Editor tip: For those who’re after modern, easy strands, this cream doubles as a warmth protectant—simply blow-dry it by damp hair for a frizz-free end.
Key elements: rice bran oil, rooibos tea, shea butter | Greatest for: individuals with completely different curl patterns
Often requested questions
What do you have to search for in a curl cream?
When selecting a curl cream, give attention to elements that hydrate and outline with out leaving your curls feeling greasy or weighed down. “Curl lotions ought to be free from artificial elements 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 elements like shea butter or argan oil that soak into your strands, supplying you with comfortable, touchable curls with loads of definition.
It’s additionally a good suggestion to keep away from alcohol, which might dry out curls and strip them of moisture. curl cream ought to really feel creamy (however not too heavy) and distribute simply from root to tip. Maintain a watch out for humectants like glycerin or aloe vera, which draw moisture into the hair, maintaining your curls hydrated and bouncy. These elements assist combat frizz whereas maintaining your curls comfortable and lively.
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 once 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 buddy.
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 relies on what sort of curls you’re after. Mousse is your go-to if you need extra quantity and maintain—good for kinds that want somewhat extra construction and definition. On the flip facet, curl lotions are all about hydration and nourishment, supplying you with softer, extra touchable curls. “I have a tendency to use mousses over lotions to get final nourishment with out shedding management and maintain,” says Joseph. “This combo will create comfortable, touchable, lived-in curls with sufficient hydration and definition to seem like you simply left the salon.” So, for those who’re craving outlined curls with some endurance, strive layering mousse over cream for the very best of each worlds.
Meet the consultants
- 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, celeb hairstylist and founding father of Kristin Ess Hair in Los Angeles, CA
How we take a look at and evaluation merchandise
We at all times enlist a variety of testers for our make-up vertical, however hair-care merchandise and instruments are one other story. Whereas there are definitely merchandise that can be utilized throughout completely different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colours (pure and unnatural), and wishes, hair merchandise are sometimes created with particular shoppers in thoughts. Many are created with a purpose to handle a priority (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most successfully for a particular hair kind (4C curls, wavy hair, grey hair). You would not wish to decide 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?