohols—making it killer for soaking up backlog oil without irritating your scalp. Just pump it into your roots, massage information technology in, and live your best curl life.

All-time Conditioner for Curly Hair

DevaCurl Fragrance-Gratuitous One Status Original Conditioner

As someone who is allergic to ~everything~, truly zero gets me more excited than seeing the fragrance-complimentary trend grow. But even if you're not into scentless products, you lot'll still love this ringlet conditioner (which, FYI, comes in a scented variety besides), since it uses coconut oil and glycerin to deeply moisturize coarse and dry curls—without any silicones or essential oils.

Best Soothing Scalp Serum for Curly Hair

Fable & Mane SahaScalp Amla Soothing Serum

If dry out scalp season is year-round for you, effort this soothing scalp serum that uses a bajillion establish oils and natural extracts (come across: sunflower oil, turmeric, amla fruit excerpt, and bakuchi) to lightly hydrate and calm your scalp without feeling greasy or heavy.

Chloe Metzger Deputy Beauty Manager Chloe Metzger is the deputy dazzler manager at Cosmopolitan, overseeing the editorial content and growth strategy of the hair, makeup, and pare space on digital, while also obsessively writing about the best hair products for every hair blazon (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare routines that really, truly work (follow her on Instagram to come across behind-the-scenes pics of that mag life).