10 types of curly hair products

If you have looked for curly hair products online, you would see so many options like gel, leave in, custard, cream, spray, mousse *dizzzyyy*. How do you know what would work for your curly hair? What do each of these products exactly do? Let’s look at some of the different curly hair products available in the market(beyond the usual shampoo and conditioner).

1. Co wash cleanser/ cleansing conditioner

In my article about co washing, I had mentioned how a conditioner can be used instead of a shampoo to clean your hair. A cleansing conditioner is a conditioner which has the ability to cleanse the scalp and hair. Though most conditioners can double up as a co wash cleanser, there are products in the market specifically marketed as co wash cleansers.

2. Moisturiser

A moisturiser helps to retain moisture and provide additional moisture. They have ingredients that attract and hold moisture to the hair and also ingredients that seal the added moisture.

3. Leave in conditioner, Milk, Lotion

Leave in conditioners are watered down conditioners that are very light and help in adding moisture and detangling in between wash days or after your wash. Since they are lighter than conditioners, they can be used daily without effects like build up or weighing hair down. These are particularly helpful for refreshing curly hair.

4. Butter, Pudding, Custard

*drool*. Apart from being things that you can eat, they are usually very rich and thick moisturizers. They come in tubs and jars being thick. Pudding and custards may usually also provide hold depending on their ingredients.

5. Serum

Hair serums are mostly silicone-based products with small amount of oils that coat your hair strands to prevent frizz and fly-a-ways and impart shine.

6. Gel

Gel is a clear substance that helps with curl definition and hold, controls frizz and fly aways and usually gives a wet, sleek look to hair. Curly hair gels : Everything you need to know

7. Mousse

Mousse is an opaque, foamy, airy product that helps provide light hold and added volume to wavy or fine curly hair. It is lighter than gel and hence doesn’t have as much hold.

8. Curling cream

Curling cream is the baby of a gel and a leave in. They provide soft hold and definition to curls in addition to having nourishing and moisturizing properties. They don’t form a cast or cause crunchy curls like gels do.

9. Pomade

Pomades are heavy styling products and usually have beeswax, petroleum based ingredients or hydrogenated fats. It’s mainly used for highly sculpted & slick styles like updos that require extreme hold.

10. Spray/spritz/mist

These products are very light and watery and are mainly used to impart shine and for refreshing curly hair.

There you have it 🙂 Companies may use different names for their products so it is always good to check the label and ingredients and make an informed choice.