The 16 Very Best Products for Curly Hair (2025)

Even if you don’t have curls, odds are a "curly girl hair routine" video has popped up on your TikTok FYP once or twice. If it has, then you’ve seen the vast array of products that women with curly tresses use to get just the right bounce and texture (minus frizz, of course). And if you do have wavy or ringleted locks, but not a plethora of creams and leave-in conditioners, you might be wondering where to even start. Luckily, we've got a list of the very best curly hair products to share.

“Choosing the right products for your curls can be tricky and it’s a lot of trial and error!” Cynthia Alvarez, a celebrity hairstylist, tells Parade. “All curls aren’t created equal and not all products will have the same effect on your curls as intended.”

Even though that might not be the answer you wanted to hear—there is no catchall rule or miracle product that works for 100% of people—there are some really good tips and tricks to starting your curly hair routine journey, including how to find the best styling products. Alvarez—who’s done hair for Dascha Polanco, Auliʻi Cravalho and Mindy Kaling—says that some things you need to “take into consideration” when shopping for products include knowing your natural hair pattern and your hair porosity.

Hair type or hair pattern refers to the type of curls or coils you have in your hair. Pantene has a good infographic, showing curly hair which can range from 2A hair (which is wavy) to 4C hair (which is coily and kinky). Hair porosity refers to how your hair is able to absorb and retain moisture. Your hair can be low porosity, meaning that it has “tightly closed cuticles making it harder to moisturize,” according to Alvarez. And if you have high porosity hair, that means there are “gaps in the cuticle which allows moisture to enter and escape the hair easily,” she shares.

There’s a test you can do using a glass of water and a single hair strand. Or you can simply just run your finger down a strand of your hair; your hair will feel smooth if it has low porosity, and it’ll feel rough or bumpy if it has high porosity.

According to Alvarez, figuring out these factors will allow you to “shop with confidence” for curly-hair products that you’ll love and that could work for you. Read on to hear from more celebrity hairstylists about how to find the best items, what ingredients to stay away from, along with the 16 best products for curly hair out there.

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As Alvarez already explained, knowing the type of hair you have and your hair's porosity are two great things to start with when searching for the perfect curly hair products. Leysa Carrillo, a celebrity stylist and founder of Forever Curls Education, tells Parade that women with curls should also know their hair density and the personal goals they have for their hair when choosing products.

"What kind of look do you want? How long do you want your style to last? That clarity is key," Carrillo explains. "But even the best products won’t work if they’re not applied correctly—application is 75% of the final result. That’s why having a trusted hairstylist who specializes in curls and understands your unique needs makes a huge difference. The right guidance, paired with the right technique, always leads to the best results.”

When you're at the store searching the aisles for hair serums, masks and more, Christin Brown explains that there are "certain keywords that we search for."

"If something says 'curl-defining' or 'volumizing,' then we know for the most part exactly what it's going to do," Brown, a celebrity curl specialist and colorist for 15 years, says. "I believe that most folks with curls are looking for either definition, volume, no-crunch or long-lasting styling. The styling products that they choose should reflect their desires and goals.”

And once you find that perfect product, do not let it go! But of course, it all takes time, and Alvarez says that her biggest curly hair tip "is to have patience."

"Curly hair is beautiful and it can take time for you to find your perfect routine and when you do, sky’s the limit!" she says. "You deserve to thrive in your curls..."

And Alvarez, who has been in the industry for 20 years, shares that she hopes these tips and products in this article bring women with curly hair "closer to [their] goal.”

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With that all said, the best overall curly hair product is easily

with two of our celebrity stylists sharing they can't get enough of it. It's marketed as being able to "enhance curl definiton, hydration and volume."

"This foam is fire!!!" Brown, who is also the owner of the Full Spiral Salon in Culver City, CA, tells Parade. "Not only the performance, but this foam feels like it multiplies in your hands when you use it. Simply amazing.”

Alvarez says that Rizos Curls is "one of [her] favorite brands" in general and therefore this mousse is at the top of her list too.

“My go-to for wash-and-go's or twist outs is to layer [Rizos Curls's] Curl Defining Mousse and the

,” she shares.

We had a three-way tie for best curl cream and we find that great. Why? Because if gives options for different kinds of curls and offers alternatives if one doesn't work for you that well.

The first is

, which Brown—who's done hair for celebrities including Yara Shahidi—suggests. It's meant to "repair, relink and strengthen broken disulfide bonds" which makes "waves, curls and coils... instantly more defined, shaped and revived..."

"I'm a big gel person and this high-tech gel is not only focused on restructuring and repairing the hair, but the definition it gives curls is absolutely perfect," she says.

