How to take care of curly hair: Tips and products (2022)

Choose the right shampoo and conditioner

For naturally curly hair, you’re going to need to use a shampoo and conditioner that is hydrating, conditioning and smoothing. Ingredients such as jojoba, manuka honey, keratin, shea butter and coconut oil are all great for keeping curly hair smooth and soft, so prioritize products that include them in their formulas.

We’d recommend using Kerastase’s Curl Manifesto shampoo and conditioner, which is enriched with the transformative smoothing powers of manuka honey and Ceramides to create soft, weightless, bouncy curls.

Kerastase Curl Manifesto Bain Hydratation Douceur

Use a smoothing treatment

Because curls can be a little bit rebellious when damaged, we’d recommend incorporating a smoothing and hydrating hair treatment into your weekly haircare routine, preferably a leave-in treatment. We’d recommend Kerastase Curl Manifesto Crème De Jour Fondamentale, which uses the same combination of smoothing manuka honey and ceramides to detangle, hydrate and create shine. It also protects the hair from heat up to 230C, so you can use it to protect your hair when using styling tools.

Kerastase Curl Manifesto Crème De Jour Fondamentale

Use low heat settings when styling

Speaking of styling tools, another key tip for keeping curly hair soft and tangle-free is to always use the lowest heat settings. If you blow dry your hair, try to wait at least 45 minutes after getting out of the shower before blow drying it. This will help you avoid frizz and flyaway hairs. When you apply direct heat to very wet hair, some of the water molecules remain in the hair cuticles and expand, causing frizz.

Don’t overwash

Overwashing the hair strips your scalp of its natural oils, so if you have curly hair susceptible to dryness, we’d recommend not washing your hair more than twice a week. When you strip the hair of its natural oils, your hair is going to lack moisture and become more brittle, and moisture is essential for curly hair. In between washes, we’d instead advise using a dry shampoo. Kevin Murphy’s Fresh Hair Dry Shampoo is a light, weightless formula that won’t make your curls heavy or tangled.

Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair Dry Shampoo 250ml

Use a comb, not a bristle hairbrush

If you have curly hair, you’re probably already aware that using a bristle hairbrush is a big no-no. Bristle hair brushes separate the curly hair strands and contribute to frizz, so opt for a wide-toothed comb instead. We love the Fabuloso Detangling Comb by Evo, which makes it easier than ever to detangle and smooth curly hair.

Fabuloso Detangling Comb

Use a curl contour product

If you want to give your curls a glossy, shiny, A-list look, a gel contour cream is essential. Gel contour helps hold your curls in your chosen style (tight curls, ringlets, waves) and will add shine, softness and bounce to your finished look. Our current favorite gel contour cream has to be Kerastase’s Gelée Curl Contour, the styling product from their Curl Manifesto range. Infused with manuka honey and Ceramides, this styling cream gives your curls hold while avoiding any crunch or tangling.

Kerastase Gelée Curl Contour

Treat hair damage

Naturally curly hair is more prone to heat damage than other hair types, as it loses hydration more easily. For this reason, it’s important to regularly treat your hair damage to avoid split ends, tangled hair and chronic dryness. To treat all types of hair damage )whether it be thermic, sun or chemical) we’d recommend Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3. This treatment works to reverse even the oldest and most severe hair damage, including bleaching damage. Use this once a week to reverse and prevent damaged hair.

Olaplex Hair Perfector No.3

Use a daily hair oil

Hair oil is amazing for curly hair – it’s weightless, it absorbs easily and it won’t weigh the hair down with product. For added shine and bounce, we’d recommend applying a hair oil in between washes to give your curls some extra gloss and shine. Kerastase’s Elixir Ultime L’Huile Originale is perfect for curly hair, as it protects the hair from frizz while adding shine and heat protection.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime L’Huile Originale

Use this hair oil between washes to enjoy silky, glossy curls all week long.