Editor tip: When you’re after smooth, clean strands, this cream doubles as a warmth protectant—simply blow-dry it by means of damp hair for a frizz-free end.
Key substances: rice bran oil, rooibos tea, shea butter | Greatest for: individuals with totally different curl patterns
Regularly requested questions
What must you search for in a curl cream?
When selecting a curl cream, concentrate on substances that hydrate and outline with out leaving your curls feeling greasy or weighed down. “Curl lotions needs to be free from artificial substances like amodimethicone and dimethicone,” says Joseph. “Additionally keep away from oils or butters that simply sit on prime of the hair, abandoning a greasy residue.” As an alternative, search for light-weight substances like shea butter or argan oil that soak into your strands, providing you with gentle, touchable curls with loads of definition.
It’s additionally a good suggestion to keep away from alcohol, which may dry out curls and strip them of moisture. A great curl cream ought to really feel creamy (however not too heavy) and distribute simply from root to tip. Hold a watch out for humectants like glycerin or aloe vera, which draw moisture into the hair, maintaining your curls hydrated and bouncy. These substances assist combat frizz whereas maintaining your curls gentle and energetic.
Is it higher to place curl cream on moist or dry hair?
For curls that pop, the key is in how moist your hair is whenever you apply the product. “It’s 100% higher to use any styling product—cream, gel, and/or mousse—on soaking moist hair,” says Rae. “Curly hair is extra susceptible to dryness, so we require a lot water. Curl-friendly merchandise are activated with water, so it received’t weigh our hair down.” In different phrases, moisture is your curls’ greatest pal.
Joseph agrees: “Apply lotions to tremendous moist hair to elongate curls and retain size,” he says. “Apply to damp hair to extend spring issue, making the hair fuller and the curls tighter.” So relying in your vibe—whether or not you need extra stretched-out, relaxed curls or tighter, bouncier coils—simply how moist your hair is could make all of the distinction.
Is mousse higher than curl cream?
The reply actually is dependent upon what sort of curls you’re after. Mousse is your go-to if you’d like extra quantity and maintain—good for types that want slightly extra construction and definition. On the flip aspect, curl lotions are all about hydration and nourishment, providing you with softer, extra touchable curls. “I have a tendency to use mousses over lotions to get final nourishment with out dropping management and maintain,” says Joseph. “This combo will create gentle, touchable, lived-in curls with sufficient hydration and definition to appear like you simply left the salon.” So, should you’re craving outlined curls with some endurance, attempt layering mousse over cream for the most effective of each worlds.
Meet the specialists
- Evan Joseph, curly hair educator and proprietor of Evan Joseph Salon in San Diego, CA
- Kiana Rae, curl specialist and proprietor of West Coast Curls in Los Angeles, CA
- Alex Mouneu, LA-based texture specialist
- Cynthia Alvarez, a star hairstylist in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA
- Ginger King, beauty chemist in Edison, New Jersey
- Lana Hun, hairstylist and curl specialist in Los Angeles, CA
- Leigh Hardges, hairstylist in Chicago, IL
- Kristin Ess, movie star hairstylist and founding father of Kristin Ess Hair in Los Angeles, CA
How we take a look at and assessment merchandise
We all the time enlist a variety of testers for our make-up vertical, however hair-care products and tools are one other story. Whereas there are actually merchandise that can be utilized throughout totally different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colours (pure and unnatural), and desires, hair merchandise are sometimes created with particular shoppers in thoughts. Many are created with a view to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most successfully for a selected hair sort (4C curls, wavy hair, grey hair). You would not wish to choose up a purple shampoo that is solely been reviewed by somebody with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that is by no means been examined by anybody with curls—proper?
