The Best Curly Hair Products of 2020

Society hasn’t been the most kind to curly-haired people. As a woman with curly hair myself, I empathize with those of you reading who may not have your hair under control, because let’s face it, as hard as we try to tame frizz, accentuate curls, and strengthen natural hair, there isn’t a universal solution. I laugh at the saying that “curly hair never dries the same way after showers,” since it is my everyday experience! So, what is the solution? As I’ve learned, practice makes perfect and since everyone has different curl textures, some of the products I recommend from my own experience may not work the same for you. While buying products and gadgets to tame curly hair is expensive (and based on how many conditioner bottles I used to go through, bad for the environment), the products I will recommend are long-lasting and ethical brands that you feel good supporting. 

First off, and I can’t stress this enough, curly hair doesn’t like to be brushed (this could cause frizz!). If anything, running your finger through your hair in the shower is a better option. I tend to gravitate towards wide-toothed combs or even hair picks to distribute hair among curls and get knots out, in the least painful way possible. You could probably pick up a pack of three hair picks or one wide-toothed comb at your local drugstore for no more than $5!

Next, my holy grail brand I’ve discovered since being in quarantine is Shea Moisture, a brand founded in 1912, whose first product was the “African Black Soap.” The line I’m currently using is called “Coconut and Hibiscus: Curl and Shine” shampoo, conditioner, and smoothie, which all smell amazing. On top of the amazing smell and small business brand, the shea butter in all the products is fair trade, as well as no sulfates, no parabens, no phthalates, no mineral oil, no animal testing, and no petrolatum. All good things so far! The shampoo and conditioner from the line together cost about $25 at CVS. While this may be a lot of money to shell out, a little bit of product goes quite a long way, and I’m still using my first bottles from when I bought them in March! 

Last, but not least, and maybe the most important product for curly hair (if your hair goal is to reduce frizz), is a curl cream or curl activator gel. My favorite curl cream is by the brand Verb. After scrunching this product in my hair I see a dramatic hold in curl shape and feel fine leaving my house knowing my hair won’t frizz up after 20 minutes! As for curl activator gel, I use the Long Aid brand that I got from CVS, not costing me more than $7 for a big tub! 

As we are all on different legs of our curl care journey, I hope these tips are helpful for you!

• budget
• curls
• curly hair
• haircare
• natural hair