Curly hair can be a labor of love, especially when first figuring out what hair type you have and what products work best to get the results you want. My hair journey has been long and rough, but after much trial and error, I have found drugstore products that work great with my 2C/3A hair to produce a defined, frizz-free, and voluminous result.
The Basics
While my curls form with any shampoo and conditioner, having hair products that are specifically tailored for curly hair is the best foundation if you are trying to enhance definition. This applies to all types of hair, hair products, techniques, etc. I love the Function of Beauty Curly Hair Shampoo and Conditioner. Not only does the shampoo smell great and lather up tons, but I can tell a difference in how much softer my hair is after using these products.
I have also recently been using a hair mask in the shower to make my hair extra soft, and it works wonders. The California Naturals Deep Repair Hair Mask revived my hair from the frizzy and dry state it was in during the winter, and it smells amazing too!
Styling products
I have learned the hard way that if I don’t put at least a curl cream in my hair after showering, I turn into Mia Thermopolis, pre-princess era. I prefer a curl cream that controls frizz and enhances curls while remaining lightweight, or else my hair will feel weighted down or sticky. My go-to product is the Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Cream, which checks all of my boxes while still remaining affordable.
Another must-have for me is a strong gel that seals everything in, and Not Your Mother’s Scuplting Gel does just the trick. Just like the line’s curl cream, their gel is an affordable, lightweight, and durable product that defines my curls while still giving them movement.
Curl cream and gel are my go-to products, and depending on how defined I want my hair for the wash cycle, I might also go in with a mousse and leave in conditioner. My tried and true mousse is the OGX Coconut Curls Mousse, which I have used since middle school and it has served me well. This product is great for giving my hair volume wherever I want, either in my roots or ends, and does its job at defining curls too. My leave-in conditioner choice is a bit unconventional, but you can never underestimate the underdog! I picked up Trader Joe’s Leave-In Conditioner on a whim one day and was pleasantly surprised to find it is often compared to the OUAI Leave-In Conditioner, to which I can testify that Trader Joe’s does a great job at moisturizing and detangling my hair.
After all is said and done, I always, always keep a hair oil on hand. Even before I started on my curly hair journey, before I tried any other hair product, I used the OGX Argan Oil to smooth out frizz. OGX carries a variety of hair oils in different scents, forms, and functions, and I find that all of them de-frizz and add shine well. A product that I have heard works great with curly hair is the OLAPLEX Bonding Oil, a more expensive product but one I would love to try.
Routine
My hair routine varies from week to week, but below is my tried and true routine that I use to ensure a good hair day.
- Shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask
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A key part of how I shower is my process, where I flip my hair upside-down for the majority of the time. I always double-shapoo to ensure I get out any previous product build-up or natural oil that may be on my scalp. I also like to leave both my conditioner and hair mask sitting in my hair for a couple of minutes to hydrate it as much as possible. When I’m rinsing out product, I make sure that the water isn’t going straight down onto the top of my head, but rather I look to the ground and let the water fall on my nape, or else it will flatten out any potential for volume before I even exit the shower.
- Leave-in conditioner and curl cream
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I have learned that my hair should not be brushed, even when dripping wet, or else the top of my head flattens out, and my curls will start from my ears down. Instead, I gently apply the product onto my hands and run it through my hair in a ‘prayer hands’ motion. This allows the product to distribute evenly without breaking up the natural waves or curls. After distributing the product, I scrunch, scrunch, and scrunch some more, making my way from the front pieces to the back, flipping my head, and scrunching even more.
- Mousse and Gel
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It depends on where I want my volume to be, but more often than not, I apply mousse to the roots of my hair for maximum volume. I do this by flipping my hair over and scrunching the mousse up, focusing on the crown and top of my head. Gel is applied in a similar manner to the curl cream, by distributing and scrunching through my hair, but I always make sure to apply gel as my last product so that it seals in all of the hard work!
- Drying
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My hair takes a very, very long time to dry. It wasn’t until recently that I received a diffuser to speed up this process, and it has been incredibly helpful. I first diffuse the top of my head, followed by the back (as those are the sections that take the longest to dry), and finish by focusing on the ends of my hair. Even if I don’t fully dry my hair with a diffuser, it definitely helps me get out the door with dry hair faster. I still do enjoy air-drying my hair, as long as I ensure there is enough time for it to dry fully! I have also made the mistake many times of sleeping with wet or partially-damp hair, and it usually crushes my curls or reshapes my roots oddly, and I try to avoid that as much as possible.
- Oil
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As already stated, oil is the very last step in my whole routine. I rake it through my hair ‘prayer hands’ style to control any frizzy areas or break up a gel cast that may have formed with the previous products. I also run oil through my hair at night to prevent any breakage that may occur while sleeping.
My hair routine is something I am always developing and it will change through the years as I change. Learning how to manage my curl type is something that has exelled my confidence tremendously, and is a process that I have learned to love. Although my hair doesn’t define me, it sure is a labor of love that allows me to express myself.