To someone with straight hair, curls are bouncy, gorgeous springs they see in their wildest dreams and they aren’t shy about letting those blessed with cascading curls know how lucky they are. There’s a reason perms were so popular back in the 80s and maybe (hopefully) coming back in style. On the other side of the aisle, people with curly hair hate the frizzy, tangled mess that is the bane of their existence.
This article is about all things curly — best drugstore or homemade products with a few tips and tricks for easily managed curls that make straight (haired) girls squeal.
Curl Patterns
The hair chronicles of curly hair start with classifying the different hair textures. Hair with varying degrees of kinks are categorized as waves, curls or coils, depending on the width and diameter of the strands of hair.
There are an exhausting number of subcategories and caveats to further classify curl patterns, but we’re not taking a deep dive – waves, curls or coils are sufficient terminologies for our purposes.
5 Mistakes People with Curly Hair Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Curly hair takes a lot more time and energy than straight hair. You can’t just wash, blow-dry and go. (Actually, you should skip the blow-drying, but more on that later.)
Using tons of styling products can weigh your hair down and cause breakage or frizz. The goal of this article is helping you find a way to maximize your curls while minimizing damage.
If your hair is looking like a hot mess, check over these 5 mistakes people with curly hair make and how to avoid them:
Washing hair too much
If you have waves, curls or coils, you shouldn’t wash your hair every day. Washing it removes the helpful natural oils that textured hair needs to avoid drying out the hair follicles. If your hair is lacking moisture, it will be more prone to frizzing.
Washing hair with shampoo once or twice a week should be enough, maybe even less in the winter months.
Then Not Conditioning
When you do wash your hair, you need to be diligent about conditioning it and with products that have the right ingredients. Coconut oil or shea butter or other moisturizing ingredients are fundamental to giving your curls shine and hydration. Otherwise, your curls will be dry and dull.
Too Much Heat
Using a blow-dryer or hot styling tools on your hair can cause irreparable damage to your curl pattern. If you have curly hair, air-drying your hair is the best option. A blow-dryer with a diffuser attachment is the second best choice. You can also put a shower cap over your hair for minimal protection and aim the blow-dryer at the outside of the cap.
For styling tools, turn the equipment down halfway through your routine to prevent hair damage.
Use Brushes
Hair brushes are actually super bad for all hair types, but especially for curls. The brushes cause breakage and encourage frizz. Fine-toothed combs also shouldn’t be used on curls, as they will get tangled. Wide-tooth combs are the best choice or using your fingers.
Not Trimming Split Ends
Frequent haircuts are annoying and expensive, but so are split ends. Trims every few weeks keep your hair looking healthy because unattended split ends cause your hair to fray at the ends, giving you dull and frazzled curls.
What Are the 5 Best Products for Naturally Curly Hair?
Over-using products can flatten your curls or weigh them down. Used sparingly, these 5 products can give your curls back their bounce.
Oribe Curl Gloss Hydration & Hold

Photo Credit: Beautylish
This ‘gloss’ is actually a lightweight gel. A combination of Brazilian extracts, such as jicama and passion flower helps your hair fight humidity for frizz-free, hydrated soft curls.
Creme of Nature Butter-Licious Curl Hydrating Creme

Photo Credit: Butter-licious- curls
Add softness and definition with this Argan oil infused creme. The additional ingredients of Shea and Cocoa butter penetrate your curls, leaving them more manageable.
One of the main ingredients is glycerin, which pulls moisture from the air and replenishes the hydration of your hair follicles. If you have fine hair, use small amounts of the creme to prevent oily hair.
Dove Quench Absolute Supreme Creme Serum

Photo Credit: Walgreens
If you want your hair to shine with moisture, this serum targets the dryness that affects curly hair. The product can be used on damp or dry hair to help make curls manageable between washes. It continues moisturizing hair for up to 3 days.
Bumble & Bumble Curl Custom Conditioner

Photo Credit: Sephora
This versatile conditioner can be rinsed out or left in for optimal hydration. The ingredients contain a polymer that controls and hydrates each curl.
Mielle Organics Avocado Moisturizing Milk Hair

