Let's kick things off by diving into the fundamentals of hair types and products. Personally I don't put too much stock in the curl pattern chart, 2a- 4c types. Porosity and texture are going to be bigger factors in choosing the right products than how tightly your wave/curl curls.
There's wavy, curly, coily and kinky, from least tight to tightest. Low, medium or high porosity, and fine, medium or coarse texture. As a general rule of thumb, wavy hair tends to do better with lightweight but strong hold products whereas coily and kinky does better with heavier creams and butters. Curly can go either way, depending on the porosity and texture. The finer the hair texture the lighter products you want to try, and coarser, the heavier.
My list is geared more towards wavy/ curly hair as that is what I have myself!
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning that at no cost to you, I might make a small commission on anything you purchase through my link as a way to support myself instead of big companies like amazon who sells these for the same price! But please know, I never promote products that I don’t believe in or truly love and haven't tried myself.
Matrix Keep Me Vivid
This shampoo has been my go-to for years! It is formulated for colored hair so it wont strip your color, doesn't have any harsh sulfates and it smells amazing!!
K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo
If you don't follow the curly girl method, you NEED a clarifying shampoo to remove build up. This one is a little pricey but it is worth every dime, and is the same price as found on amazon K18 is also color safe but removes 99% product build up, 95% sebum (your scalp oil) and 76% copper. You don't want to use a clarifying shampoo every wash day but use it at least 2 times a month and follow up with a good condition.
Innersense Color Radiance Daily Conditioner
Innersense holds a special place as one of my favorite brands. Known for their commitment to organic, cruelty-free, and clean formulations, their products are enriched with a plethora of natural ingredients. This conditioner consists of glycerin, aloe and proteins for those who have sensitivities. The Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner is my favorite glycerin and protein free alternative that is a little bit more moisturizing.
Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave In
Another fav from this line is their leave in spray. I've tried so many leave in conditioners that didn't help detangle at all, but this one is amazing. Again, it does have aloe, glycerin and a protein in it. If you like the more natural smells like citrus and doTerra oils, this brand is definitely for you.
Jessicurl Rockin' Ringlets
Jessicurl is another all time top brand of mine. Their products are perfect for the wavy-curly types AND they have unscented options for those who have allergies! This product is their OG product, formulated with flaxseed as the base ingredient, which is a film forming humectant and is packed full of strengthening nutrients like essential fats and antioxidants.
VERB Curl Foaming Gel
I'm pretty new to VERB but I have been impressed by everything I've tried so far! This one caught my eye since it is a unique hybrid between mousse and gel. I LOVE this stuff!! The foaming aspect makes it easier to distribute, it has the perfect amount of hold and leaves my hair so shiny after I scrunch out the crunch.
Innersense I Create Definition Styling Foam
I was a little put off by my first try using this product because I used it as a refresher and it gave me a super sticky feeling, but after I gave it another try I was blown away. This is the product I reach for when I want a single styler or when I'm traveling. It is a foam, so it's super lightweight and easy to spread but it has such a strong hold! I have had some of my best wash days using only this product.
Jessicurl Spiralicious Styling Gel
This gel is one of the first ones I tried and is still my go to. It is glycerin and protein free, and has PVPs so its perfect for humid and dry climates. It has a very strong hold and is very concentrated so it goes a long way. My favorite Jessicurl scent is their island fantasy. That one is tied with Bounce Curl's scent for my absolute favorites.
Bounce Curl Light Oil
Sorry, the Bounce Curl links wont take you directly to the specific product, you'll have to search for them. Bounce Curl is an amazing brand. It is woman and family owned, clean, no silicones, parabens or sulfates! I do feel like they tend to be on the heavier side, but this one is a unique oil since it has 12 different types in one.. AND very esthetically pleasing bottle with flowers floating inside (insert heart eyed emoji here)
K18 Leave- in Molecular Hair Repair
This stuff is liquid gold. Comes in a tiny bottle for a big price, but it is literally the best bond repair treatment on the market right now. Olaplex repairs two of the bonds that are in your hair, K18 repairs three! And it always made more sense to me that you leave it in, not rinse it out, then it has more time to work!
My Self Designed Wavy Curly Hair Journal
Gonna toot my own horn here for a little bit because I wasn't able to find one that had everything I wanted so I made my own!! I packed so much information into this journal. It has a build your own wash day, six months worth of wash day trackers, ingredient breakdowns and trackers, definitions, recommendations, places to rate your products, photo progress and more! And it's adorable with full color and spiral bound for ease of writing.
Bounce Curl Define Brush
Enter the brush that took the social media world by storm—for good reason! It's the all-in-one solution for curly hair styling (although, let's be honest, a wet brush reigns supreme for detangling). Featuring a blend of boar and regular bristles, it excels at smoothing, includes a tail comb for sectioning, and the genius notches on the sides effortlessly create clumps, saving you the post-brush styling raking ordeal. This sought-after brush has sold out numerous times, so run, don't walk to the Bounce Curl store.
If you're starting out on your wavy hair journey, focus more on your technique than buying all the products. Just start with a solid base of a clarifying shampoo, a quality shampoo and conditioner, a styling product or two and.. ahem.. my daily tracker journal so you can keep track of which methods worked well and which didn't, plus all the extra info that is super helpful for beginners! Then, once you feel comfortable with your styling method, branch out and try some new products.
Good luck curlfriends!
