Anyone with curly or wavy hair will tell you that taking care of it is never just an extra serum or hair oil. It requires an entire full stack strategy. Every choice of shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, to your towel, hair towelling method, and hair dryer attachment that you use makes a drastic difference to the curls, frizziness, and texture.
Unfortunately, the majority of the haircare industry was designed for relatively straight to light wavy hair. So, any drugstore shampoo that you get from Watsons or even NTUC may not make the cut for your hair’s needs.
Here, check out these shampoos, conditioners, and hair sprays specially designed for varying degrees of curly hair:
For Afro hair types, opt for the British cosmetics company, Lush’s well-loved and widely-reviewed Power Conditioner (£10). This conditioner is one of the latest new formulas created by an Afro hair specialist, Sarah Sango, to specifically meet the haircare needs of Afro-textured hair.
For curly hair types, try the Virtue Curl Shampoo ($58) and Conditioner ($25 for 60ml). This non-drying formula basically cleanses any oils or haircare product residue left on your tresses that may have been disrupting your natural hair curls. Virtue’s formulas are colour-safe, paraben-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
If you’ve got wavy hair, try R+CO’s Dreamhouse range of products. Behind the brand is a group of celebrity hairstylists and salon insiders who came together to create top-end, vegan, cruelty-free, and colour-safe haircare products.
Try the R+CO Dreamhouse Cold Pressed Watermelon Wave Spray ($51) to enhance your natural wavy hair with its lightweight spray formula. The spray also contains ingredients to nourish and protect your curls and hair from the elements.
Verb is a New York-based haircare company run by women specialising in mid-weight haircare products between drugstore and luxury price points. Their Ghost Shampoo ($27.61) meant for taming frizzy hair has been one of the cult-favourites amongst women with curly hair.
Founded by a 36-year-old African-American Nancy Twine, Briogeo‘s products complements curly hair types. For dry and frizzy curly hair that’s gone unruly and damaged from lots of heat styling, try the brand’s Don’t Despair, Repair Shampoo ($89 for 1 litre) and Conditioner ($89 for 1 litre), or haircare kits ($32).
This article was first published in The Singapore Women’s Weekly.