THAT CURL LIFE

The 27 Best Curly Hair Products for Every Different Budget

Handpicked by curly-hair Allure editors, these are the top-tier hair oils, shampoos, conditioners, and creams to keep your natural kinks and coils in great shape.
27 Best Curly Hair Products of 2021 Editor Reviews Shop Now
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If you're currently on a hunt for the best curly hair products, you've come to just the right place. As beauty editors, we know there are a lot of options out there, so determining each step of your ideal routine can be tricky whether you want to defrizz, define your curls, hit them with some moisture, or give them a little lovin' after a super sleek blowout. So we combed through all the jams, jellies, puddings, custards, gels, and creams to come up with some of our favorite foolproof products for curls.

There's a bottle of something for everything here — loose 'fros, crisp braids, bouncy ringlets, or cropped coils. So, what are you waiting for?

Scroll to find the best hair products for curly hair, including the best shampoos, conditioners, bubbly mousses, and penetrating oils that will help give you the gorgeous curls you deserve — no matter how thick or slim your wallet is.

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

  • Curls So So Def Vitamin C Curl Defining Jelly on white background
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    1/27

    Curls So So Def Vitamin C Curl Defining Jelly

    It's easy to mistake the ingredients in Curls' So So Def Vitamin C Curl Defining Jelly for your favorite face cream. Laced with vitamins A, B, and C, this 2020 Allure Best of Beauty winner introduces moisture into thirsty curls and keeps it there so that your coils spring to life and don't dry out.

    $10 (Shop Now)

  • 2/27

    Talia Waajid Protective Styles Bamboo Biotin and Basil Curl Activator

    Talia Waajid's Protective Styles Bamboo Biotin and Basil Curl Activator & Defining Cream jump-starts your curl memory so that you don't have to manipulate your hair as much with your hands in order to get smooth, pronounced definition. The biotin and bamboo in this 2020 Allure Best of Beauty winner work beneath the surface of the hair to keep it strong and free from breakage.

    $10 (Shop Now)

  • 3/27

    Pantene Curl Affair Curl Reshaping Cream

    You can use Pantene's Curl Affair Curl Reshaping Cream in a few different ways. Try the 2020 Allure Best of Beauty winner the classic way on damp curls that you're going to air- or diffuse-dry to help block out humidity and keep hair smooth. Or apply the argan oil and vitamin B5-infused refresher to help moisturize, smooth, and reshape any curls that may have gotten crunched while you were sleeping.

    $15 (Shop Now)

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    7/27

    Rucker Roots Texture Styling Mousse

    Lots of mousses can be drying but this Rucker Roots Texture Hair Styling Mousse has moisturizing vitamin E and biotin to make hair stronger with each use. This 2020 Best of Beauty winner shines while styling your wash-and-gos or setting a flexi-rod or twist-out style.

    $14 (Shop Now)

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    8/27

    Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel

    Formulated with baobab, cactus, sweet almond, and vitamin-E-rich pumpkin seed oils to leave hair feeling pillowy-soft and conditioned, Adwoa Beauty's cream-based Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Gel is the real deal when it comes to moisturizing dry curls. It's Allure's editorial assistant Gabi Thorne's preferred last step in her wash-and-go routine, as it also adds long-lasting definition and hold to her style.

    $32 (Shop Now)

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    9/27

    Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Curl Defining Cream

    The silky-textured Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Curl Defining Cream effortlessly elevates your natural curl pattern and keeps thirsty curls quenched, thanks to coconut oil and shea butter. It also fights frizz and minimizes breakage along the way, all at a very reasonable price — thus earning it a 2020 Best of Beauty Award in the steals category. We love an accessible product that does the work.

    $5 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of brand
    10/27

    Oribe Curl Gelée

    Digital editor Jihan Forbes said that the Oribe Curl Gelée, despite having a thick texture, dried down to a weightless finish and left her highly-textured hair with a bouncy finish and days-long definition. Formulated with hydrating murumuru, mango, and cocoa seed butters, curl-enhancing neem seed oil, and cuticle-strengthening avocado butter, it'll leave your style in peak condition. We're talking about a high-shine finish, slippage, detangling, and curl smoothing and definition with any unwanted crunch. It should then come as no surprise that it landed a 2020 Best of Beauty Award in the splurges category.

