The Complete Guide to Curly Hair Products: What Each One Does and How to Use It

The moment you step foot into any dedicated hair care section of any large store. You will be hit with an enormous number of products each with different names, promising different outcomes. Shampoos, co-washes, conditioners, deep conditioners, leave-ins, curl creams, oils, butters, gels, mousses, edge controls. All making grand statements of definition, moisture, growth, softness and shine.  

Most people with curly, coily and textured hair have a large collection of products accumulated mostly through trial and error. Some of them you use religiously others haven't been touched since you brought them home and raised the question, why did I buy this? 

There is a way to deal with this problem and that is to understand what each product category actually does, how it fits into a routine and what to look for in its formulation. Not which brand is the best, but what the product itself contains and exactly how to use it to get the results you're after. 

This is the guide that will clear all of that up for you. 

Shampoo

Shampoo’s main job is to clean your scalp and hair. A good shampoo should remove product buildup, excess sebum, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental residue. A good hair care routine should start with a clean base and a good shampoo is integral to that. 

Sulphate shampoos: These are shampoos that contain cleansing agents called sulphates. Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium Laureth sulphate (SLES) both fall into this category. These are strong cleansers that strip the hair of oils and moisture and work well for cleaning straight hair. These cleansers have also become controversial in the curly hair community because for hair that's already dry or struggles with retaining moisture a strong sulphate shampoo used frequently can strip the hair of any moisture, leaving hair feeling brittle and the scalp feeling tight and dry. 

That said, sulphates do have their uses for curly hair. A sulphate shampoo can be used occasionally to remove silicone buildup or heavy product residue. Serving a purpose a milder cleanser can't always replicate. The issue with sulphate shampoos for curly hair is usually down to frequency and concentration not the ingredient on its own. 

Sulphate-free shampoos: These are shampoos that use milder cleansing agents such as glucoside, betaines and amino acid surfactants. For regular wash-day use on curly and coily hair, sulphate-free shampoos are usually the better choice. Look for formulas where the primary cleaner is something like cocoyl isethionate, coco-glucoside or decyl glucoside. These are effective cleaners that are gentler on your hair's moisture barrier. 

How to use it: Apply shampoo to the scalp not the lengths of hair and massage it in gently using the tips of your fingers, not your nails. This helps to loosen buildup and stimulate circulation. The shampoo will rinse through the lengths of your hair as it washes out.  

Co-wash

A co-wash (conditioner washing) uses a conditioner or a co-washing product to cleanse your hair without a traditional shampoo. It also helps to remove light buildup and is able to refresh your hair while adding conditioning ingredients at the same time. 

A co-wash is perfect for people who feel that even gentle sulphate-free shampoos strip their hair or who wash more frequently than a weekly shampoo would allow. Co-washes are especially popular among people with type 4 hair, where dryness can be a consistent concern. 

The problem people find with solely using a co-wash is that they often aren't strong enough to remove heavy product buildup or silicones effectively. So if you use silicone-containing styling products, it is advised to also use a regular shampoo once or twice a month to clarify properly.  

What to look for: A good co-wash should be lightweight enough not to weigh your curls down while still containing conditioning agents such as cetyl alcohol, behentrimonium methosulfate or natural oils near the top of the ingredient list. You should avoid co-washes that contain heavy silicones, which defeats the purpose of a lighter cleanser.  

How to use it: Apply to wet hair, massage into your scalp and through the lengths of your hair, then rinse out thoroughly. Co-washes can also be used instead of shampoo on non-clarifying wash days. 

Conditioners are a must for curly hair and are applied and rinsed out similarly to shampoos. The primary job of a conditioner is to restore moisture to your hair and make it more manageable after cleansing. Conditioners also help to smooth the cuticle and make the hair easier to detangle. 

After using a cleanser like shampoo or co-wash, a conditioner is used to restore moisture to your hair and skipping it will leave your hair feeling dry and compromised.  

What to look for: A good conditioner for curly hair contains a combination of humectants (ingredients that draw water into the hair shaft like glycerin, panthenol and aloe vera), emollients (ingredients that soften and smooth like fatty alcohols such as cetyl and stearyl alcohol, plant oils) and sometimes proteins like hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed silk and wheat protein that help to strengthen the cuticle. The exact combination for you depends on your hair's porosity and protein sensitivity. 

