I'm always on the prowl for the best hair products for us girls with curls. My curls are the kind that everyone wants, but for me, they're awkward to deal with. They're not tight ringlets but they are more than waves. They're right in the middle. If I don't use the right combination of products, they are either frizzy ringlets or almost-curls lacking any volume. So here's a few products that I've come to love over the last 10 years after my hair all of a sudden became curly (Thanks, puberty).
The only product I've used for more than a year has been Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Leave-In Conditioner. I put this in my hair as soon as I get out of the shower because it's just an overall good moisturizer for my hair. It's like putting on lotion after you get out of the shower, but for your hair. It's only a few bucks, and most stores carry it. However, if I only use this Leave-In, my curls look more like waves and are lacking that wow-factor that I want. I use this one days when I'm staying low-key and not doing much of anything, because it leaves my hair healthy without the build up of products I usually use. I also put a little extra on my ends to keep them from being split quite so easily.
So then I moved onto John Frieda Original Frizz-Ease, which has been in the spotlight for years in beauty magazines for being the #1 curl product. I paid the $8.99 for the little tiny pump bottle of what is sort of like oil and gel mixed together. This product works if you put it on when your hair is soaking wet right out of the shower, but you can't use it on dry hair--it's a mess. I had pretty good results with this product, but for the length of my hair and how much I have to use to get the desires results, it's too expensive! I also hate the oily feeling on my hands after I use it. Even after you wash your hands, they still feel greasy, like you just rubbed them on a stick of butter. Gross!
The next product I use a lot is the Not Your Mother's brand Beach Babe Sea Salt Spray. I'm a beach girl. I just about live at the beach every summer, and when I'm there, I typically rock my "spent-all-day-on-the-beach" hair even if I'm going out to the bar the pier or to a nice dinner. I love how my hair looks after being tossed by the ocean and dried in pure sunshine with a little bit of salt. This sea salt spray makes my hair feel just like that, and it's only around $4 at WalMart! It smells wonderful, too. Of course, if you're looking for smooth, perfectly crafted curls, this product isn't for you. It gives you ultra-voluminousness, somewhat wild, crazy curls that have no rhyme or reason. My only complaint about the product is that that it mattes shine, so it leaves hair looking sort of dull. But when you think about real beach hair, it does the same thing, so I guess it's true to real beach hair in that sense.
Now, for shampoo and conditioner, I've just recently found a pair that I love. If you've noticed, I'm a WalMart/Target/drug store shopper when it comes to beauty products. I buy salon products VERY rarely because, quite frankly, I think it's ridiculous to pay $30 for a bottle of shampoo or mousse. So for shampoo and coniditioner, I rely on the good ole Pantene products. I used to use the Pantene for curls, but then I tried out their Beautiful Lenghts line and have switched to that. My hair feels like silk after washing. Most shampoos leave my hair feeling dry and tangled until I condition it. It's crucial for people with curly hair to have a moisturizing shampoo. If you don't have one, you are guaranteed to have frizzy hair! There are always $1 off or $2 off coupons for Pantene hair products, so I rarely pay the full price for mine, either.
Finally, my favorite product. Bedhead Foxy Curls mousse. Like I said, I'm not a fan of paying for salon products, but this one is worth it. I paid $16.99 for it at Target, but it goes a long way, so I feel that it's worth it. Not to mention, it smells like cotton candy. I typically don't use mousse because it always dries crunchy, which is one of my curl pet peeves. Foxy Curls, however, does not, as long as you don't cake on the product. I use a quarter sized amount with my hair upside down, then flip my head back over and use a quarter sized amount on top, and I'm done. I get compliments on my curls when I use this stuff. It's that good! Also, there's an entire Foxy Curls line that I may check out in the future as I use up other products I already have. There's a Curl Creme, Curl Refreshing Spray, and Shampoo and Conditioner.
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| My curls with just the Foxy Curls product after being slept on all night. Still in good shape! The first day was even better! |
And those are my key products for my curls. My other best tricks are to:
- Turn the water cold right before you get out of the shower and rinse your hair one more time under it. Cold water locks up your hair follicles, which seals in moisture. Less frizz!
- I only brush my hair ever few weeks, and when I do, I brush it when it's wet after I get out of the shower, before I put product in. I also use a wide-toothed comb versus a brush. It won't brush your curls out.
- When you air-dry your hair (which I always do--NEVER blow dry curls!!), use a soft towel (many girls with curls use a cotton t-shirt) versus a rough towel. Don't rub your hair with the towel. Pat it dry or scrunch it in the towel to dry it some.
- Don't touch your hair while it's drying or after it's dry. So, just don't touch your hair! When it's wet, scrunching it too much can separate curl strands which creates frizz. When it's dry, your hands can make hair oily which can weigh curls down.