Photo Credit: Amazon
Chemical-free, this organic hair milk leave-in conditioner rejuvenates curls with natural ingredients aloe vera and avocado. The product strengthens hair and reduces dryness while giving your curls a shiny glow.
What is the best treatment for dry curly hair?
Constant styling and exposure to heat-based tools (as well as the sun) can cause excessive dryness in curly hair. There are many types of products that promise to revitalize your curls, but this deep conditioner provides an instant moisture boost.
Devacurl Heaven in Hair Intense Moisture Treatment

Photo Credit: Sephora
If you have lifeless or overly dry curls, this product is heaven sent. It provides your hair with instant hydration. The ingredients include fatty acids, which are essential for elasticity and durability.
Colder weather climates can be brutal to curls. Help turn brittle hair into silky, soft curls without the frizz by soaking your hair in this deep conditioner for just a few minutes will quench your hair’s thirst and restore the life into your curls.
What is the best shampoo for naturally curly hair?
DevaCurl No-Poo Zero Lather Conditioning Cleanser

Photo Credit: Ulta
Silicone is notoriously bad for hair; it causes build-up that weighs hair down. Luckily for your curls, this product is silicone-free. You’ll find the necessary moisturize that your curls need without the pain of rinsing out a head full of lather. The peppermint and grapeseed ingredients clean your scalp without removing the natural oils that benefit your curls.
Products that contain significant amounts of sulfate (the chemical that makes cleaning products foam) can increase greasy, oily hair. A small amount of sulfate concentration (1%) is beneficial, as it loosens the grease and oil from your scalp. However, most shampoos on the market have a 15% sulfate concentration. DevaCurl products are all 100% sulfate-free.
Natural hair treatments for curly hair
While sometimes you don’t have much choice about purchasing hair products from stores, they typically contain harsh chemicals. Chemicals that cause breakage, dryness and other hair damage.
If you have the spare time and inclination, here are 5 natural remedies to reduce dryness in curly hair:
Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acids that have similar pH levels of human hair. Soaking your hair in apple cider vinegar after shampooing to help promote ideal acidity and get a healthy shine. Rinse with cool water after your the apple cider vinegar has been on your hair for 30 minutes.
Raw Egg & Olive Oil
Yolks and egg whites from the egg have many beneficial natural ingredients. The egg yolks contain proteins and the egg whites have an enzyme (Lysozyme) that reduce unhealthy oils. Conversely, the olive oil promotes oil production and helps keep your hair moisturized.
For best use, apply the mixture of raw eggs and olive oil to your hair before shampooing. Let it soak into your hair for 30 minutes and then rinse with cool water. Shampoo, condition and style your hair as usual.
Coconut Oil
This simple treatment involved putting a few drops of coconut oil in your palm and massaging it through the ends of damp hair. Coconut oil is a great source of hydration and is quite fragrant. If you’re allergic to coconut, olive oil can be used instead.
Beer
First of all, that’s non-alcoholic beer, you lush. Secondly, the beer will hydrate your curls and make your hair shinier and your curls bouncier. Simply douse your hair in beer and let it sit for five minutes before rinsing with cold water.
Avocado
Avocado isn’t just for eating. Mashing one avocado and mixing it with yogurt makes a paste that hydrates your hair. Leave the paste on for an hour before rinsing for more manageable hair.
Conclusion
If you have the slightest curly hair, you are probably approached by a person with straight hair several times a day for them to tell you how envious they are. Your usual response might be,
“this old mop? I hate it.” If you try these products and natural remedies for curly hair, you can start saying, “Thanks, I love it!” instead.
The internet is rich with endless hacks on how to keep curly hair nourished and shiny. There are also a multitude of style guides that teach you to tame your curls or how to let them loose.
References
https://www.allure.com/story/curly-hair-mistakes
https://www.buzzfeed.com/essencegant/13-curl-defining-products-for-natural-hair-that-actually-wor
https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/top-10-curl-defining-hair-products