Detangling: A good conditioner should also make it easier for you to detangle your curls. The slip it provides allows a wide tooth comb or fingers to work through knots without excessive breakage. Detangling dry hair or detangling without a conditioner can create unnecessary stress for your hair and can cause breakages and mess with your curl pattern. 

How to use it: Apply to wet hair after shampooing, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends where dryness is most pronounced. Work through gently with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Leave for two to five minutes before rinsing out; leave for longer if your hair is particularly dry or damaged. 

A deep conditioner is a more intense conditioning treatment applied to the hair and left on for a longer period of time, usually around 20 to 45 minutes. Sometimes used alongside gentle heat to help it penetrate the cuticle more effectively. Depending on the formula, deep conditioners usually provide a more concentrated dose of moisture and protein to the hair. 

A regular deep conditioning treatment is one of the most impactful habits for curly and coily hair and tends to provide better elasticity, more consistent moisture levels and less breakage over time. 

Moisture vs. protein deep conditioners: These are the two different categories of deep conditioners, that aim to serve two distinct functions. 

Moisture deep conditioners are rich in humectants, emollients and oils. Designed to replenish your hair’s hydration and improve softness and elasticity. Most people with curly hair see real benefit from using a moisture deep conditioner, weekly or every other week.  

Protein deep conditioners make use of hydrolyzed proteins that temporarily fill the gaps of damaged cuticles and help to strengthen the hair structure. These deep conditioners are especially useful for people with high porosity hair that's been heat damaged or chemically processed. But for people with low porosity hair, overuse of protein can cause stiffness and brittleness in your hair. Because low porosity hair does not absorb proteins well. If you are using a protein treatment and your hair starts to feel hard or straw-like, reduce the frequency of use. 

How to use it: Apply to freshly shampooed, damp hair. Cover with a shower cap to trap heat and help the product penetrate. Leave for a minimum of 20 minutes or longer if your hair is very dry or damaged. Rinse thoroughly with cool water to help close the cuticle after treatment. 

Leave-in conditioner

A leave-in conditioner is the foundation of a good styling routine. It is applied to wet hair after washing and not rinsed out. It is designed to introduce water and moisture into your hair before any oils or styling products are applied.  

A good leave-in conditioner is water-based and helps to add moisture to your curls. It is an important step in managing dry hair and can be used along with a hair oil to first add moisture and then seal it in for long lasting effect. A leave-in conditioner is the water-based step that adds moisture into your curls and applying oil after helps to seal the moisture in. 

Rinse-out conditioner as leave-in: Some people use a standard rinse out conditioner as a leave in. This is a cheaper alternative that works especially well for people who don't respond well to heavier formulas. Lighter, fine curls may prefer a product specifically formulated as a leave-in, which tends to have a thinner consistency that won't weigh the hair down. 

What to look for: Water should be the primary ingredient in a good leave-in, followed by humectants (glycerin, aloe vera, panthenol) and a conditioning agent. Avoid leave-ins that are silicone based if you're using a sulphate-free shampoo. Silicones are more difficult to remove and can easily develop buildup on your scalp. 

How to use it: Apply to soaking wet or damp hair, section by section, working from roots to ends. Scrunch in gently to encourage curl formation. Follow immediately with a hair oil to seal. 

Hair oils

A common misconception that people have about hair oils is that they moisturise hair. This is incorrect. Hair oils help to seal in moisture that is already present within the hair, which is why they are good to use after applying a water-based leave-in conditioner. A good oil also helps to slow down the evaporation of moisture from the hair shaft, helping curls look fresher and hydrated for longer. 

Penetrating oils vs. sealing oils: Not all oils behave the same way on the hair. 

Penetrating oils have a smaller molecular structure that allows them to pass through the cuticle and into the cortex of the hair shaft. Marula oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, and sweet almond oil fall into this category. These are the most useful oils for curly hair because they work at a deeper level, by carrying nutrients into the hair rather than just coating the surface. 

Sealing oils have a larger molecular structure and sit on top of the cuticle, forming a barrier that slows moisture loss. Castor oil and coconut oil are the most well-known examples. Coconut oil has a unique ability to partially penetrate while also sealing; it's the most studied hair oil in terms of its effect on protein loss and moisture retention. 

Scalp vs. hair application: Lightweight penetrating oils such as jojoba, argan, marula can be applied directly to the scalp to address dryness there. Heavier sealing oils are better suited to the lengths and ends, where they form a protective layer without clogging follicles. 