Next is

, which is a pick from Alvarez. It's a "silicone-free cream that forms, shapes and defines curls" as it also keeps a "natural texture" to the hair.

"My favorite curl cream at the moment is OUAI Curl Cream," she says. "It smells divine and fights frizz while hydrating and leaving your hair soft and touchable."

Alvarez's second choice for best curl cream is

. It's an "oil-rich styling cream" that's mean to give hair "superior moisture" and prevent breakage.

"This works best for thicker hair and the cream is pretty thick," she explains. "This cream provides shine and hydration while taming unruly curls and frizz.”

Related: 7 Best Short Hairstyles for Thick Hair, According to a Celebrity Stylist

As for the best hair mousse for curly hair, Carrillo shares that her pick is

. It's marketed as a "lightweight, foam mousse blended with shea butter to nourish the hair" as it keeps a "soft hold" as well.

"Nice for all curl types," Carrillo, who created Ice Spice’s new pixie haircut and color last year and has 17 years of experience, shares. "Very versatile.”

Silk bonnets and silk pillowcases are well-known to keep curly hair from damage as you sleep because there's less pull on your curls as you toss and turn. It's also meant to create less frizz and be overall better for hair, especially hair of the curly variety. And Alvarez's favorite pillowcase is the

.

"I’ve tried many brands and this one held up the test of time and many washes," she gushes.

When it comes to the best brush for curly hair, Alvarez shares that

is her favorite. Its description says that the UNbrush is able to "gently yet thoroughly [extract] knots and tangles." Even if you have "the most unruly hair" and it does it without pain or a lot of work on your part.

Alvarez did say that she finds herself reaching for her

at times too.

"Both are great," she explains. "I tend to use the Tangle Teezer for tiny knots and taking out twists."

We've got another tie, this time between two shampoos. The first is Brown's pick: Kinky Curly Come Clean Shampoo. It's a sulfate-free shampoo that's meant to give your hair a good, thorough clean with phytic acid, which removes hard water minerals and other build-up in your hair. It then has a blend of mandarin orange extract and sea kelp that work together to gently clean your hair and scalp while providing lots of moisture.

"For those looking for a deep cleanse without the stripped feeling, this cleanser is the one!" Brown says. "Still being sulfate-free, the cleansing effects of this shampoo is so incredible while still leaving your hair feeling like hair and not like straw."

Alvarez's pick is the

, from Beyoncé's new haircare brand. It offers a "luxurious cleanse" and is infused with hyaluronic acid for "deep" hydration that leaves your hair strong and healthy.

"I still love Cécred Hydrating Shampoo because it really hydrates the hair and is a great prep for conditioner," she says. "Curls are juicy after this shampoo."

She did also say she was between two favorites at the moment, with her lower-cost option being

.

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And for conditioner, the best option for curly hair is

. It is a leave-in conditioner, and does the job of adding extra hydration and repairing hair.

"[It has a] lotion-like consistency, so you really need to [rake] it through your hair or brush it through for even distribution, but it works like a charm," Alvarez shares. "Makes hair really soft and tangle-free."

Carrillo, who is a Redken International educator, shares that the "best leave-in" treatment is

. It's marketed as being able to "build bonds and restore the pattern of demanding curls and coils from within." It also offers heat protection up to 450°F.

It's made with coconut oil, shea butter and avocado oil, among other things, and is silicone- and sulfate-free. Redken says that this treatment produces 85% less frizz and gives "shiny and defined curls" for up to four days. Plus it makes hair "91% easier to detangle." You use it like a leave-in conditioner: apply it to damp, clean hair without rinsing it out and style as usual.

When it comes to the best hair mask for curly hair, Alvarez recommends the

. She says it's "hands down, one of [her] favorite hair masks." Benefits of this hair mask include "fortifying," "regenerating," "shine," "nourishing" and "volume." It's "enriched with four botanical oils" and nourishes the scalp and hair.

"It’s a light and creamy texture that’s also great for low porosity curls!" Alvarez shares, also noting that products made for more or all hair types are also fair game. "This is also a reminder that curly girls don’t have to be boxed into only using products made specifically for curls."

Hair dryers are meant to speed up the drying process, but sometimes it feels like taking a hair dryer to your curly hair just increases frizz. But the

is the best hair dryer pick for curly hair from two of our experts.

"If you're going to invest into a dryer, this is most definitely the one," Brown tells Parade. "Dyson puts out such top-notch products and there are no exceptions when it comes to the dryer. I dry all of my clients with this dryer and the diffuser attachment to get amazing results with a beautiful finish. Worth the investment."

