I remember when I decided to start my natural hair journey, I did so much research because truth be told, I’ve never got the new curlies must-haves guide when I was growing up.
In my many hours looking at “How to transition to curly hair” on Google or watching “how to diffuser your hair” on Youtube, I’ve tried a few things and now I’m sharing with you the ones that I kept in my routine.
Heads up: this page may contains affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.
To start, every curlie will benefit immensely from knowing their own hair porosity! Knowing that will help you better choose your hair products.
Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture through its cuticles. And it is classified into three different categories:
- Low porosity: cuticles are bound very close together;
- Medium porosity: cuticles are slightly less bound;
- High porosity: cuticles are more widely spread out.
To learn more about porosity and see how to figure yours you can take a look at this post where I talk about it Capillary Schedule.
Curlies Must-Haves
Besides shampoo and conditioner, which are staples in pretty much everyone’s houses, a curlie will also need other curly hair products that will help achieve healthy and bouncier curls. Options are not a problem, there are many for you to choose what works better on your hair.
Styling products: all about the definition
Leave-ins, curl activators, defining creams, and gels are some of the options from the top of my head but I believe there are even more options out there.
Finding the perfect products for your hair is what will give you a beautiful curl definition and make them last for days. A very useful tip if you don’t know where to start is to look for other curlies with a similar curl pattern as yours and ask for their favorite products.
2-In-1
My hair type is 3b3c and I have tons of hair so along the way I notice that I liked styling my hair with a combination of leave-in first, then a gel of stronghold.
I have tested many products alone and combined, for now, my favorite combination is Twist Hair Primer & Co with Ouidad Advanced Climate Control gel.
Treatment, the real secret of defined curls
Curly hair tends to be naturally drier because of its shape, natural oils from the scalp have a hard time reaching the length.
Because of it, the best way to keep your hair healthy is by giving it weekly treatments that will restore moisture, proteins, and other nutrients that will make your curls have more strength, definition, and decrease frizz.
Using my hair as an example again, I have high porosity hair, so I know that it always craves moisture and protein. When I’m not following a Capillary Schedule I’m alternating deep conditioner and protein treatment on my wash days.
My favorite protein treatment is Curl Smith Bond Curl Rehab Salve, it is like the name suggests a rehab for your curls. And for deep conditioning days, my thirsty hair is loving Almond & Avocado Wash Day Deep Moisture Masque
Curly hair products I am loving
Down here I added all products that are part of my own routine and I’m in love with them. They are perfect for 3B3C with high porosity hair, as they are very moisturizing and packed with protein. Definitely worth trying.
Tools Worth Your Money
In my early curly days, I used to think that the majority of tools I would see other curlies using wouldn’t make difference. Oh, boy I was wrong.
Despite what I used to think every single tool I got along the way helped me a lot and was definitely worth every penny.
If you are starting now or just want to up your curly game, hear me out because these accessories will indeed help you along the way, making your life easier and your curls prettier.
Hairdryer and Diffuser
This pair is my number one hair essential! Yes, I said “essential” because I can’t deal with my wet hair touching my neck, so no wash and go for me unless there’s no other way.
I use a regular $30 hairdryer I got at Walmart a few years ago, the truth is any hairdryer will help you get your hair dry, though the more powerful is the hairdryer the fastest it will take to get the job done. It takes me at least 1h30 to get my hair dry… That’s why I have a Dyson on my wishlist.
You can go all fancy here and get a Dyson to dry your curls anybody who has one swears by it, and look at it, it really has the fancy vibes.
This DevaCurl hairdryer is really cute and I remember how popular it was among the curly community. We cannot deny how cute it is.
A hairdryer alone is not of too much use for a curlie, the other half of this couple is the diffuser and I can’t recommend The Curly Co. enough, I have had mine for three years at least and it fits almost any hairdryer that accommodates attachments.
I got my Denman Styling Brush a little late in the game and I truly regretted not getting it earlier. If there’s one thing that I really was mistaken about was thinking that a styling brush wouldn’t make difference in my life, but it sure does.
Styling Time
My curls are so much more defined and they even last longer because of it.
Another one that is highly rated among my curly friends is the Curl Keeper Flexy Brush and it’s already on my wishlist.
Scalp TLC
Another item that I would never believe I would get so obsessed with is my scalp massager. It’s essential on my wash days and helps wash my scalp leaving it feeling so fresh and renewed. Better yet, it costs less than $10.
Protecting your curls
I know it’s not the sexiest bedtime style, but believe me, this is really a game-changer. I don’t sleep one night without mine since I got it.
Before I started using one, I would wake up with frizzier hair and my curls would need to be refreshed daily. However, now I take it off in the morning, give my roots a shake, and my curls are still defined and less frizzy.
Besides keeping your curls definition for longer, sleeping with a satin bonnet will keep your hair healthier: less split ends, less breakage from friction during sleep, and many other benefits.
On Amazon, you can find many different types of satin bonnets. One thing that you have to take into consideration is the volume of your hair. If you have big hair you should look for bonnets that have room for it, otherwise, it will smash your hair or not even fit it all
But if you feel that satin caps or bonnets aren’t for you, you can always use a silk pillowcase and benefit your skin besides keeping your hair smoother than ever. My favorite one is the Blissy 100% Mulberry Silk.
Best multi-use hair accessory
And to finish our curly girl essentials guide is the most versatile item: a spray bottle. I use mine on refreshing days and also while styling my hair, which somehow dries faster than I can finish styling. Besides that, I also use it while doing my skincare routine, and I even spray my plants’ leaves with it.
This continuous mist water spray is the GOAT of all spray bottles! The more you push it the longer the spray mist comes out of the bottle, just fantastic!
Summary
Since I’ve started my curly journey I knew I wanted only to invest in products and accessories that would be really useful.
Of course, there’s a lot of self-control involved, since there are so many shiny options in the curly world… but I really like to keep things simple and practical.
Now you know about all the things that were really worth the investment, even the small ones, and can see if they fit your lifestyle or not, what are a few options for the different budgets, and where to get them.
All things I shared here are really useful and make my life easier. I hope this new curlies must-have guide can help you on your curly shopping journey!
Leave a Reply