How to use it: Apply a small amount to damp hair after your leave-in conditioner, working through the mid-lengths and ends. A little goes a long way, start with less than you think you need and build up from there. Too much oil leaves hair feeling heavy and greasy rather than moisturised. 

Curl creams are the bridge between moisture and definition. They're applied after leave-in and oil to provide hold, shape curl formation and reduce frizz. They also help to add extra moisturising benefits through their ingredients. 

Curl creams give a soft, flexible hold to curls that work well for looser curl types (2C-3B) that help to give the hair definition. For tighter curls (4A-4C) curl creams work better as a final moisture layer rather than a definition tool, because tighter curls don't benefit from definition products in the same way as looser curls. 

What to look for: A good curl cream should contain a balance of humectants for moisture, emollients for softness and a light hold ingredient like a natural gum such as xanthan gum. Avoid curl creams with heavy waxes or mineral oils near the top of the ingredient list. These can cause buildup and prevent moisture from penetrating your hair shaft.  

How to use it: Apply to damp hair after leave-in and oil, scrunching in section by section. Allow to fully dry without disturbing, touching hair as it dries causes frizz by disrupting the curl formation while it's still setting. 

Gels

Gels are the strongest hold product in a curl routine. Applied to wet hair. It dries to form a cast around each curl, a slightly crunchy outer layer that holds the curl in shape while it dries. Once dry, the cast is broken by scrunching the hair gently, releasing the soft defined curls underneath. 

This technique, also called "scrunching out the crunch", is what separates well-used gel from the stiff, crunchy look most people associate with it. The cast is simply the first stage that leads to defined looking curls if done right. 

What to look for: Gels for curly hair work best when they're free of drying alcohols (which are common in gels formulated for straight hair) and free of heavy silicones. Look for water as the first ingredient, with hold provided by natural gums (flaxseed extract, aloe vera, xanthan gum) or synthetic polymers that don't cause excessive stiffness. 

Gel vs. mousse: Mousses provide a lighter, more diffused hold than gel and work well for looser curl types or as a finishing product layered over gel for extra volume. For tighter coils, mousse alone rarely provides enough hold to define and maintain the pattern throughout the day. 

How to use it: Apply to soaking wet hair, gel works less effectively as hair starts to dry. Rake through section by section, then scrunch to encourage curl formation. Diffuse or air dry without touching. Scrunch out the cast once completely dry. 

Butters such as shea, mango and cocoa butter are thick, occlusive products that sit on the surface of the hair or scalp. Forming a heavy barrier against moisture loss. They work best when used as a sealant on the ends of hair or as an ingredient in a styling product rather than applied directly to the scalp. 

If applied directly to the scalp, heavy butters can clog follicles and contribute to buildup. Particularly for people who don't wash their scalp frequently and who prefer to use a sulphate-free shampoo. It is one of the most common causes of scalp irritation within the curly hair community. 

As a styling product, butters work well for very dry, coarse, high porosity hair that needs heavy sealing. For fine or low porosity hair, hair butters tend to be too heavy, weighing the hair down and preventing lighter products from absorbing properly. 

How to use it: If using as a sealant, apply a small amount to the ends of damp hair after leave-in and oil. If using as a styling product, apply to damp hair and layer with a lighter product or gel for hold. Keep away from the scalp. 

Putting it all together

The order you use these products matters as much as the products themselves. A good routine for most curl types is: 

Wash day: Use a shampoo or co-wash followed by a rinse out conditioner (to detangle), then a deep conditioner (leave for 20min-45min then rinse out). Then a styling routine of leave-in conditioner to add moisture to the hair, oil to seal in the moisture, followed by a curl cream or gel and finally diffuse or air dry. 

Between wash days: Refresh with water and a small amount of leave-in. Apply lightweight oil to the scalp and massage in. Protect hair at night with a satin or silk pillowcase, bonnet or du-rag. 

Not all products on this list are necessary for every person. If you want a simpler routine, we recommend just using shampoo, conditioner, leave-in and oil as a bare minimum. Other people prefer a more layered approach to achieve their desired results. Whatever works for you, just start simple and add products only when there's a specific need for them. Pay attention to how your hair responds. And go from there. 

Understanding what each product does is the difference between a good routine designed for you and one that leaves you with shelves filled with products without a purpose. 

Our free Curly Hair Guide goes deeper on building a routine around your specific curl type and porosity - read it here.