The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is meant to "protect hair from heat damage" while also drying hair fast. It helps "increase smoothness by 75%, increase shine by up to 132% and decrease frizz and flyaways by up to 61%." No frizz? Say less.

Alvarez notes that the Dyson hair dryer is her favorite of all time too.

"The diffuser attachment works great for drying curls," she shares. For something slightly less expensive, Alvarez does say that the

"is a close runner-up!"

If you're looking for something that gives a "smoothing blow dry" Alvarez says that the

"is the best, hands down!" You put a section of hair into the nozzle of this hair dryer and "suck" it up. As you pull down, releasing the section of hair, your locks are dryer and straighter. But don't worry: it is meant to "reduce damage and breakage."

"I like to use this dryer to prep for a silk press," she explains.

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Now that we've shared the best products for curly hair—all with amazing ingredients meant to repair and moisturize—what are some ingredients you should stay away from?

If you're at the store and want to search for items on your own, you might notice the good things like glycerin, aloe vera, honey, hyaluronic acid and all the good oils (argan oil, coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, baobab oil, etc.). However, if you notice any of these below, run away!

"Sulfates are still one of those ingredients on the list that we can do without when it comes to curls," Brown shares with Parade. "Although there have been brands that use them and their products can sometimes be absolutely incredible, depending on your curl needs, sulfates can become extremely drying to the hair."

Alvarez also warns against sulfates, silicone, heavy oils and parabens if you have low-porosity hair, specifically.

Carrillo and Brown also advise against products with mineral oil. Carrillo says that heavy mineral oil and petrolatum (petroleum jelly) "coat the hair and block moisture from getting in."

Brown says that even though the concept of "oil" might trick you into thinking it's helpful for your hair, the way it creates a barrier against hydration is not worth it.

"Mineral oil is another ingredient that has the potential of going against our needs because of the way it can block moisture from the hair," she says. "We tend to think that moisture is provided by oils, but really water is one of the best curly allies.”

We've said multiple times already in this article that products boast about being silicone-free (usually alongside sulfate-free). And that's because silicones, particularly, are major culprits of product buildup and long-term hair damage.

"While they make hair feel smooth temporarily, many silicones are not water-soluble," Carrillo explains.

If you want to hydrate your curls (and with this hair type, you definitely want as much hydration as you can get), then anything that will dry your strands up is a major no-no.

"These can dehydrate curls and cause breakage,” Carrillo shares.

Alvarez says that people with high-porosity hair especially should avoid alcohol along with sodium laureth sulfate, parabens and everything else we've already shared on this list.

Salt seems like a weird thing to put in a hair product, but Carrillo shares that it's often used in shampoos as a thickener.

"It can dry out curls and lead to breakage, especially in color-treated hair,” she says.

And lastly, waxes are ingredients you should steer clear of if you have curly hair. If you're trying to get curl definition or want to smooth out your hair but you don't want it to feel heavy or gunky, waxes won't help.

"Heavy waxes can weigh curls down," Carrillo says.

Related: These 15 Home Remedies That You Can Find In Your Kitchen Will Repair Damaged Hair

"When it comes to styling curls, one of the biggest tips that I can give is applying products on wet hair," Brown explains. "[It] is going to give you some of the best results for distribution and definition.

But if you're "refreshing" your curls, "applying products on dry hair can help with touching up hair after a few days," Brown shares.

Carrillo says that the "biggest step" in finding a styling technique or routine that works for you is "communication" in regards to "the curly girls's needs."

"Hair type and climate play a role, but the most important factor is understanding how you want your curls to look and how long you want your style to last," she says. "For example, heavier products and gels provide strong definition and longer-lasting results, while mousses and leave-in creams create a softer, fluffier and more lightweight finish.”

"[A diffuser] helps add volume and maintain consistent curl pattern," Alvarez explains. "Hover the diffuser while your hair is still wet and focus on the roots. No hands in [the] hair until the gel cast forms on your curls or you’ll risk ending up with frizzy and undefined curls.”

She also recommends a satin pillowcase (as she already mentioned above), calling it a "game changer for the curly girls" since it helps prevent your hair "from drying out overnight and matting."

"Structurally, curly hair is the most fragile texture and is prone to easily snap or split at the ends," Alvarez says. "Keeping it hydrated and moisturized... will prevent premature breakage. Do this at least once every two weeks.”

While it mights seem like a lot of work, ultimately having curly hair is a gift and you should view it as such. As Alvarez explains that this hair type is full of so many possibilities.

"I love that curls have so much versatility and are able to be manipulated and shaped to your own vision," she says.

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