    $44 (Shop Now)

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    11/27

    SheaMoisture Cream Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie

    Although the consistency of SheaMoisture's Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie is rich, this creamy styler doesn't weigh hair down. Instead, the 2020 Readers' Choice Award winner infuses much-needed moisture into textured hair and adds definition without any crunch or heaviness.

    $13 (Shop Now)

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    12/27

    Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream

    In addition to the moisturizing argan oil found in all Moroccanoil products, this 2020 Readers' Choice Award winner also enhances curls when it comes in contact with heat. Apply Curl Defining Cream to damp curls and then zap with a diffuser and dryer. The heat-activated formula has a curl memory feature that helps reduce frizz and define coils.

    $34 (Shop Now)

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    16/27

    Aveda Be Curly Co-Wash

    Aveda's fresh, citrus-scented Be Curly Co-Wash gently removed dirt and oil without weighing down our tester's fine curls — unlike many sulfate-free cleansers. "After I used it, my curls looked extra smooth and spiraled, though it wasn't moisturizing enough to allow me to skip my Dove Quench Absolute Conditioner," said former Allure editor Chloe Metzger.

    $26 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    17/27

    Oyin Handmade Hair Dew Daily Quenching Lotion

    Use this lightweight Oyin Handmade Hair Dew Daily Quenching Lotion to freshen curls and keep them hydrated. Forbes loves to use it in the middle of the week to give her curls an extra boost of moisture. But the best part? "It smells like a delicious, spiced-vanilla cake. It makes me want to smell my hair all day."

    $14 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    18/27

    Maui Moisture Curl Quench Coconut Oil Curl Smoothie

    If you've got the kind of curls that need some extra hold, Maui Moisture's Curl Quench Coconut Oil Curl Smoothie is right up your alley. The silicone-free, 2018 Best of Beauty Award-winning formula moisturizes dry curls, clumping them together and banishing frizz to give you some serious definition. Rake through your strands, air-dry or blow-dry, and get ready for the softest coils ever.

    $7 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    22/27

    Bumble & Bumble Bb Curl Care Custom Conditioner

    Most all-in-one beauty products fall short of their ambitious claims. Bumble & Bumble's three-in-one Bb Curl Care Custom Conditioner, however, truly lives up to its hype as a conditioner, co-wash, and leave-in. The thick and creamy formula feels more like a pudding than a conditioner, but can be diluted for finer curls. "It cleanses my hair just enough between shampoos without drying it out," says former Allure beauty editor Lexi Novak. "And it tames my frizzy ends in the morning without greasing them up like an oil would."

    $35 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    23/27

    Sebastian Professional Twisted Elastic Cleanser and Detangler

    Similar to a seaweed wrap for your curls, the elastic polymers and marine extracts in Sebastian Professional's Twisted Elastic Cleanser and Detangler spiral around each strand, adding renewed body and shape. No wonder it took home the 2018 Best of Beauty Award for best shampoo and conditioner for curly hair.

    $19 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    24/27

    Aquis Lisse Luxe Hair Towel

    Drying your hair with a traditional terry-cloth towel can cause some serious frizz. Aquis's microfiber Lisse Luxe Hair Towel helps remedy that, drying your hair in a snap (50 percent less time, to be exact) and leaving your curls nicely clumped.

    $30 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    25/27

    DevaCurl No-Poo Original Zero Lather Cleansing Conditioner

    Co-washing is a major key when it comes to curl care. DevaCurl's classic No-Poo Original Zero Lather Cleansing Conditioner not only gently cleanses product buildup, but once you rinse it out, you'll be greeted with curls that are impossibly soft, bouncy, and defined.

    $15 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    26/27

    Vernon François Pure Fro Hold and Shine Serum

    If anyone knows how to finesse a hairstyle on textured strands, it's Vernon François' Pure Fro Hold and Shine Serum. Blended with six natural oils — including apricot kernel oil, a great source of vitamins A, D, and E, and daikon seed extract (which gives hair slip) — this serum is the finishing touch for flawless hair.

    $15 (Shop Now)

  • Courtesy of Brand
    27/27

    Ouai Hair Oil

    "Shining, shining, shining, shining, yeah…" Ouai's penetrating, quick-absorbing, and nutrient-packed Hair Oil is so good, it makes us want to break out into song. Luckily, you can't hear us, but you can see the wonders this baby can do when you add a few drops to wet hair. But the best part about this oil is that it actually has more than one use — founder Jen Atkin created it to double as an overnight hydrating mask.

    $14 (Shop Now)

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